MJBizMag January 2022 - 56

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Alcoholic Beverage Control Division
would regulate a commercial
market. The initiative calls for a
three-year residency requirement.
The Agricultural Department would
issue two types of licenses: one for
cultivation, transport and sale, and
another for cultivation, processing,
transport and sale.
A second group, Responsible Growth
Arkansas, said in November 2021 that it
also plans to have a signature drive for
an adult-use legalization measure. The
text of the initiative wasn't available by
deadline.
The deadline for collecting
signatures for the November 2022
ballot is in July. It's unclear whether
either group will qualify a referendum.
IDAHO
Proposal: Medical
Possible ballot initiative: Idaho
Medical Marijuana Act of 2022 (Kind
Idaho)
If the measure is successful, the
state Department of Health and
Welfare would be required to issue
rules within 120 days after the
effective date of the act. Cities and
counties would be allowed to place
" reasonable zoning ordinances " for
medical marijuana facilities. It's
unclear whether the referendum will
be successful.
MARYLAND
Proposal: Recreational
Possible ballot initiatives: Not yet
announced
House Speaker Adrienne Jones said
in July that she intends to pass a bill
that refers recreational marijuana
legalization to voters. Industry experts
believe voters would likely approve
such a measure.
MISSOURI
Proposal: Recreational
Possible ballot initiatives: Missouri
56 January 2022 | MJBizMagazine
Marijuana Legalization and Automatic
Expungement Initiative (Fair Access)
The constitutional amendment
proposed by Fair Access would allow
an unlimited number of recreational
marijuana business licenses to be
issued. A 7.5% tax would be imposed on
retail sales. New Approach Missouri,
which ran the successful 2018 medical
marijuana legalization campaign,
also said it would try to put an adultuse
legalization measure on the 2022
ballot. It's unclear whether either effort
would be successful.
NEBRASKA
Proposal: Medical
Possible ballot initiatives: Nebraska
Medical Cannabis Regulation Act
The ballot proposal would establish
a Nebraska Medical Cannabis
Commission under the state Liquor
Control Commission to regulate a
commercial market. Application criteria
would be established by July 1, 2023, and
regulators would begin issuing permits
to applicants that met the requirements
by Oct. 1, 2023.
The deadline for submitting
ballot signatures is July 8. Nebraska
has a relatively high bar for ballot
qualification: Signatures are required
from 10% of registered voters,
including at least 5% in 38 of the
state's 93 counties. If the referendum
does reach the ballot, it has a good
chance of passing.
NORTH DAKOTA
Proposal: Recreational
Possible ballot initiatives: To Tax and
Regulate Cannabis Like Alcohol and
Tobacco (Legalize ND)
Legalize ND said in 2021 that it would
collect signatures for an initiative
to legalize adult-use marijuana and
establish a retail market. The group's
website recently indicated the effort
was on hold because of COVID-19.
OHIO
Proposal: Recreational
Possible ballot initiative:
Ohio Marijuana Legalization initiative
(Coalition to Regulate Marijuana
Like Alcohol)
A Cannabis Control Division would
be created to regulate the industry and
issue licenses. The referendum calls for
a social equity and jobs program.
OKLAHOMA
Proposal: Recreational
Possible ballot initiative: Oklahoma
Marijuana Regulation and Right to
Use Act (Oklahomans for Responsible
Cannabis Action)
Medical marijuana dispensaries
would be allowed to start selling
adult-use products 60 days after
passage of the referendum. The
excise tax on retail sales initially
would be 15%.
WYOMING
Proposal: Medical
Possible ballot initiatives: Wyoming
Cannabis Patient Act of 2022
The Wyoming Department of
Revenue's Liquor Division would
regulate a commercial medical
cannabis market. The Liquor Division
would be required to establish rules by
July 1 in the year after adoption.
Cannabis advocates face a high
bar to get a medical marijuana
referendum on the ballot: The number
of signatures must equal 15% of the
ballots cast in the previous general
election, including 15% in at least
two-thirds of the counties. But if the
referendum qualifies for the ballot,
it has a good chance of passing. A
University of Wyoming survey found
that 85% of state residents support
medical marijuana legalization.
Additional reporting by Jenel SteltonHoltmeier.
MJBizMag January 2022

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