It was a surprise that South Dakota`s vote was lost, which voted to legalize adult cannabis in 2020, but was later overturned by the Supreme Court. Azer called the failure of the initiative an “upheaval.” Most states that have legalized recreational marijuana have done so through citizen-initiated voting measures, a tactic progressive activists also have in mind to keep legal abortion in red states. Measure 2 of 2022 isn`t the first move by North Dakota — which has already approved medical cannabis — to legalize weed for recreational use. In 2018, voters rejected Measure 3, which aimed, among other things, to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for people over the age of 21 and to overturn convictions for legalized controlled substances. But this measure was crushed with 59.45% against 40.55%. Fans tried again in 2020, but were hampered by the pandemic. South Dakota residents, including a significant number of Republicans, voted to legalize marijuana possession in 2020, but that law was struck down by the state Supreme Court in part because the proposal was associated with medical marijuana and hemp. This year, the recreational pot is self-sufficient when it comes to voters. Even when cannabis advocates sweep the council in the upcoming midterm elections, as they did two years ago, the battle for legalization isn`t always a done deal once a majority of voters show their support at the ballot box. Voters in three of America`s conservative strongholds — Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota — opposed voting measures that proposed legalizing marijuana for adults. Voters in Maryland and Missouri have passed legalization initiatives. There are now 21 states that have legalized marijuana for adults 21 and older. A similar provision to legalize marijuana has failed in North Dakota in the past.

In 2018, voters rejected Measure 3, which would have legalized recreational marijuana use and expunged the records of those convicted of non-violent marijuana-related crimes. All five states also currently have legal medical marijuana programs. That includes Arkansas, which in 2016 became the first Bible Belt state to approve medical marijuana. The state`s dispensaries opened in 2019 and more than 91,000 patients have cards to legally purchase marijuana for medical conditions. While 68% of Americans support legalizing cannabis, there are caveats. When asked what impact they thought marijuana use had on society, 50 percent of Americans said it had a negative effect, while 49 percent said positive, according to a recent Gallup poll. Although most midterm voters in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota voted “no” to adult use, Azer points out that cannabis has “invaded” the “deeper” red states, with more than 40 percent of voters in each of those states voting for weed legalization. The fact that Missouri, a Republican state, voted yes in its adult vote is a good indicator that marijuana legalization is bipartisan. It is not clear how voters will react to Amendment No 3.

Recent polls show Missouri residents are divided over legalizing marijuana use, according to the Missouri Independent. Missouri law enforcement recently issued a statement urging voters not to vote for Amendment 3 because its decriminalization measures could create dangerous situations, such as driving under the influence of marijuana. There is an opposition effort organized by the group Protecting South Dakota Kids, with its president Jim Kinyon saying that legalizing marijuana for adults will inevitably lead to better access for young people. The Committee is also concerned about the effect of drugs on mental and physical health. This year, five states (Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota) are trying to legalize cannabis – and another, Colorado, is trying to go further by becoming only the second state in the Union to legalize certain psychedelics. If cannabis advocates succeed in making a clean slate, nearly half of the U.S. will have approved recreational cannabis. Oklahoma voters will also have the opportunity to vote on marijuana legalization in a special election in March. Although many states have allowed marijuana use for medical or recreational conditions, proponents have long argued that the criminalization of marijuana has yet to be reformed, based on evidence that related crimes disproportionately affect black and brown Americans, even though their rates of use are similar to those of white Americans. Missouri currently allows the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Amendment 3 would legalise the possession, supply, manufacture and sale of pots for personal use by adults over 21 years of age.

It would also impose a 6% tax on commercial marijuana sales to fund various community programs. Missouri residents voted to amend the Constitution with just over half the vote. Medical marijuana was legalized in the state in 2018. An election measure in South Dakota, if passed, would legalize the possession, consumption and distribution of an ounce of cannabis for people over the age of 21. If this sounds familiar, it`s because the state has gone down this road before. But the so-called “green wave” seen in the November 2020 election, when four states voted to legalize adult use and two, including Mississippi, voted to legalize medical marijuana, hit a wall this year. The measure is expected to be a resounding success, according to recent polls. According to a Washington Post and University of Maryland poll conducted in late September, 73% of Maryland voters favored legalizing cannabis. This is consistent with the state`s record on cannabis: the drug has been approaching legality since 2013, when its medical use was legalized. A year later, possession of 10 grams or less of cannabis – just over a third of an ounce – was decriminalized.

Brian Newell, a spokesman for PhRMA, said in a statement to Stat that the group is working with lawmakers from both parties. “While we disagree on everything, we will continue to work with legislators to explore every opportunity possible to ensure patients get the medicines they need, and our industry can continue to develop life-saving treatments.” Unlike several other states, Question 4 does not include a provision to expunge criminal records for marijuana-related convictions. A September poll by Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College found that 59 percent of likely voters support legalization, with 29 percent against and 13 percent undecided. While Democrats generally support federal legalization of marijuana, a timeline for when that will happen is unclear. Until recently, states were largely responsible for legalizing cannabis use and decriminalizing marijuana-related crimes. Legislation 2 legalizes the recreational use and possession of marijuana by adults 21 years of age and older. Under this provision, individuals may also grow up to three plants in their private homes for the production of marijuana. Supporters of marijuana initiatives said Biden`s announcement could give their efforts a boost. Recreational marijuana is legal in 19 states, and surveys have shown that legalization is weakening. Arkansas voters are presented with Arkansas` No. 4 on the midterm ballot, also known as the Marijuana Legalization Initiative. That`s a notable change from the 2012 election, when Colorado became the first state to fully legalize marijuana.

It remains illegal under U.S. federal law. Legalization campaigns raised about $23 million in the five states, the vast majority in Arkansas and Missouri. More than 85 percent of contributions in those two states came from donors affiliated with companies holding medical marijuana licenses, according to an analysis of recent campaign finance reports from The Associated Press. Next week, a bipartisan congressional subcommittee will hold a hearing on the decriminalization of cannabis. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who have introduced legislation to legalize marijuana, will host a hearing to examine the potential benefits of cannabis decriminalization at the federal level.

The hearing will discuss racial differences in marijuana law enforcement and give the cannabis industry greater access to the traditional financial system. Experts are nervously tracking a number of coronavirus variants as they try to predict whether the country will experience a difficult fall or winter, reports our colleague Carolyn Y. Johnson. Four of the five states are home to many traditional conservatives — a testament to how the once-liberal issue has gained growing bipartisan support in recent years. Indiana`s U.S. Supreme Court case could help red states defuse Planned Parenthood (By Tony Cook and Johnny Magdaleno | The Indianapolis Star) But if the past is any clue, it`s worth noting that Missouri passed Missouri`s Amendment 2, a question on medical cannabis, 2018, with 65.59% votes in favor. Arkansas` No. 4 nearly didn`t show up on the ballot after the state Election Commission denied certification, saying language drafted by advocacy group Responsible Growth Arkansas was unclear.

However, the state Supreme Court overturned the panel`s decision in September, paving the way for Arkansas voters to decide whether recreational cannabis should be legalized. I`m a senior consumer credit reporter for Forbes Advisor. I cover what`s in the news and how it affects your bottom line. When I`m not writing articles, I`m writing the weekly Forbes Advisor newsletter. My work has been included in a variety of publications, including Reader`s Digest, NASDAQ, Bankrate, and more. I`ve been pitched as a personal finance expert at outlets like CNBC, Yahoo! Finance, and CBS News Radio. I have a Master`s degree in International Communication Studies and currently live in Paris, France. Follow me on Twitter at @keywordkelly. Maryland`s laws on the authorization of medical marijuana have been in effect since 2013.