Marijuana Legalization On the Ballot in 4 States

Voters in four states will have their say over marijuana policy this November, with two states each considering recreational and medical legalization. Here’s a look at the various proposals that will be on their ballots.

Michigan’s Proposal 1 would legalize the recreational use and possession of marijuana for adults over 21. It’d be regulated like alcohol and tobacco, so landlords and businesses could prohibit marijuana smoking ― which wouldn’t be permitted in public either. All marijuana sales would be taxed at a 10% rate, with revenue going to local governments, K-12 education, and the management of roads and bridges.

North Dakota’s Measure 2 would legalize recreational marijuana use for people over 21 years of age and create penalties for underage possession or distribution. 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 awarded through expungement lawsuits.

Utah’s Proposition 2 would legalize marijuana for individuals with qualifying medical conditions, who’d obtain a card with a physician’s recommendation. It wouldn’t legalize the smoking of marijuana, and patients couldn’t use a device to facilitate smoking. Patients could buy either two ounces of unprocessed marijuana or a product containing no more than 10 grams of THC or CBD. Starting in 2021, patients who live more than 100 miles from a dispensary could grow their own marijuana.

(Note: Supporters and opponents of Proposition 2 reached an agreement on a compromise bill that could receive a vote if the measure passes, which would remove the ability of patients to grow their own marijuana.)

Missouri voters will have three different medical marijuana ballot measures before them, two constitutional amendments and one statutory initiative. Here’s a look what the marijuana measures on the Show Me State ballot would do:

Proposition C would legalize medical marijuana for patients with qualifying conditions. Patients could buy up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana flower or the equivalent in a 14-day period and possess a 60-day supply. Medical marijuana sales would be taxed at a 2% rate with revenues allocated to veterans’ services, drug treatment programs, education, and law enforcement. Only one dispensary would be authorized for every 100,000 residents.

Amendment 2 would legalize medical marijuana and tax sales at a 4% rate. Revenue would be directed to veterans’ services, such as healthcare services, job training, and housing assistance. State-licensed physicians would be authorized to recommend marijuana use to patients with nine qualifying conditions. Patients could grow up to 6 flowering plants at home, buy up to 4 ounces in 30-day periods, and possess up to a 60-day supply. At least 24 dispensaries would be authorized in each of Missouri’s eight congressional disricts based on their 2018 boundaries.

Amendment 3 would legalize medical marijuana for patients with qualifying conditions. Patients could buy up to three ounces of marijuana in a 30 day period, and sales would be taxed at a 15% rate while cultivation would be taxed based on production of flower and leaves. Revenue would go to a newly-established Biomedical Research and Drug Development Institute. At least two dispensaries would be permitted per 20,000 residents in counties and cities.

— Eric Revell, Lorelei Yang, and Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / Instants)