With Indiana's neighboring states having legalized cannabis, Governor Mike Braun is taking notice.

Illinois, Ohio and Michigan have legalized medical and recreational marijuana use for adults, and Kentucky legalized marijuana for medical use.

Braun shared more about his stance on medical uses for marijuana at an Indianapolis event Thursday, according to State Affairs. Indiana is one of the few states that still criminalizes cannabis.

“I’m kind of agnostic on that issue,” Braun said. “But when you’ve got four states surrounding you, you’re probably going to have to address it.”

Braun’s press secretary didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, advocates such as Jack Cain, treasurer with Indiana’s chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, have been hoping legislators and Braun will update state laws.

“There's 10,000 people arrested every year in Indiana for possessing cannabis,” Cain said. “I would like politicians to tell me exactly, how does the state of Indiana benefit from arresting all of these people?”

Research shows legalizing cannabis typically results in fewer arrests and court cases. In 2019, the Marion County prosecutor’s office announced it would refuse to file charges against a person possessing less than an ounce of marijuana.

Other proponents of legalizing cannabis have stressed its therapeutic uses in reducing pain, managing chronic illnesses and more. Cain said he’s heard about the positive effects of cannabis from hundreds of people.

“The whole idea of arresting people for using a small amount of plant material — especially plant material that will help them alleviate a lot of their pain and troubles — is not only counterproductive, but it's actually immoral,” Cain said.

A survey by Ball State University’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs showed about 60 percent of Hoosiers support legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational use.

Unlike some other states, Indiana does not allow citizens to add initiatives to the ballot, so the path to cannabis legalization lies in the General Assembly.

Legislators and lobbyists have attempted to legalize cannabis in the past, but the Republican supermajority has been resistant, instead pursuing more restrictions on THC products.

“I would hope that the state legislators would wake up and start to do something about this,” Cain said. “I wish Governor Braun would push this.”