North Dakota marijuana activists are stepping up their push to persuade voters to approve a legalization initiative on the poll subsequent month, releasing two radio advertisements that includes supporters and asserting grassroots “get out the vote” plans.
New Method ND turned in signatures for the legalization measure in July, and Secretary of State Al Jaeger (R) formally licensed the initiative the next month.
Now the marketing campaign is selling two new, 60-second radio advertisements that may air statewide, together with one voiced by the marketing campaign’s treasurer, who can be a former police officer, and one other from army veteran Scott Model.
“Once I returned dwelling from Iraq in 2007, I noticed fellow veterans affected by PTSD and debilitating ache. For many individuals battling critical well being points, marijuana is the one factor that helps,” Model says in his advert. “However far too many individuals who want marijuana for medicinal advantages can’t entry it in North Dakota.”
“Legalized and controlled grownup use of marijuana modifications that,” he mentioned. “As a veteran, I assist Measure 2. It is going to guarantee veterans and different sufferers can get the reduction they deserve. This can be a probability to point out one another assist and compassion. Vote Sure on 2 on November 8.”
Within the separate advert that includes marketing campaign treasurer Mark Friese, the lawyer and former police officer begins by saying that it’s “time for a change, and it begins with us.”
“Throughout my 5 years as a patrol officer with the Bismarck Police Division, I witnessed firsthand the waste of sources arresting and prosecuting folks for small quantities of marijuana,” he mentioned. “Measure 2 permits police to spend extra time and sources on extra critical and violent crimes.”
He added that neighboring Montana is already “seeing the advantages” from a 2020 vote to legalize hashish, which created an trade that he mentioned is “creating jobs and elevating billions in new income to spend money on drug therapy packages and providers for veterans.”
“It’s time to take a brand new, smarter method in North Dakota. Let’s vote sure on 2,” he mentioned.
New Method ND additionally introduced on Monday will probably be launching a grassroots marketing campaign this week to distribute yard indicators and different promotional supplies to supporters throughout the state.
The legalization poll initiative would permit adults 21 and older to buy and possess as much as one ounce of hashish and develop as much as three vegetation for private use.
Right here’s a breakdown of the measure’s key provisions:
Adults 21 and older may buy and possess as much as one ounce of hashish, 4 grams of marijuana focus and flower produced from as much as three vegetation grown for private use, so long as that hashish is saved in the identical location that the plant was cultivated.
The Division of Well being and Human Providers, or a distinct company designated by the legislature, can be liable for creating guidelines for this system and overseeing licensing for marijuana companies.
Regulators would have till October 1, 2023 to develop guidelines associated to safety, promoting, labeling, packaging and testing requirements.
The division may solely license a most of seven cultivation amenities and 18 retailers. In an effort to mitigate the danger of getting the market monopolized by massive corporations, the initiative stipulates that no particular person or entity can be permitted to personal a couple of cultivation facility or 4 retail places.
There can be particular youngster custody protections for fogeys who use hashish in compliance with state regulation.
Employers may proceed to implement present drug coverage prohibiting marijuana use.
With respect to previous prison data, the initiative wouldn’t present a pathway for expungements, although activists say they intend to work with the legislature on enacting separate laws addressing that problem in 2023.
Native jurisdictions would be capable of prohibit marijuana companies from working of their space, and hashish corporations would even be required to stick to native zoning guidelines.
The state’s 5 % gross sales tax would apply to hashish merchandise, however no further tax can be imposed particularly for marijuana.
Producers would wish to pay a biennial $110,000 registration payment and retailers would wish to pay $90,000. These funds would assist the division’s implementation and administration of the adult-use program.
The initiative doesn’t lay out any particular use of funds collected from these charges past administration.
Public consumption can be prohibited.
An analogous measure was launched within the legislature in 2021. The invoice from Rep. Jason Dockter (R) handed the Home, however it was defeated within the full Senate after advancing out of committee there.
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Following that defeat, some senators devised a brand new plan to advance the problem by referring it to voters on the 2022 poll. The decision moved by a key committee final yr, however the Senate additionally blocked it.
Consultant Matthew Ruby (R), who’s a member of the marketing campaign’s sponsoring committee, beforehand mentioned that the initiative “is a conservative method to hashish legalization based mostly on laws handed by the North Dakota Home of Representatives.”
“It balances private freedom with private accountability,” he mentioned. “Adults will not be punished for utilizing hashish—however provided that they achieve this safely and responsibly. As voters have an opportunity to assessment the measure intimately, I’m assured a majority will agree that is the appropriate method for North Dakota.”
There have been repeated makes an attempt by activists to enact legalization within the Peace Backyard state.
Advocates with the group North Dakota Hashish Caucus began gathering signatures to qualify a constitutional modification legalizing hashish for the 2022 poll, however they didn’t collect sufficient by a January deadline.
New Method ND’s David Owen beforehand led an effort to put a legalization measure on the 2018 poll that was defeated by voters. They filed one other initiative for 2020, however signature gathering problems largely attributable to the coronavirus pandemic bought in the way in which.
In the meantime, a invoice to considerably broaden marijuana decriminalization in North Dakota cleared the Home final yr however was later defeated within the Senate.
That laws would have constructed upon an preliminary marijuana decriminalization regulation that was enacted in 2019. Underneath the present statute, possession of half an oz or much less of hashish is an infraction punishable by a effective of as much as $1,000, with no jail time. The defeated proposal would’ve made possession of as much as an oz a non-criminal offense that carried a $50 effective.
North Dakota voters accredited a medical hashish poll measure in 2016.
Home Majority Chief Chet Pollert (R) beforehand mentioned that he’s not “a marijuana individual,” however he’s acknowledged that hashish legalization is coming. Whereas he would have beforehand been inclined to oppose a legalization invoice, Pollert mentioned voter approval of a legalization initiative in South Dakota has made him rethink, including that the legislature ought to “take an extended, arduous look” on the coverage change.
In the meantime, voters in neighboring South Dakota can even have an opportunity to approve a marijuana legalization poll initiative in November. Voters accredited the reform in 2020, however the vote was invalidated following a authorized problem spearheaded by Gov. Kristi Noem (R).
Picture courtesy of Philip Steffan.