By Benjie Cooper
IG: @nuglifenews
YouTube: Lucid’s Vlog
The American people are set to weigh in on 155 ballot measures in 37 states on Tuesday; an additional twelve were already voted on in pre-November elections.
Among the measures up for vote are a number that are aimed at marijuana legalization and regulation.
In Michigan, voters will decide whether to pass Proposal 1, a marijuana legalization initiative that would allow adults over the age of 21 to possess up to ten ounces of cannabis and grow up to twelve plants. The measure would also establish a licensing and regulation system and add a 10% marijuana tax on top of the state’s 6% sales tax.
North Dakota is also looking at legalizing marijuana with Measure 3 which would amend the North Dakota Century Code to remove all references to cannabis in its list of controlled substances and legalize marijuana use for adults 21 years and older. If passed, the initiative would also amend the Code to automatically expunge the record of a person with a drug conviction for a controlled substance that has been legalized, including cannabis.
Utah voters will decide on Proposition 2 on Tuesday, a measure that would amend the state’s current, medical marijuana program to permit non-state cultivation sites, testing labs, and dispensaries. By 2021, if a person lives more than 100 miles from a dispensary, they would be allowed to grow up to six plants at home under the measure’s rules.
While there is a list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Utah, Proposition 2 would establish a process for patients with illnesses that are not listed to obtain certification to use medicinal cannabis.
In Missouri, voters will decide on New Approach Missouri’s Amendment 2 which would legalize medicinal cannabis for patients with any of nine qualifying conditions and a state-licensed physician’s approval. The amendment will be facing off against Find The Cure’s Amendment 3 and Missourians for Patient Care’s Proposition C, two other medical marijuana legalization initiatives. If more than one measure passes, the one with the most votes will become law.
Ohioans will be voting whether to downgrade felony marijuana offenses to misdemeanors with Issue 1 and Florida voters will decide on Amendment 11 which would repeal a state constitutional provision that maintains prosecution and punishment for offenders even if cannabis is decriminalized
According to Ballotpedia, there has been an average of 173 ballot measures in even-numbered years since 2010.
