(The Middle Sq.) – A statewide petition drive is at present underway in North Dakota to place a measure on the poll this November legalizing leisure hashish.
“North Dakota is more likely to enact a hashish legalization regulation by the tip of this yr,” Jared Moffat, campaigns supervisor on the Marijuana Coverage Challenge, instructed The Middle Sq.. “Final yr, the state legislature got here near passing a legalization invoice, too. North Dakota’s Home of Representatives authorized HB 1420, nevertheless it was in the end defeated within the Senate.”
Moffat mentioned the present poll measure represents a accountable and conservative method to legalization that aligns with North Dakota’s values of non-public accountability and particular person freedom.
“The measure establishes protections to make sure that hashish customers are handled pretty whereas additionally creating commonsense limitations, resembling a restriction on public smoking and sustaining strict penalties for driving beneath the affect or giving hashish to minors,” Moffat mentioned. “The measure appoints a state regulatory company to supervise hashish companies whereas respecting native governments’ means to limit or opt-out of getting hashish institutions inside their jurisdiction.”
Mark Friese, treasurer of the sponsoring committee for the proposed poll measure, instructed KFYR that the financial advantages of legalizing leisure marijuana use have been typically constructive in America.
“The fact is that this generates work, this generates tax income,” Friese mentioned to KFYR. “Final Legislative session, the North Dakota Legislature had a complete invoice that handed the Home of Representatives that will’ve performed what this measure does. We thought it was time to get it earlier than the voters.”
Moffat mentioned hashish legalization would create jobs and financial alternatives for North Dakota’s “strong agriculture sector.”
“There are a lot of farmers who’re supportive of our efforts because of this. To date, we now have not heard any opposition from enterprise teams such because the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce,” Moffat mentioned.
Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, instructed Inforum legalizing marijuana can be “damaging” and blamed the push on folks from out-of-state.
With the intention to be positioned on the poll in November, the petition must generate about 15,000 signatures by July 11.