Indiana STILL Refuses To Legalize Marijuana

Source: Dmytro Skrypnykov / Getty

Indiana STILL Refuses To Legalize Marijuana

Marijuana will remain illegal in the state of Indiana as several bills filed by both Republicans and Democrats to legalize and decriminalize weed failed to move forward this legislative session.

Indiana lawmakers filed nearly a dozen bills attempting to decriminalize and legalize medical and recreational marijuana in a state that is completely surrounded by states where the plant is legal. Governor Braun also expressed an openness to the legalization of medical marijuana, which made Hoosiers optimistic after living under the previous Governor, Eric Holcomb, who was very clear about his disinterest in legalization until things changed at the federal level.

While Republican support for the legalization of weed has seemed to increase over the last few years, there are still Republican leaders at the Statehouse that have no desire to move forward.

“It’s no secret that I am not for this,” Senate President Pro Tempore Rod Bray said at a legislative conference in December, referencing the legalization of even medical marijuana, which he sees as a gateway for recreational marijuana.

One of the bills that failed to advance, House Bill 1630, could have brough up to $200 million in new revenue to Indiana in 2026.

“As great as Indiana’s been fiscally, there’s always challenges, right? You know, education always needs more money, infrastructure needs more money, law enforcement, public safety,” said Joe Elsener with Safe and Regulated Indiana, a Republican-led coalition that supported House Bill 1630 and pushed for meaningful marijuana reform.

The only marijuana-related bill that passed was House Bill 1119, which would set a THC limit to determine if a driver was under the influence.