15 April 2025
Indiana lawmakers have once again blocked an effort to legalize marijuana. On April 14, state Senate Republicans voted down a proposal from Sen. Rodney Pol (D-Chesterton) that would have allowed adults in Indiana to legally use cannabis.
Pol tried to add the proposal to the state’s two-year budget bill, hoping it would open the door to a regulated recreational marijuana market. But the Republican majority in the Senate rejected the idea without discussion.
The amendment aimed to:
Indiana is surrounded by states that have legalized marijuana, either for medical or recreational use. But Indiana remains one of the few in the Midwest where it is still fully illegal.
That affects:
State leaders have shown little interest in legalizing marijuana.
The cannabis amendment was one of over 60 Democratic proposals tied to the state budget. Republicans rejected most of them, including plans to:
Polls show most Hoosiers want some form of legal marijuana. But lawmakers have not acted on that support, and attempts to change the law continue to fail.
If you want to make a difference, contact your elected official and tell them how you want them to vote.