The South Dakota attorney general released the final summary of a proposed initiative repealing the state’s Medical Marijuana Program, that a Republican activist wants to put on the ballot in 2024.
On Monday, just days after Attorney-General Marty Jackley’s (R) office submitted a draft summary of a separate measure for adult-use marijuana legalization his office announced that it had finalized the explanations for the antireform initiative.
Travis Ismay is the conservative activist who is behind the repeal of medical marijuana. He is also trying to get an additional measure on the ballot that will prevent the state from ever having a future ballot question to legalize any drugs that are federally illegal.
The attorney general explains the cannabis by saying. If approved, the repeal will make all possession, use and cultivation of marijuana, as well as manufacturing and selling marijuana products, a crime. This measure will not change laws relating to hemp. Marijuana remains illegal under Federal law.”
To qualify for the ballot in 2024, the initiative needs to receive at least 17509 valid signatures of registered voters.
It is unlikely that Ismay will be able to collect enough signatures to qualify measure. This is because the medical marijuana measure on the 2020 ballot passed with a resounding 70 percent.
The voters rejected a ballot measure to legalize adult-use marijuana in 2018. They had approved an earlier version of the ballot measure in 2020, which was invalidated by state Supreme Court.
Reformers are ready to try again for the ballot next year, but they have taken issue with the way that attorney’s draft summary characterized their proposal. The initiative claims to legalize the “distribution of cannabis”, but there are no commercial sales in it. Therefore, the campaign wants a revision made during the active public comment period.
The campaign has said that funding is an important question. It will determine whether or not they are fully committed to collecting signatures in order to place a potential ballot with the support of the Marijuana Policy Project.
Marijuana Moment tracks more than 1,000 cannabis and drug policy bills that have been introduced in state legislatures, and Congress. Patreon supporters who pledge at least $25/month gain access to our interactive charts, maps and hearing calendar.
Discover more about our marijuana bills tracker. Become a Patreon supporter to gain access.
—
This was the third poll in a row. This was third poll in a line showing the legalization initiative behind.
After voters approved the legalization of medical cannabis in 2020, Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, tried to convince the legislature to pass a bill that would delay implementation by an additional year. The bill passed the House but negotiators failed to reach an agreement in the Senate conference. This resulted in a loss for the governor.
In response to this, her office began exploring a compromise. One proposal from her administration was to decriminalize the possession of up one ounce cannabis, limit patients to only three plants, and prevent people under 21 years old from being eligible for medical marijuana.
The House in the 2022 session rejected a bill of legalization that had been passed by the Senate. This left it to the activists to try to get back on the ballot.
The panel recommended that the legislature legalize cannabis. One of the direct results of this recommendation was the House-defeated bill.
Study: States with Legal Medical Marijuana Experience ‘Significant and Sizable Reductions in Health Insurance Premiums’
Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
The original post South Dakota Attorney general releases final summary for medical marijuana repeal initiative that GOP activists want on the 2024 ballot was first published at Marijuana Moment.
