Nine states have marijuana measures on the ballot this November. Here’s a look at the ballots in Arizona, California, Maine and Massachusetts, and what the props look like.
Arizona
Arizona has Proposition 205 on the ballot. Arizona will ask its residents to vote on whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana for adults in the state over the age of 21. Medical marijuana is already legal in Arizona, but under the current state laws, essentially any possession of recreational marijuana is treated as a felony, and the legalization of recreational marijuana would be a big change.
Proposition 205 would allow individuals over 21 to possess less than one ounce of marijuana, and grow up six plants in their homes. The sale and cultivation of marijuana, as well as the enforcement of the new provisions, would be regulated by a newly established Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control. Use in public, use by a minor, and possession over the allowed limits would still be illegal. Additionally there would be a 15 percent sales tax levied.
With just a week to go to until the election, polling on the measure in Arizona is pretty dead even. We’ll have to wait until election night to see which way Arizonans decide. For more information on the state of marijuana legalization in Arizona, click here.
California
Voters in California will be casting their vote on Proposition 64, which would legalize recreational marijuana for residents 21 and over. California decriminalized marijuana in 2010, and medical marijuana has been legal for almost 20 years. California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana.
Proposition 64 would legalize the possession and use of marijuana by adults 21 and over in the state, up to eight grams of “concentrated” marijuana and 28.5 grams of marijuana overall. Possession would still be illegal in some places, however, like on school grounds. Individuals could grow up to six plants. Public use won’t be allowed, but adults can smoke in their own homes and in specifically licensed businesses. The regulatory body that currently deals with medical marijuana would be expanded to deal with the recreational implementation, and two new taxes would be created–one focused on cultivation and one focused on retail sales.
Support for Proposition 64 has been consistently high, and it seems likely that Californians will vote in favor of the measure. For more information on the state of marijuana legalization in California, click here.
Maine
Mainers will vote on Question 1 on November 8. Currently Maine has legal medical marijuana, and has decriminalized marijuana in the state. Additionally, the cities of Portland and South Portland have already legalized possession and use. A “yes” vote for Question 1 would support legalizing it for adults over 21 in the rest of the state. This is not Maine’s first attempt to legalize recreational marijuana, as a few measures have failed in the past.
Question 1 would allow individuals over 21 to possess 2.5 ounces or less, and grow up to six mature plants. It would also set up the possibility of “retail marijuana social clubs,” presumably bar-like establishments where recreational marijuana could be consumed. Recreational marijuana in Maine would be regulated by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, and there would be a 10 percent sales tax.
Currently, support for “yes” votes on Question 1 appears to be holding a slim lead. For more information on the state of marijuana legalization in Maine, click here.
Massachusetts
Bay Staters will vote on Question 4, which would legalize marijuana in the state, and regulate it similarly to how alcoholic beverages are currently regulated. Marijuana is both currently legalized for medical purposes in the state, and decriminalized.
“Yes” votes on Question 4 would support legalizing marijuana for adults over 21, including the possession of up to one ounce in public, and up to 10 ounces in a home. The possession of up to six plants would also be legal. A Cannabis Control Commission would be set up to regulate legal recreational marijuana and the substance would be subject to both the state sales tax as well as an additional 3.75 percent excise tax. Certain municipalities could choose to raise that tax another 2 percent as well.
Massachusetts seems likely to vote “yes” on Question 4, as most polls have consistently shown voters in favor of the measure. For more information on the state of marijuana legalization in Massachusetts, click here.
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