STATES LOOKING TO LEGALIZING CANNABIS ON 2020 ELECTION DAY IN THE UNITED STATES
By Wilbroda Wasonga/Submitted on 4 November 2020
The year 2020 is a unique year for cannabis. Being an election year, hundreds of thousands of Americans turned out to vote for the rights of Cannabis consumers. This month of November, voters had a chance to expand the freedom of marijuana consumers. Earlier on, 11 states had legalized Cannabis use for adults. The issue of Marijuana legalization has remained controversial for a long time. Marijuana legalization may push into more states based on some of the results of Tuesday’s presidential race. This article will discuss some of the states looking to legalize Marijuana on Election Day.
Arizona
On 3rd November 2020, voters in Arizona overwhelmingly voted on and approved initiatives that will legalize recreational cannabis. Adults above 21 years of age will possess, purchase, and consume one ounce or 5 grams of THC concentrate from authorized vendors or dispensaries. Those consumers living in hardship areas without authorized vendors will be allowed to cultivate not more than six cannabis plants. The effort also provides relief to those currently convicted with cannabis-related crimes. Sales of the drug will be subject to a 16% excise tax and a 5.6% sales tax.
South Dakota
South Dakota will break history as the first state to approve both medicinal and recreational marijuana at the same time. Voters turned out in large numbers to approve measures to make cannabis legal. According to Constitution Amendment A, a 15% excise tax on the price of cannabis will apply. Consumers will be allowed to possess one ounce of marijuana. People who live in areas with no licensed stores can cultivate up to 6 plants within their locked compounds. Constitution Amendment A will allow for recreational use for adults above 21 years.
New Jersey
New Jersey legalized the medicinal use of marijuana in the year 2010. The results of this year’s election will allow the recreational use of marijuana thus making the state the first in the mid-Atlantic region to do so. The New Jersey Public Question 1 passed on 3rd November. Now it is the work of the political leadership to ensure legalization and to help repair the harm to the community due to the previous prohibition. We expect that this legalization will influence similar effects in the large East Coast states.
Mississippi
Mississippi is another significant red state looking to legalizing marijuana where measures have passed, although recreational use remains illegal. Patients with conditions that use Cannabis as a treatment like chronic pain, stress disorders, and cancer will be allowed to have 2.5 ounces within 14 days.
Montana
Montana has also passed the Marijuana measures. Recreational use is now legal for those 21 years and older. The consumers will be allowed to have one ounce or less than eight grams of concentrate.
Other states looking to legalizing marijuana on the Election Day are Connecticut, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, and Oklahoma among others. The passage of these initiatives means that one-third of America’s population has legalized cannabis use, and about 70% of the embraces Marijuana for medicinal use. Related injustices and criminalization can now come to an end.