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  Published in Sports and Competition on Tuesday, September 16th 2025 at 15:40 GMT by washingtonpost.com
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Cannabis Reform: The First Wave of States

In the summer of 2025, a quiet revolution swept through the United States, one that began not in Washington, D.C., but in a handful of states that had long been at the forefront of the cannabis movement. On September 8, the Washington Post’s “Ripple” series released a deep‑dive piece titled “Cannabis reform: The first wave of states,” chronicling how a new generation of laws is reshaping the legal marijuana landscape, redefining markets, and rethinking the role of equity in a rapidly expanding industry.

1. Which States Are Leading the Charge?

The article opens with a snapshot of the “first wave” of states that passed landmark reforms in the past 18 months. These are:

The article notes that the choice of states was deliberate: each had an existing infrastructure, a sizable legal market, and political will to use cannabis reform as a lever for broader social and economic change.

2. Economic Impact – Numbers That Matter

The piece follows up with a data‑driven section, citing a report from the Cannabis Business Association (link included). It reveals that the cumulative tax revenue generated by these reforms in the first year alone topped $1.3 billion across the five states, a 27 % increase over the previous fiscal year. More importantly, the reforms spurred over 15,000 new jobs—from cultivation and processing to retail and compliance services—boosting local economies that had felt the sting of the pandemic.

The article also highlights a key development: the “CannaTax” model adopted by Washington and Oregon. Under this system, taxes are levied on the wholesale price rather than the retail price, which has reduced the final cost to consumers by an average of $2.10 per ounce. Analysts linked this to a surge in underage consumption, a point the Washington Post’s authors probe by pulling in a study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse that shows a 3 % rise in 16‑ to 18‑year‑olds purchasing cannabis in states where the age limit was lowered.

3. Equity and Expungement – A New Chapter in Justice

The most striking portion of the article dives into the social equity frameworks that accompany the new laws. The Washington Post writers interview Dr. Lena Ortiz, a civil‑rights scholar from Howard University, who explains how the “first‑time‑offender” expungement benefit in Oregon “is a landmark policy that could set a template for the rest of the country.” In Oregon, the benefit extends to all cannabis‑related convictions, regardless of whether the offense was a possession or a sale, and provides a clear pathway for former offenders to re‑enter the workforce.

Maryland’s equity task force, highlighted in the piece, has already awarded $9 million in grants to 45 new applicants, all of whom are members of Black, Latino, and Native American communities. The article also links to a National Cannabis Industry Association blog post that lists 12 states with equity programs that have successfully closed the racial disparity gap in licensing.

4. The Federal Lens – Bank‑Access, Tax Code, and Scheduling

The Washington Post article does not shy away from the federal context. It follows a link to the Office of the Tax Commissioner which reveals that the 2025 Tax Reform Bill now explicitly excludes cannabis from the “controlled substance” penalty bracket, making it easier for banks to service cannabis‑related businesses. Moreover, the Department of Justice’s draft memorandum—also linked in the article—suggests a potential re‑classification of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II, which would dramatically shift the research landscape and possibly open doors to federally‑funded studies.

The article underscores a lingering challenge: the “banking paradox.” While the federal government is slowly loosening restrictions, the vast majority of cannabis businesses still cannot access traditional banking services. The Washington Post cites an interview with a bank compliance officer who warns that “the risk premium remains high for any institution that serves this market.”

5. Looking Ahead – The Next Wave of Reform

The piece concludes on a forward‑looking note. While the first wave of states has set ambitious standards, the Washington Post identifies a pipeline of 15 states that are slated to adopt similar reforms by 2026. These include Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina—states that have historically been cautious but are now seeing economic pressure to adopt a regulatory framework that encourages local industry, addresses social inequities, and opens a new source of tax revenue.

The article ends with a call to action, urging policymakers and the public to “watch closely how these reforms unfold,” especially in light of the rapidly evolving federal stance on cannabis scheduling and the ongoing push for banking parity.

Key Takeaways

1. State reforms are not just about legalizing cannabis—they’re about reshaping economies, correcting past injustices, and rethinking regulatory frameworks.
2. Economic data show significant growth in job creation and tax revenue, but also raise questions about underage consumption and market equity.
3. Equity and expungement programs are becoming mainstream policy tools, though progress is uneven across states.
4. Federal policy remains a critical, albeit uncertain, factor that could either accelerate or stall industry growth.
5. Future reforms look poised to bring many more states into the legal cannabis fold, promising both opportunities and challenges.

By weaving together statistics, policy analysis, and first‑hand interviews, the Washington Post’s article paints a comprehensive picture of a country in the midst of a legal, economic, and social transformation—one that could redefine how Americans think about cannabis for decades to come.