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North Dakota Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2018)
| North Dakota Marijuana Legalization Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date June 2018 | |
| Topic Marijuana | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The North Dakota Marijuana Legalization Initiative was not on the ballot in North Dakota as an initiated state statute in 2018.[1]
This initiative was filed for the 2016 ballot, but it was carried over into the 2018 cycle because initiatives in North Dakota can be circulated for a year. This initiative expired in March 2018.
Another marijuana legalization initiative was filed in November 2017 targeting the 2018 ballot and was certified for the ballot. The signature submission deadline for that inititive to qualify for the November 2018 ballot was July 9, 2018. Click here to read about that measure.
The measure would have legalized the cultivation, possession, use, and distribution of marijuana for individuals aged 21 years or older. The initiative would have authorized the state, counties, and other municipalities to tax the sale of marijuana at no more than a cumulative 20 percent. The measure would have also removed penalties related to marijuana use from state law.[2]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
A 26-member committee, chaired by Eric Olson of Fargo, sponsored the initiative.[2]
Arguments
David Owen, a member of the sponsoring committee, said:[3]
| “ | It's a double standard, alcohol is ok even though it has an addiction rate of 10 percent and indirectly causes the deaths of tens of thousands of people a year, but marijuana which has an addiction rate of about 10 percent is not ok. It's a ridiculous double standard. ... We are going to the be the first big state to grow it and mass produce it, so the revenue is going to start here, stay here and be a solid alternative option to the conventional, add it to the crop rotation.[4] | ” |
Opposition
Arguments
David Jones, a state attorney, said:[3]
| “ | The legalization itself I think presents a lot of consequences, they may be unintended consequences but they are very real consequences. ... I think what we would be doing is setting a different community standard, allowing for more tolerance for this type of behavior, which will inevitably translate in to some issues with increased danger or risk to youth or operators.[4] | ” |
Path to the ballot
Proponents of the initiative needed to collect 13,452 valid signatures for the initiated state statute to make the ballot. In North Dakota, petitioners may only circulate a petition for one year following the secretary of state's initial approval. As the petition for the initiative was approved for circulation on March 9, 2016, sponsors needed to submit signatures by March 9, 2017.[5]
To get the measure placed on the ballot for November 8, 2016, proponents were required to submit signatures by July 11, 2016.[5] Signatures were not submitted by the deadline, meaning sponsors had eight more months to get the measure certified for the 2018 ballot.[1]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Grand Forks Herald, "Measure to legalize marijuana in North Dakota lacks signatures for November ballot," July 11, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, "Statutory Initiated Petition Relating to the Legalization of Marijuana," accessed January 12, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 WDAZ, "Push to legalize pot in North Dakota," March 8, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 North Dakota Secretary of State, "Time Line for Statutory Initiative Relating to Legalization of Marijuana," accessed January 12, 2017
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State of North Dakota Bismarck (capital) |
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