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Legalizing recreational marijuana was on the ballot in five states on Tuesday asmidterm elections took place across the country.
Voters in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota had a chance to join 19 other states and the District of Columbia, which have already legalized recreational marijuana over the last decade. Each of those five states had already legalized marijuana for medical use.
The votes were cast amid a push to relax marijuana policies in the U.S., including at the federal level. Last month, PresidentJoe Bidenannouncedpardonsfor simple marijuana possession offenders, and urged the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review how marijuana is scheduled as a drug under federal law.
Here’s a look at each of the different proposals:
Arkansas
Issue 4on the Arkansas ballot sought to pave the way to legalize marijuana for recreational use, beginning March 8, 2023. The state previously legalized medical marijuana in 2016.
In October, Hutchinson tweeted that Issue 4 “isthe wrong directionfor Arkansas.” Earlier that month, Huckabee Sanders said shecouldn’t support the measure"with the drug epidemic that we have across this state," according to theArkansas Democrat-Gazette.
In addition to making it possible for people to legally purchase marijuana from licensed facilities, the amendment would have permitted adults 21 and over to posses up to an ounce of marijuana,Axois reported.
Maryland
Adults will beallowed to possess1.5 ounces of marijuana or two plants under the new law, which allows for expungement for people with marijuana possession arrests on their record, according to CNBC.
Maryland joins the District of Columbia and Virginia in legalizing recreational marijuana in its region of the U.S. The results in Maryland were not surprising: polls showed voters overwhelmingly supported the ballot measure, with 73% of respondentssignaling their approvalin a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll from September.
Missouri
Voters in Missouri also approved the legalization of recreational marijuana with a “yes” vote onAmendment 3. With 89% of the votes counted, a little more than 53% were in support of the change.
Marijuana sales will come with a 6% tax, according to the proposal.
Additionally, some individuals with marijuana-related offenses on their record will be allowed to have their records expunged and, if need be, petition for their release from prison, parole or probation.
North Dakota
This is the second time the state has tried to legalize marijuana, following a failed attempt in 2018.
Had it passed, adults would have been allowed topurchase up to an ounceof marijuana at once and have three cannabis plants at home, according to the proposal. Up to 18 retailers and seven cultivation facilities would have been allowed to operate in the state, and a 5% cannabis excise tax would have been applied.
South Dakota
Voters in South Dakota also opted not to legalize recreational marijuana Tuesday viaMeasure 27, which proposed allowing possession and home-growth.
With about 95% of the results in, nearly 53% were against the measure, according to theTimes.
Individuals would have been permitted to hold up to an ounce of pot and up to three plants at home, according to the measure, had it passed.
source: people.com
