Maryland Votes To Legalize Recreational Marijuana As Arkansas And North Dakota Vote No—Here’s How Cannabis Ballot Measures Are Faring

Topline

Voters in Maryland approved a ballot measure Tuesday legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for adults, becoming the 20th state to make marijuana legal, but Arkansas and North Dakota voted down similar ballot questions, and votes are still being counted in Missouri and South Dakota.

Key Facts

Some 65.5% of votes in Maryland were in favor of legalization with an estimated two-thirds of ballots counted at 12:45 a.m., roughly three hours after the Associated Press projected the ballot measure passed.

However, Arkansas voters rejected a push to legalize recreational marijuana in their state, the AP projected at around 12:30 a.m.—roughly 56.1% of Arkansans voted no and 43.9% voted yes, with some 85% of votes counted.

In North Dakota, opponents of marijuana legalization outpaced supporters 55% to 45% with more than 95% of votes counted, leading the AP to project a defeat.

The AP still hasn’t called Missouri or South Dakota’s ballot measures, but early results show a narrow lead for legalization in Missouri (53.2% to 46.8%, with 87% of votes counted), while opponents of marijuana legalization are leading in South Dakota (54.5% to 45.5%, with 72% of votes in).

Prior to Tuesday, recreational marijuana was already legal in California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington, Arizona, Massachusetts, Colorado, Oregon, Connecticut, Nevada, New Mexico, Maine, Rhode Island, Montana, Alaska and Vermont.

Tangent

Voters in Colorado are deciding on a ballot measure that would legalize the use of natural psychedelic drugs including psilocybin and psilocin, found in “magic mushrooms.” The measure would only allow psychedelics to be distributed by licensed “healing centers” throughout the state. If passed, Colorado would become the second state to legalize psychedelics after Oregon voters passed a legalization measure in 2020. Unlike Oregon’s law, the Colorado measure would not grant local governments the power to ban healing centers.

Key Background

A flood of states have moved to legalize recreational marijuana over the past decade, after voters in Washington and Colorado approved the first legalization measures in 2012, and polls have consistently suggested support is growing for legalization efforts. Gallup surveys in 2020 and 2021 found 68% of respondents supported legalizing marijuana—a massive increase from around 30% in favor of legalization when the pollster surveyed the topic in 2000. Democrats were generally quicker than Republicans to get on board with legalization efforts, but polls show Republicans are also steadily getting behind the push—a Morning Consult/Politico survey released last month found more Republicans in favor of full national legalization (47%) than those opposed (41%). Marijuana is officially banned at the federal level since it is classified as a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act, but federal authorities have largely refrained from interfering with state legalization efforts.

Chief Critic

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) encouraged residents of his state to vote against legalization, arguing it would encourage widespread use that could lead to more impaired drivers and employees showing up to work stoned. Proponents of legalization have long insisted such concerns are overblown, and claim marijuana is far safer than other legal drugs in widespread use, like alcohol.

Further Reading

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Leads Battle Against Adult-Use Cannabis Bill (Forbes)

Colorado Will Vote On Legalizing Psychedelic Mushrooms In November (Forbes)