The Green Thread: Marijuana in the states

[The Mikado]

So is anywhere going to have ballot referenda on weed in 2020?

Seems about time for Ohio to take another crack at this, right? I think enough time has passed that it could pass there.

[NOVA Green]

So is anywhere going to have ballot referenda on weed in 2020?

Seems about time for Ohio to take another crack at this, right? I think enough time has passed that it could pass there.

According to Ballotpedia: Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, and South Dakota all have citizen initiatives in circulation for Marijuana Legalization....

How many if any of them will qualify and survive the court review process is another question, let alone if it would pass in any of these states (Other than NJ)....

It's been awhile since, I looked at the ballot thresholds to qualify for an initiative by State, but this is a good place to start, and I believe will likely update once signatures start to get collected and numbers updated, based upon state initiative law.

https://ballotpedia.org/Category:Marijuana,_2020

[Virginiá]

According to Ballotpedia: Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, and South Dakota all have citizen initiatives in circulation for Marijuana Legalization....

The only viable state there seems to be Arizona, given that it only requires a simple majority to succeed. The other states I'm not so sure about. Also New Jersey doesn't have an initiative process afaik, so they may be referring to a possible amendment referred to the people by the legislature, which would be the smart, reasonable thing to do if the lawmakers are too spineless or incompetent to enact reform themselves.

[Storr]

So is anywhere going to have ballot referenda on weed in 2020?

Seems about time for Ohio to take another crack at this, right? I think enough time has passed that it could pass there.

According to Ballotpedia: Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, and South Dakota all have citizen initiatives in circulation for Marijuana Legalization....

How many if any of them will qualify and survive the court review process is another question, let alone if it would pass in any of these states (Other than NJ)....

It's been awhile since, I looked at the ballot thresholds to qualify for an initiative by State, but this is a good place to start, and I believe will likely update once signatures start to get collected and numbers updated, based upon state initiative law.

https://ballotpedia.org/Category:Marijuana,_2020

Of the ones that aren't New Jersey, I'd say Arizona and then maybe Missouri would have the best chances of actually passing.

[The Mikado]

Given how much attitudes have shifted, I wouldn't sleep on any of those, even Arkansas. Arkansas has voted for things like Minimum Wage Increases while giving Republican landslides at the same time. Also, it's a state with desperate need to have SOMETHING going for it, and first in the South legalization status would attract some tourism for sure.

[NOVA Green]

According to Ballotpedia: Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, and South Dakota all have citizen initiatives in circulation for Marijuana Legalization....

The only viable state there seems to be Arizona, given that it only requires a simple majority to succeed. The other states I'm not so sure about. Also New Jersey doesn't have an initiative process afaik, so they may be referring to a possible amendment referred to the people by the legislature, which would be the smart, reasonable thing to do if the lawmakers are too spineless or incompetent to enact reform themselves.

Arizona:  has been on radar for a bit when it comes to a public initiative, even if it does not occur in a Presidential Election Year (Might help might hurt).

Main reason being the shifting Demographics of Anglos in Arizona that comprise an overwhelmingly slice of the electorate compared to the overall ethnic population of AZ.

Increasingly Senior Citizen retirees to California tend to be much more "Liberal" on this issue than previous waves that settled in places like Sun City, Glendale, etc back in the days....

I believe (and someone can fact check me on this), but I do believe that Anglos in California had the highest % support for Legalization in the State, compared to Black and Latino, and Asian-American voters in Cali....

Now, it could well be that Midwest and Rocky Mountain State Anglo retirees might have different perspectives on the subject....

Generally, based upon what little we know about MJ legalization initiatives in heavily Multi-Ethnic states (Basically data points from California, haven't really checked precinct results from NV), it does appear that for whatever reason Minority voters were less receptive to legalization than Anglos.

Now, this doesn't mean that heavily Millennial Latino voters that are starting to become a significant segment of the Latino electorate in AZ won't vote in similar patterns as other Millennial communities on this issue, and might change the mind of some their parents who simply believe that Marijuana is a distraction, can get you into trouble with the law, interfere with your job prospects and education, and potentially even worse get you caught up with some harder scene.

New Jersey: Could simply and easily pass this in an overwhelmingly DEM House and Senate and would get signed into law the next day by the Governor.

We have seen multiple posts from our resident NJ posters on this subject, and quite frankly, if I were an NJ-DEM I would be looking at doing a Primary action against the DEMs that are still standing in the door, or challenging an old skool NJ PUB to take them down for this for NJ-House or NJ-Senate.

It's a long drive from NJ to buy some legal bud, and you gotta be paranoid about state highway patrols along the New Jersey Turnpike, and upon your entire return trip.

Easier to just do some handshakes on the corner from the safety of your car if you don't have a "hookup".....

Arkansas:    This could be a wildcard when it comes to Medical MJ....   Seriously, I seem to vaguely recall some articles in the Business Press at that time of the late '80s/ early '90s, that something like 25-30% of American Marijuana was grown in the Appalachian region.

Although I prefer a beer to a bong these days, there are a ton of folks in places like Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, that wouldn't mind getting into the market before they get swamped by the Legal Weed coming down from Illinois down the Mississippi River Valley.

4.) Yes I agree it's a pretty bleak list of states for 2020 where current MJ initiatives have already been filed when it comes to the movement (Not that other States still don't have plenty of time to create $$$ and draft initiative movements.

Although I extremely rarely smoke anymore, I still support the Freedom Movement for Federal Legalization of Marijuana, even if it needs to gradually move up state by state.

[NOVA Green]

Did the Ohio State Legislature just accidentally legalize marijuana?

Huffington Post:

"State contortions to legalize hemp in Ohio got so complicated that it now looks like misdemeanor marijuana charges won’t be prosecuted — in effect legalizing pot for the time being.

That’s pretty much the conclusion of legal experts and the state attorney general. Columbus officials have already declared they’re dropping prosecution of pot misdemeanors"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ohio-marijuana-legal-accident-hemp_n_5d4e689de4b0fd2733f0b7df

[The Mikado]

Did the Ohio State Legislature just accidentally legalize marijuana?

Huffington Post:

"State contortions to legalize hemp in Ohio got so complicated that it now looks like misdemeanor marijuana charges won’t be prosecuted — in effect legalizing pot for the time being.

That’s pretty much the conclusion of legal experts and the state attorney general. Columbus officials have already declared they’re dropping prosecution of pot misdemeanors"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ohio-marijuana-legal-accident-hemp_n_5d4e689de4b0fd2733f0b7df

Texas did the same thing, although here in Texas, it's up to individual DAs what to do about it. All five of the most populous counties in Texas (Harris Dallas Bexar Tarrant and Travis) have effectively temporarily decriminalized over this legal SNAFU.

[SteveRogers]

Did the Ohio State Legislature just accidentally legalize marijuana?

Huffington Post:

"State contortions to legalize hemp in Ohio got so complicated that it now looks like misdemeanor marijuana charges won’t be prosecuted — in effect legalizing pot for the time being.

That’s pretty much the conclusion of legal experts and the state attorney general. Columbus officials have already declared they’re dropping prosecution of pot misdemeanors"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ohio-marijuana-legal-accident-hemp_n_5d4e689de4b0fd2733f0b7df

Yep, Texas and Florida are going through the exact same thing.

[Badger]

Did the Ohio State Legislature just accidentally legalize marijuana?

Huffington Post:

"State contortions to legalize hemp in Ohio got so complicated that it now looks like misdemeanor marijuana charges won’t be prosecuted — in effect legalizing pot for the time being.

That’s pretty much the conclusion of legal experts and the state attorney general. Columbus officials have already declared they’re dropping prosecution of pot misdemeanors"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ohio-marijuana-legal-accident-hemp_n_5d4e689de4b0fd2733f0b7df

Yes and no. I today read the memo from Hamilton County - - Cinci area - - to County law enforcement agencies. His take on the matter is that, since it's a matter of having the technical know-how to properly test the marijuana which won't be developed for at least several months apparently, but felony charges have at least a six-year statute of limitations, that prosecution's in such matters May simply be delayed.

Now it's very different for minor misdemeanor level possession of marijuana. Ohio is surprisingly Progressive on this matter having decriminalized marijuana many years ago, but only recently removed a mandatory 6 months to five your license suspension. Because minor misdemeanors have only a six-month statute of limitations, it effectively negates any prosecution's. Ergo the Columbus City prosecutor's office has announced its dropping any pending prosecution's as well as not filing additional ones. They cover all of Franklin County, plus those portions of the city of Columbus in other counties, FYI.

The question just dawned on me about Minor misdemeanor marijuana drug paraphernalia charges. Such things include pipes, papers, even plastic baggies or other containers for marijuana. Until just a few years ago, along with getting rid of the mandatory license suspension, drug paraphernalia was punishable by up to 30 days and $250 fine, addition to the mandatory license suspension. So you could actually get a less serious penalty from up to 1/5 pound of marijuana possession, then you could for the baggy you carried it in!

Anyway, it now is also decriminalize, punishable by up to $150 fine and no mandatory suspension. I suppose if some kid is found with a pipe and admits when the cop asks that it's for smoking weed they could be prosecuted for it. I sincerely doubt the city of Columbus will do so, especially as a client has eyes on going higher up the political food chain, and taking a hard stance on marijuana in 2019 is not the way to go to win over Central Ohio Democratic primary voters. Other counties like when I used to prosecute for in West Ohio, though, just might decide it's worth doing rather than letting Devil Weed run rampant among their communities.

[MasterJedi]

Appears Mississippi will be able to vote on medical next year.

[Brittain33]

Is anything happening this Election Day?

[Lisa's voting Biden]

Is anything happening this Election Day?

Nothing statewide, but more local:
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2019/11/01/wayne-county-vote-marijuana-schools-mayors/2501655001/
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/five-ohio-cities-will-vote-on-marijuana-decriminalization-next-week/

In regards to Ohio, a statewide measure initiative failed to get on the ballot.

[NOVA Green]

Is anything happening this Election Day?

Nothing statewide, but more local:
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2019/11/01/wayne-county-vote-marijuana-schools-mayors/2501655001/
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/five-ohio-cities-will-vote-on-marijuana-decriminalization-next-week/

In regards to Ohio, a statewide measure initiative failed to get on the ballot.

Thanks for the update LCameronOR....

There are certainly several interesting points within these two links you posted, which certainly have been in the front-line topics even within States that have legalized Recreational and/or Medicinal Marijuana:

1.) Zoning of Marijuana related businesses is still a major issue even within states such as Oregon, where our legalization law effectively allowed municipal and county county control that had a choice regarding MJ related business activities, including retail shops, including recreational & Medicinal being allowed to operate in various communities.

2.) Other major issues include the smell from Marijuana Processing Facilities impacting the quality of pollution in the air within facilities located closer to populated areas.

Although the vast majority of the "Indoor Marijuana Production Agricultural Family Farms" and "Weed Processing Facilities" are generally located well outside of the Cities, or if not are located in Warehouse districts with no neighboring population, it is becoming an item of concern to various residents.

3.) One of the more serious critiques that we are seeing in Oregon is from the Agricultural Sector within Central and Eastern Oregon. The expansion of MJ Cultivation to Central and Eastern Oregon is sucking up precious water, that obviously completes with various other forms of Ag.... First read this in an Ag Farming Mag from the PacNW a few years back.

Meanwhile, we have the "Server Farms" sucking up Energy and Water in places such as Central and Eastern Oregon, and similar places within Washington State....

4.) Municipal and local control is real, even with states such as Michigan that have legalized MJ.... I could go through my precinct results from Oregon about which places back when voted for or against.... 

5.) OH---- Decrim is essentially something that sends a message to the Coppers to focus on something else....

OR was the first state to decrim, and even when I was in HS way back in '87 the coppers do an illegal search when a teenager might possibly have smoked a joint in public, it would be one of those gigs where you smash the pipe and the weed on the ground and walk away.

One of my fellow Supervisors at the Factory was a Clean Copper in the Small Mill Town next Door, and would never bust people on the Weed, but only on DUIs or distribution if the qty was over the limit....

6.) Back in the early '90s we had these hard Cali Coppers showing up in Oregon, likely to take a break from the heavy s**t going down in SoCal and Cali.... they would shake us down, and we would always stand up against them, but we always knew the clean coppers vs the dirty coppers back in the days....

7.) No idea about how the election results are going to play out within the communities that comrade LCameronOR mentioned, since municipal level stuff doesn't allow for much data points without doing an extremely deep dive....

8.) Currently our company has a policy that if an applicant pisses dirty for MJ, they will not be accepted but are more than welcome to reapply within (30) days, without any negative judgement.....  (Kind of like common sense crap back when I used to smoke (20) Years ago, but now employers are wise that it's better to screen out Meth/Coke/Heroin users than someone who took a rip off a bong 3 weeks back....

[NOVA Green]

Looks like we might see a major breakthrough coming through coming from the North-Eastern States (NY, NJ, PA, CT, and )

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/10/marijuana-northeast-governors-legal-068229

[The Mikado]

Looks like we might see a major breakthrough coming through coming from the North-Eastern States (NY, NJ, PA, CT, and )

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/10/marijuana-northeast-governors-legal-068229

RI was the other one.

[Lourdes]

We might be on track for a vote next year.

https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2019/11/18/new-jersey-marijuana-legalization-bill-dead-lawmakers-will-let-voters-decide-1227894

[MasterJedi]

We might be on track for a vote next year.

https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2019/11/18/new-jersey-marijuana-legalization-bill-dead-lawmakers-will-let-voters-decide-1227894

Good, at least it WILL pass this way when the boomer politicians can't kill it.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1h46ayt2AY

Matt Gaetz mocks Kellyanne Conway over marijuana: OK boomer

This is the only non deplorable thing I have ever heard Matt Gaetz say. Good for him.

[NOVA Green]

Upgraded NOVA Green map of the State of Marijuana Freedom Policies within the various states of the US:

Dark Green = States where Marijuana is fully legal for recreational consumption.

Medium Green= States where Recreational Marijuana might be on the ballot in 2020.

Pea Puke Green= States where not only is Medicinal Marijuana Legal, but also where there is no jail time for recreational possession of Marijuana.

Pink= NC State that has eliminated jail time for possession of small amounts of Marijuana

Aqua Blue / Cop Cars = States where Marijuana is illegal but there are limited medical options.

Dark Blue / Prison Cells= States where if you get busted with Weed you are likely doing time in the County or Joint ....

[Badger]

Wisconsin really stands out as a bizarre exception to the rule for the dark blue States. Probably comes from the lack of having voter initiative or referendum measures, IMHO.

[NOVA Green]

Wisconsin really stands out as a bizarre exception to the rule for the dark blue States. Probably comes from the lack of having voter initiative or referendum measures, IMHO.

Agreed, Wisconsin definitely stands out, especially considering it was practically the cradle of the Progressive Movement in the late 1890s and early 1900s, where Citizen Initiatives and Referendums were part and parcel of the movement....

We are after all talking about the home of a legendary Man, not only in Wisconsin, but nationally, where direct votes were part and parcel of the movement....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._La_Follette

In practice, like many states, I suspect that state and local law enforcement tends to use a relatively broad range of discretion when it comes to MJ related arrests...

Even some 25 Years ago when me and three friends from college did a "drive-away car" gig to head out West and we got stopped right outside of Cheyenne on the Highway, and the driver got popped for speeding 80 MPH in a 65 MPH, and we got pulled over by Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and one of the gals had an Eighth of Weed on her, and we got illegally searched on the side of the road in 15 Degree weather, the cop basically took the Weed without paperwork, gave the driver a $300 speeding ticket, and sent us on our way....

Turned out there was a Rainbow Gathering going on in some National Forest outside of town, so they profiled some young college kids driving back West thinking they might have a real bust on their hands, but the paperwork for citing the gal wasn't worth the time for a small amount of weed, despite the potential legal impacts that might have caused her considering it was a Felony....

Black and Brown Brothers and Sisters driving through might have gotten hit with a much harder rap....

[MasterJedi]

Wisconsin really stands out as a bizarre exception to the rule for the dark blue States. Probably comes from the lack of having voter initiative or referendum measures, IMHO.

That, and Republicans as usual. Leaders of the Assembly and Senate think it's an evil gateway drug. Vos (head of Assembly) is "open" to medical, Senate leader says no. Basically they're terrified of "pot on every corner" when there's literally a bar on every corner.

[Virginiá]

Seems like the momentum is there for FL to vote on legalization next year

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/initdetail.asp?account=74455&seqnum=2

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Seems like the momentum is there for FL to vote on legalization next year

https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/initiatives/initdetail.asp?account=74455&seqnum=2

That's good.  It probably won't pass with the 60% it needs next year, but it should get pretty darn close!