Voters in South Dakota are once again poised to decide if recreational marijuana should be legalized in the conservative state, which has been a frustrating issue for those in support of the ballot initiative thus far.
Secretary of State Monae Johnson’s office worked Monday to validate a measure for the November general election ballot. Adding recreational weed to the ballot this time around will mark the third time that South Dakota voters have weighed in on the subject.
A measure was passed in 2020 but ultimately struck down in court. Two years later, in 2022, voters across the state defeated a second attempt to pass the bill.
The use of recreational marijuana has gained popularity nationwide, with 24 states allowing its recreational use. Ohio recently legalized marijuana following a vote in November 2023. This autumn, Florida voters are set to decide on the matter while states like North Dakota are also working towards legalization efforts.
If the measure is passed, recreational marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older would be legalized in the state. The proposal comes with reasonable possession limits of no more than two ounces of marijuana in any form other than cannabis products or concentrated cannabis. Furthermore, the measure includes permitting the cultivation of marijuana plants, with some restrictions imposed. If successful, measure backers plan to work with the legislature and implement regulations such as business licensing and tax obligations.
The campaign’s political director, Zebadiah Johnson, says, “We firmly believe that South Dakotans deserve to make their own choices on how they live their lives, including the freedom to use cannabis responsibly.”
Jim Kinyon, a staunch opponent of the measure and chairperson of Protecting South Dakota Kids, says there is no reason to continue as the state’s voters have already spoken on the issue and rejected it back in 2022. Kinyon went on to essentially criticize the repeated efforts of supporters to put the issue to a vote, asking, “How many times does the state of South Dakota need to reject recreational marijuana before the industry will accept the decision of the state’s citizens?”
He continued, “I expect that the industry will triple down on their money to try to sway and dissuade voters.”
The measure to legalize recreational marijuana in South Dakota is not the only measure on the ballot this fall, as other initiated measures will include one to repeal the state food tax and another to protect abortion rights.
This fall, voters in the Republican-majority state will also decide whether to abandon partisan primaries and open contests to all candidates despite their party affiliation. This system type is considered a “top-two” primary, as the top two vote-getters in each race would ultimately face off during the general elections.
