Missouri Judge Disqualifies Proposed 2016 Medical Marijuana Ballot Measure

Missouri Judge Disqualifies Proposed 2016 Medical Marijuana Ballot Measure

SPRINGFIELD, MO Voters will not have the opportunity this November to decide on a proposed statewide proposition to permit the physician-supervised use of marijuana.

A Cole County Circuit Judge has upheld a decision by St. Louis election officials to disqualify thousands of petition signatures because voters had mistakenly signed forms indicating that they resided in a county other than where they lived.

The measure, sponsored by New Approach Missouri, sought to authorize qualified patients to possess, cultivate, and/or obtain cannabis through a licensed system of dispensaries.

Polling indicated that over 60 percent of voters backed the proposal.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Jason Kander called on lawmakers to move swiftly to enact similar legislation:

After yesterdays Court ruling, the initiative petition related to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes will not be on the ballot in November. Local election authorities from across the state did their due diligence verifying and counting the signatures, and as the Court agreed, the initiative petition fell just short.

While supporters of this important proposal can try to put it on the ballot again in two years, I believe it is time for the state legislature to step up. The Missouri General Assembly should pass legislation to allow medical marijuana so Missouri families that could greatly benefit from it dont have to watch their loved ones continue suffering. If the legislature is not willing to do that ...

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