We are now just three and a half months away from the November presidential election, during which four states will vote on initiatives to legalize marijuana.
There are five statewide initiatives on the ballot this November. Four of the five either focus on recreational marijuana legalization or include a trigger for it. Nebraska is the only state whose initiative is focused exclusively on legalizing medical marijuana.
With that said here are the four states that are on track to legalize marijuana in November.
Florida
Florida’s Amendment 3 would amend the state constitution to legalize recreational marijuana for those 21 and older. A recent Fox News poll found that 66% of voters support Amendment 3, while a University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) poll released in November indicates 67% support, exceeding the 60% threshold needed for passage.
Under the proposed law, possession of up to three ounces of dried marijuana and five grams of marijuana concentrates would be legal, purchasable via licensed marijuana retail outlets.
As of June, a PAC opposing the initiative has raised just $10,000 compared to the $60 million raised by supporters of the measure.
South Dakota
South Dakota is making another attempt at legalization after their voter-approved 2020 initiative was overturned by the courts. The new initiative, set for the November ballot as Measure 29, aims to legalize the possession, use, and distribution of marijuana for adults 21 and older. Recent polling shows that a plurality of voters support legalization, with 45% in favor and 42% opposed.
North Dakota
In North Dakota, proponents of legalization have submitted enough signatures to put a marijuana initiative on this November’s ballot. The proposed initiative would permit individuals aged 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, four grams of marijuana concentrates, and 1,500 milligrams of adult-use cannabinoid products. The measure would establish a system of licensed, taxed and regulated marijuana retail outlets.
Arkansas
An initiative that would significantly expand Arkansas’ medical marijuana program, while legalizing recreational marijuana if the federal government deschedules it, is set to appear on this November’s ballot.
The measure would allow medical marijuana patients to grow their own marijuana, while removing the list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions. This would allow physicians to recommend medical marijuana for any condition they deem necessary. The initiative would legalize recreational marijuana, with the possession limit set at one ounce, if the federal government removes marijuana as a controlled substance. Federal legislation in the US House of Representatives to do just that has 92 sponsors in the House and 18 sponsors in the Senate.
