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Washington Prohibit Marijuana Cultivation and Sales in Residential Zones Initiative (2021)

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Prohibit Marijuana Cultivation and Sales in Residential Zones Initiative
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Election date
November 2, 2021
Topic
Marijuana
Status
Not on the ballot
Type
State statute
Origin
Citizens

The Washington Prohibit Marijuana Cultivation and Sales in Residential Zones Initiative (#1778) was not on the ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the People, a type of initiated state statute, on November 2, 2021.

This initiative would have prohibited the cultivation, processing, and sales of marijuana in areas zoned as residential.[1][2]

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for this initiative would have been as follows:[2]

Initiative Measure No. 1778 concerns marijuana, cannabis, hemp, and narcotics.

This measure would prohibit marijuana, cannabis, or hemp production, processing, or sale in residential-zoned neighborhoods; create penalties associated with these and other cannabis or narcotics prohibitions; impose reporting requirements; and create tax breaks.

Should this measure be enacted into law?

Yes [ ] No [ ] [3]

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this initiative would have been as follows:[2]

This measure would prohibit production, processing, or sale of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp in residential-zoned neighborhoods; subject violators, property owners, utility providers, and others to imprisonment, fines, and/or property forfeiture for violating these and other requirements; and make property owners responsible for tenant screening. It would impose reporting and assessment requirements on those engaging in cannabis commerce in areas zoned for such activity. Those found in compliance would receive tax breaks; violators would be fined. [3]

Full text

Sponsors

Regis Costello of Cannabis Not Nextdoor/Cannabis Crime-Shredder sponsored the measure.

Arguments

On its website, Cannabis Not Nextdoor argued, "The State of Washington has legalized the use and sale of marijuana, and safety became a concern for many residents. The common complaint is the use of residential zoned homes for growing marijuana on a large scale. The homes that grow marijuana are not in compliance with the regulations of the Liquor and Cannabis Board. This illegal activity is often hard to detect due to the theft of electricity and water."[4]

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Washington

The state process

In Washington, the number of signatures required to qualify a directly initiated state statute—called an Initiative to the People in Washington—for the ballot is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast for the office of governor at the last regular gubernatorial election. Initial filings for direct initiatives cannot be made more than 10 months before the general election at which their proposal would be presented to voters. Signatures must be submitted at least four months prior to the general election.

The requirements to get an Initiative to the People certified for the 2021 ballot:

The secretary of state verifies the signatures using a random sample method. If the sample indicates that the measure has sufficient signatures, the measure is certified for the ballot. However, if the sample indicates that the measure has insufficient signatures, every signature is checked. Under Washington law, a random sample result may not invalidate a petition.

Details about this initiative

  • Regis Costello submitted the initiative on January 5, 2021.[2]
  • No signatures were submitted by the deadline on July 2, 2021.[2]

See also

External links

Footnotes