New Hampshire is set to become the 25th legal marijuana state, marking the halfway point for the entire country. Meanwhile, three other states are competing to become the 26th, raising the possibility that we could end the year with 28 states having legalized recreational marijuana.
Many state legislatures have already adjourned for the year, with a handful having sessions that last throughout the entire year. With that in mind, it seems likely that any state nearing legalization via the legislative process —Hawaii, for example— won’t take action until 2025. However, three states are set to vote this November on initiatives that would legalize recreational marijuana.
Below is a breakdown of these three states:
South Dakota
South Dakota voters will decide on Measure 29 this November, a proposal by South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws to legalize recreational marijuana.
Under Measure 29, individuals 21 and older would be allowed to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and cultivate up to three marijuana plants at their residences. The measure also plans to create a network of licensed and regulated marijuana retailers.
Recent polling indicates that 45% of South Dakota voters support the measure, while 42% are opposed.
Florida
In the upcoming November election, voters will determine the outcome of Amendment 3. This constitutional amendment would permit those 21 and older to have up to three ounces of dried marijuana flower and up to five grams of marijuana concentrates. These products could be purchased from licensed marijuana retail outlets and medical marijuana dispensaries that obtain a dual license.
A poll by the University of North Florida from November revealed that 67% of likely voters are in favor of Amendment 3, exceeding the 60% needed for it to pass as a constitutional amendment.
By April, the campaign backing Amendment 3 had raised over $55 million, making it the most well-funded legalization campaign to date. For comparison, California’s Proposition 64 campaign raised $25 million in 2016, and Ohio’s Issue 2 campaign raised $7 million last year.
North Dakota
A North Dakota campaign aiming to get a marijuana legalization measure on the November ballot has collected over half of the necessary signatures in just five weeks. They now need to gather the remaining signatures by July 8 to qualify for this year’s ballot.
The proposed measure would permit individuals aged 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, four grams of marijuana concentrates, and 1500 milligrams of adult-use cannabinoid products, with 300 milligrams allowed in edible form. It would also enable personal cultivation of up to three marijuana plants and authorize the sale of marijuana and marijuana products through licensed stores.
