Six States That Could Change Marijuana Laws at the Ballot Box This Year
(WikiMedia/Tom Arthur)
While marijuana reform efforts continue at an excruciatingly slow pace in state legislatures Vermont became the first state to free the weed at the statehouse just last month the initiative and referendum process continues to serve as a direct popular vote alternative to the crap shoot that is trying to get a pot bill through two houses and signed by a governor.
There are at least six states with a serious shot at legalizing either recreational marijuana or medical marijuana via the initiative process this year. In one state, a medical marijuana initiative has already qualified for the ballot; in another, plentiful signatures have already been handed in for a legalization initiative; in three others, signature gathering campaigns are well underway; while in the last, a legalization initiative hasnt been officially filed yet, but already has serious financial backing.
By the time we get past election day, we should be looking at a legalization victory in at least one more state and medical marijuana victories damned near anywhere an initiative manages to get on the ballot. In the last election cycle, marijuana reform initiatives won in eight out of nine contests.
Here are the 2018 contenders:
1. Michigan Legalization
The Michigan Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has already completed a petition campaignand handed in more than 365,000 raw signaturesin November for itslegalization initiative. It hasnt officially qualified for the ballot yet, but it only needs 250,000 valid voter signatures to do so, meaning it has a rather substantial cushion. If the measure makes the ballot, it should win. There is the little matter of actually campaigning to pass the initiative, which should require a million or two dollars for TV ad buys and other get-out-the-vote efforts, but with the Marijuana Policy Project on board and some deep-pocketed local interests as well, the money should be there. The voters already are there: Polling has shown majority support for legalization for several years now, always trending up, and most recently hitting58% in a May Marketing Resource Group poll.
2. Missouri Medical
New Approach MissourisRight to Medical Marijuana initiativewould legalize the use of medical marijuana for specified medical conditions and create a system of taxed and regulated medical marijuana cultivation, distribution, and sales. The campaign is well into its signature gathering phase and reported this week thatit already has 175,000 raw signatures. It only needs 160,000 verified valid voter signatures, but has set a goal of 280,000 raw signatures to provide a comfortable cushion. Signature gathering doesnt end until May 6. There is no recent state polling on the issue, but medical marijuana typically polls above 80% nationally.
3. New Mexico Legalization
The Land of Enchantment has a unique path to a popular vote on marijuana legalization: A measure before the legislature,Senate Joint Resolution 4, would, if approved, take the issue directly to the voters in November. New Mexicans would vote on a constitutional amendment to legalize weed, and if they approved it, the legislature would meet next year to promulgate rules and regulations. The measure passed one Senate committee on Friday, but still faces another Senate committee vote, a Senate floor vote, and action in the House, and the clock is ticking. Supporters have only about two weeks to move this bill before the session ends. If it can get before the voters, it could win:A poll last week had support at 61%.
4. Ohio Legalization
Responsible Ohio tried to legalize marijuana in 2015 via a pay to play initiative that would have created a growers oligopoly limited to cash-heavy early supporters who financed the entire campaign. Ohio voters didnt buy that, so some of the players are back again with what theyre calling theRegulate Marijuana Like Alcohol ...
