-more women, older people will come on board

From the era when ‘joints’ of ‘weed’ had to be smoked discreetly on the streets of Jamaica, the smokers keeping a watchful eye out for the long arm of the law, marijuana has worked its way up the ladder of ‘comfort’ substances, the production and marketing of the herb blossoming into an industry that will likely grow exponentially in the years ahead. Those, at least, are the indications arising out of research done in the USA earlier this year.

Research into trends transforming the marijuana industry updated earlier this year by the digital marketing agency, Linchpin, suggests that the legalisation of marijuana in at least ten states in the USA would have pushed sales up to new levels. It is estimated that on July 4 this year - America’s Independence Day, more than US$400 million worth of cannabis was sold. Beyond that, experts are suggesting that the marijuana industry has the potential to grow to at least US$130 million a year in the near future. Not bad for a product, the popularity of which, just a few decades ago revolved around its popularisation in the music of the Jamaican reggae legend, Bob Marley.

Meanwhile, with public support for the legalisation reportedly at an all-time high, the push for legalisation is believed likely to grow stronger. Even now, activists are reportedly working to broaden the base of legalisation in states across America. Connecticut, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Rhode Island, are named among the states where legalisation may not be too far away.

Dispensaries that sell marijuana to recreational users could also become legalised in some states where possession and home cultivation are already legal. Some states are reportedly either on the verge of the decriminalisation of marijuana or are enacting a comprehensive medical