South Dakota voters will again decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana, an issue with a frustrating track record for ballot initiative supporters in the conservative state.
On Monday, Secretary of State Monae Johnson’s office validated a measure for the November general election ballot. It will be the third time South Dakota voters had their say on the issue.
In 2020, voters approved a measure that was finally overturned in cut. In 2022, voters defeated another attempt.
Twenty-four states have legalized recreational marijuana. Ohio voters did it most recently in November 2023. Florida voters will also vote on the subject this fall. And other efforts are underway in other states, including North Dakota.
The South Dakota measure would legalize recreational marijuana for people 21 and older. The proposal sets possession limits of 2 ounces of marijuana in a form other than concentrated cannabis or cannabis products. The measure also allows the cultivation of plants, with restrictions. Supporters of the measure plan to work with the Legislature to implement business licensing, taxes and other regulations if successful.
“We firmly believe that South Dakotans deserve to make their own choices about how to live their lives, including the freedom to use cannabis responsibly,” Zebadiah Johnson, political director of the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana, said in a statement.
Opponent Jim Kinyon, president of Protecting South Dakota Kids, said the state’s voters already had a say in the matter and rejected recreational marijuana in 2022. He criticized supporters’ repeated efforts to put the issue on the ballot.
“How many times does the state of South Dakota have to reject recreational marijuana before the industry accepts the decision of the state’s citizens?” Kinyon said.
“I hope the industry triples its money to try to influence and dissuade voters,” said Protecting South Dakota Kids President Jim Kinyon.
Other measures initiated in South Dakota elections this fall are those to protect abortion rights, repeal the state tax on food and implement a “first two” primaries electoral system.
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Ballentine contributed to this report from Columbia, Missouri, and Dura contributed from Bismarck, North Dakota.
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