North Dakota Could Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Vote to see how others feel about this issue
What the Initiative Does
North Dakota Measure 3 would legalize recreational marijuana use for people 21 years of age or older. Penalties would be created for individuals under 21 possessing or distributing marijuana.
It’d also create an automatic expungement process for individuals with convictions for a controlled substance that’s been legalized, and eliminate the state of North Dakota’s immunity from damages resulting from expungement lawsuits.
Argument in Favor
Legalizing marijuana will allow police departments, which currently spend money and time enforcing marijuana laws, to reprioritize their resources towards more serious crimes. Legalization and expungement of marijuana-related offenses will also restore many people’s employment opportunities, as records for drug possession are disqualifying for many jobs.
Argument Against
This measure will create an overly lax environment for marijuana. It also fails to raise any new revenue from legal marijuana sales, making it impossible for the state of North Dakota to get budgetary benefits from legalization as other states have done. Alternatively, marijuana shouldn’t be legalized.
In-Depth
Legalize ND is leading the campaign in favor of Measure 3 with the support of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), North Dakota Liberty PAC, Rep. Rick Becker (R-7), and Fargo city commissioner Tony Gehrig. Legalize ND argues that marijuana is a safe substance that merits legalization:
“Unlike legal substances such as prescription opiates, alcohol, Tylenol, and even water, marijuana has never caused a single medically documented overdose death in recorded history. Alcohol causes hundreds of overdose deaths each year, and in 2013 (the latest year for which data is available), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 29,001 alcohol-induced deaths. The British government’s official scientific body on drug policy concluded that (legally regulated drugs) alcohol and tobacco are 'significantly more harmful than marijuana.' It’s time to stop penalizing Americans who use the safer substance.”
NORML’s Executive Director, Erik Alteri, adds that legalizing marijuana will reduce strain on limited police resources:
“North Dakota is among the top states in the nation when it comes to per capita marijuana possession arrests, by approving this measure voters can reprioritize limited police resources toward targeting more serious crimes and they can end the practicing of saddling otherwise law-abiding citizens with the stigma of a lifelong criminal record and the lost opportunities that come with it.”
Vote No on 3 ND is leading the campaign opposed to Measure 3 with the support of the North Dakota Peace Officers Association, Greater North Dakota Chamber, ND Pharmacists Association, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, and others. The Vote on 3 ND campaign argues that this measure is seriously flawed, and that there’s no compelling justification for marijuana legalization:
“Passage of Measure 3 will create BAD LAW in North Dakota, period. The measure is seriously flawed! There are no logical, scientific or philosophical arguments that can justify the passage of a measure that would make North Dakota the most liberal state for the regulation and control of recreational marijuana in the nation with nearly no protections for our citizens and children. We believe this is NOT what North Dakotans want.”
Robert Wefald, former North Dakota Attorney General and a retired district court judge, adds this measure creates an overly permissive attitude towards marijuana and fails to produce revenue from legal marijuana sales:
“If Measure 3 passes there will be unlimited and unregulated marijuana, and there will be no income as the measure does not make any provision for a special tax. The only things made illegal under this measure have to do with sale or distribution of marijuana to those under 21 and the possession of marijuana by those under 21. The biggest issue is literally in the last sentence. It will create a new section of the North Dakota Century Code as follows: 66-01 03. Statement of Supremacy - 1. In the event of the existence of any language in the North Dakota Century Code which conflicts with this chapter those sections are hereby nullified and repealed. This means that anything in our statutes dealing with or regulating marijuana would be repealed.”
The expungement of legal records involving marijuana-related convictions would require hiring 124 temporary workers who’d scrape 180,000 records within a 30-day deadline. This would cost around $1.1 million. In total, the cost for state agencies and local governments to legalize recreational marijuana would be $6.6 million.
This initiative is appearing on the ballot after supports submitted 17,695 signatures, exceeding the 13,452 required.
Summary by Lorelei Yang
(Photo Credit: iStockphoto.com / Nastasic)
The Latest
-
The Latest: Israel Attacks Gaza’s Largest Medical FacilityUpdated Mar. 18, 2024, 10:20 a.m. EST Israel's military issued a raid on Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital , the largest medical facility read more... Israel
-
Utah Bill Encourages Teachers To Carry FirearmsWhat’s the story? This week, Utah’s Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill that encourages teachers to carry a gun in their classrooms. read more... Public Safety
-
Trump and Biden Win 2024 Presidential NominationsUpdated March 13, 2024, 10:30 a.m. EST President Biden and former President Trump have secured the required delegates to be read more... Advocacy
-
Super Tuesday 2024 ResultsUpdated March 6, 2024, 10:15 a.m. EST As expected, the Super Tuesday results were dominated by Trump and Biden, increasing the read more... States