Why Arizona's Legalization Initiative Was The Only One That Failed Nationwide
Two things need to happen in the wake of Arizonas failure to become the 9th state to legalize recreational marijuana on Nov. 8, according to the state director of Arizona NORML.
We need to have the campaign, whatever campaign it is, address the fact that theres 40 percent of the population that does not live in the Phoenix Metro area and those people need to be part of the picture," said Mikel Weisser.
"And we need to come up with some agreement on what we want to do, because we cant make progress when were fighting against each other."
Its been just under two weeks since Proposition 205 or the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Arizona was defeated by a narrow margin of 80,000 votes, making it the only state legalization initiative to fail in the U.S. election. Among those close to the cause, there's not much doubt as to why.
While Weisser freely admits that the campaignersfor 205 a proposal he helped write failed to perform adequate outreach to Arizonas rural regions ahead of the election, he largely credits the loss to several prominent adversaries of the campaign.
Pro-legalization groups were adversaries
Groups like Arizonans for Mindful Regulation (AZFMR), for example, threw their efforts into a vote no campaign against 205 after failing to garner enough signatures for their own ballot initiative, which offered licenses for up to 1,500 retail stores across the state (in lieu of the 150 or so offered by 205) and had no possession limits for cannabis grown in the home.
Despite being backed by the national Marijuana Policy Project and local dispensaries, 205 was seen by groups like AZFMR as too restrictive. If passed, 205 wouldve allowed adults to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis, and residents would have been allowed to grow up to six plants at home.
Were far apart, said Weisser of 205 and AZFMRs priorities when it comes to legalization.
Theyre not appealing to the mainstream and theyve burned all their allies in the marijuana community they definitely need to change their direction.
Weisser said a rift between Arizonas cannabis advocates based on what legalization should look like has in fact been growing since the 2010 election, when the state passed its medical marijuana program. Now, with what he believes to be the nextshotat recreational legalization only coming in 2020, its time to mend fences.
The desires from the various communities within marijuana reform are pretty widespread We need to agree ...
