By Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, the Democratic candidate for governor of West Virginia, said he supports legalizing cannabis for recreational use by adults.
But his opponent, Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, said legalizing another drug is not the answer to the state’s substance use disorder crisis.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, Williams said any legalization of recreational cannabis should be decided by voters through a statewide constitutional amendment which would have to be approved by a vote of the West Virginia Legislature. But Williams said West Virginia should not be left in the dust on this issue.
“West Virginia has an opportunity to join the growing number of states, including Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., that have taken bold steps to legalize cannabis, and I believe it’s time we give the people a voice on this issue,” Williams said. “One avenue to move forward is to put legalization on the ballot and let voters decide.”
Williams said legalizing adult-use recreational cannabis could have a positive effect on tax revenues in the state. According to a 2016 report by the left-of-center West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy, legalizing recreational cannabis could generate between $26 million and $45 million annually from use by state residents. When factoring in out-of-state visitors, the potential tax revenue could be between $116 million and $194 million per year.
