Voters Relax Marijuana Laws In 3 More States: Michigan, Utah, Missouri

[Eugene]

Source: NPR

Voters Relax Marijuana Laws In 3 More States: Michigan, Utah, Missouri

November 7, 2018 8:42 AM ET
BILL CHAPPELL

Voters in Michigan approved a ballot measure to legalize recreational use of marijuana on Tuesday, and two other states — Missouri and Utah — endorsed medical marijuana laws. Voters in North Dakota didn't partake, rejecting a measure to legalize recreational marijuana use.

Now 33 states have legalized marijuana to some degree, and recreational pot use is now legal in 10 states, along with Washington, D.C. But possessing, selling or using marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

Coming into the Nov. 6 vote, both Michigan and North Dakota already had medical marijuana laws in place. Utah and Missouri didn't have far-reaching legislation on the books, though Missouri had lightened the potential penalties for first-time offenses.

Marijuana legalization advocates welcomed the news from Michigan, the first Midwestern state to approve recreational marijuana. Backers called it proof that a wide variety of Americans want the country's marijuana laws to change.

"I think it's safe to say federal laws are in need of an update," Steve Hawkins, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement. He added, "We hope the results of this election will inspire Congress to finally start addressing the tension that exists between state and federal marijuana laws in our nation."

-snip-

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/07/665161814/3-more-states-ok-easing-their-marijuana-laws-michigan-utah-missouri

[brewens]

1. I'm in Idaho. It's legal or decriminalized at least for medical in all states surrounding us.

I don't know what the chances are for the half-wits giving in and letting us have it.

I'm near a couple towns in Washington state the fought letting the shops open even after legalization was passed. One effort was comical. This ignorant hag found some provision that if she got enough signatures on her petition, the city council would have to reconsider. She tried and failed.

He letter to the editor after she bombed was pathetic. One of her claims was that one guy was really nasty to her when she rang his door bell. He yelled at her that he was going to use drugs no matter what anyone said! Bullshit! No one would say that to her, especially not a stoner. They especially wouldn't refer to weed as drugs either. Obvious lie.

I pissed off a couple of my white-wing friends on FB by explaining the main problem with legalization was the eat shit factor. Rednecks that hated the 60's, the hippies, weed and everything related to it, will never give in no matter what. It's a major humiliation for them to finally lose that one. Their worst nightmare is that it's legalized and not much at all changes. At least there is no major problems related to it. They're trying though. I think I saw a claim that car collisions have gone up in Colorado. Nice try. I don't buy it.