19 states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and five more may do so next month.
On November 8th voters in five states will consider initiatives that would make marijuana legal for those 21 and older within their state’s boundaries. If all five were to pass, nearly half of the country would have legal marijuana (24 states). The five states with legalization initiatives represent around 13 million people.
The state’s considering legalization are Maryland, Arkansas, South Dakota, North Dakota and Missouri. However, it’s worth noting that although the initiatives in Maryland, Arkansas, North Dakota and Missouri would all establish legal marijuana retail outlets, South Dakota would only legalize possession, with no legal means of procuring it.
Polling for Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota show support for the measure pretty evenly split, with neither support or opposition topping 50%. However, polling in Maryland and Arkansas show widespread support for legalization: 73% and 59% respectively.
Here’s the initiatives being voted on in these five states:
Maryland: Question 4
Arkansas: Arkansas Recreational Marijuana Amendment of 2022
Missouri: Missouri Marijuana Legalization and Automatic Expungement Initiative
North Dakota: Measure 2
South Dakota: Measure 27
The marijuana reform movement has come a long way in a short period of time. At the start of 2012 there was precisely zero states with legal marijuana. Less than 11 years later, there’s a potential of this jumping to 24.
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