![]() This fall, several states will be voting on adult use recreational cannabis legalization, with at least a few of them looking like it will pass. This creates even more states that have legalized the plant while we wait for federal action. Arkansas has had medical marijuana legal since 2016. Next month, residents will be voting on legalizing adult-use cannabis production and sales. Polls completed last month by the Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College survey showed there was a 58% support for legalization, with 29% against and the remaining 12.5% of the population undecided. If those polls are correct at voting time, Arkansas looks likely to pass recreational adult use cannabis legalization. Maryland legalized medical marijuana in 2014. They too will be voting in November on legalizing adult use cannabis. Polling from late September show a wide support for full legalization, with three out of four voters saying they were inclined to vote yes. If their numbers are right, Maryland voters should approve the recreational adult use legalization measure next month. Missouri has had their medical marijuana program legal since 2018. Voters in that state will be voting next month on adult use recreational cannabis legalization. A SurveyUSA poll from last month shows that the majority of Missouri voters (62%) approve of legalizing cannabis for recreational adult use. Only 22% opposed it, and the remaining 16% were unsure. With these poll numbers, it looks likely for Missouri to join the states legalizing cannabis for recreational adult use. North Dakota voters legalized medical cannabis in 2016. Next month they also will be voting on recreational adult-use legalization. While there has been some support from cannabis advocates, the results of next month’s vote are uncertain. Some recent polling suggests that support for adult recreational legalization is waning. Earlier this month, an anti-cannabis group issued a press release saying, “The self-interested marijuana industry is hell bent on taking root in North Dakota, no matter the consequences for public health and public safety.” It’s looking likely that the majority of North Dakota voters will not vote to legalize adult use recreational cannabis this year. South Dakota residents voted to legalize both medical and adult recreational use cannabis in 2020. But after a campaign against it headed by the Governor Kristi Noem, state courts invalidated the recreational adult-use portion of the passed law. Officials also tried to stop the medical cannabis legislation but were unable to, and so South Dakota does have a very limited legal medical marijuana program. Next month, cannabis advocates are trying again, with a voter led initiative on next month’s ballot for legalizing recreational adult use cannabis in the state. However, it’s odds for success aren’t looking good. Since the 2020 vote, resident polling shows that there has been some weaking of public support for adult-use legalization. A South Dakota group called Protecting South Dakota’s Kids has been working hard over the summer to discredit the legalization movement. Their leader has called cannabis supporters “drug pushers.” Plus, South Dakota’s Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, who has wide state support, is still working hard to discredit cannabis. Currently the United States has:
Predictions indicate that Arkansas, Maryland and Missouri will all approve recreational adult use cannabis next month. It’s not looking so good for North and South Dakota though. The remaining hold out states are fighting the tide of legalization that is continues to grow. Until the federal government legalizes the plant, these state legalization measures will surely continue. It’s interesting to note that it was just 10 years ago when Colorado and Washington voted to become the first states in America to legalize adult recreational use. Comments are closed.
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