Among the issues that will be decided by voters in November 2022 mid-term elections are a handful of cannabis-related measures. Voters are being asked to decide on the future of adult-use cannabis in some states.
What are the states on the verge of legalizing adult-use cannabis legalization?
Arkansas
The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled in September that voters can decide whether to legalize recreational cannabis, after all, overturning a decision by the Board of Election Commissioners that had banned a proposed amendment from reaching the November ballot.
Support among Arkansans continues to grow despite powerful opposition from the state's governor and conservative officials who attempt to convince voters to say 'NO' to the cannabis legalization initiative.
A recent survey showed that 59% of Arkansas voters support the ballot measure, with only 29% opposing it.
If voters approve the initiative this fall, Arkansas will legalize the possession, personal use, and consumption of cannabis for adults 21 and older, as well as cultivation and sale by licensed commercial establishments.
Maryland
A poll, conducted in September by Goucher College and co-sponsored by the Baltimore Banner and WYPR showed that a majority of Maryland voters would support a referendum to legalize cannabis expected to appear on the November ballot.
If approved and enacted, HB 837, the implementation bill, sponsored by Del. Luke Clippinger (D), would establish ground rules for the recreational program regarding issues such as penalties and expungement, allowing the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces of adult cannabis.
The measure would also eliminate criminal penalties for possession of up to 2.5 ounces. Under the bill, adults over the age of 21 would be allowed to grow up to two plants for personal use and give away marijuana without remuneration.
Missouri
In August, Missouri's Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft issued a certificate of sufficiency to the Legal Missouri 2022 campaign, formally placing the adult-use legalization initiative on the November ballot.
The initiative submitted by Legal Missouri 2022, which would expand the current medical marijuana business program by allowing existing licensees to serve both medical and non-medical purchasers, received enough signatures in all eight congressional districts to be on the November 8 ballot.
According to the proposed amendment, Missourians over 21 will be permitted to possess, consume, purchase and cultivate marijuana. A six percent sales tax would be put on the products, which could generate up to an estimated $40 million. State prosecutors called the measure "nothing more than thirty pages of mischief."
Just under half (48%) of Missouri voters are in favor of the cannabis legalization initiative scheduled for the November ballot, according to a new poll from Emerson College Polling and The Hill.
North Dakota
On Aug. 15, North Dakota’s Secretary of State confirmed that voters will consider a statewide adult-use marijuana legalization measure on this fall’s Nov. 8 ballot, reported Leafly.
North Dakota marijuana activists managed to gather enough signatures to submit a petition for placing recreational cannabis legalization on the ballot scheduled for November. The group had a task of submitting 15,582 valid signatures, or 2% of the state’s population, before the July 11 deadline, but they managed to gather much more – 25,762 signatures.
“If passed, Measure 2 would legalize the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis, four grams of cannabis concentrate, and up to 500 mg of edibles for adults. The state would be required to establish a framework for the regulation of growers, manufacturers, retailers, and testing labs. Adults could legally grow up to three plants at home. Public consumption would remain illegal. The measure does not require or facilitate the expungement of cannabis-related criminal records,” reported Leafly.
South Dakota
In May, South Dakota's Secretary of State added Initiated Measure 27 to the list of ballot questions for the November 2022 election, providing the voters with yet another chance to weigh in on the legal status of recreational marijuana. South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws (SDBML), an advocacy organization, took a tailored approach to legalization after a 2020 legalization measure that got the green light from voters was struck down by the state Supreme Court.
If Senate Bill 3, which will "provide for the use and regulated sale of marijuana" is signed into law, the bill would allow adults over 21 to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis from licensed retailers.
The proposal would not permit home cultivation that was on a ballot measure for which activists have been collecting signatures. Under the new proposal, the state's adult-use program would be regulated by the Department of Revenue, which will also enforce rules related to transportation and registration. However, local municipalities could choose not to allow cannabis businesses within their jurisdiction.
Image By El Planteo.
