What You Need to Know on the 2018 Ballot

Legislation for cannabis has grown significantly in the last few years. Unfortunately, it’s still not legal everywhere. Recreational marijuana is currently legal in nine states, while medical marijuana is legal in 30 states.

While the Agricultural Act of 2014 legalized hemp cultivation for certain limited circumstances, a recent bipartisan bill known as the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which aims to federally legalize all hemp crops and make hemp an agricultural commodity, is extremely close to passing. Ultimately, we believe a win for marijuana on the ballot is a win for CBD and the cannabis industry as a whole.

With the 2018 midterm elections right around the corner, several states have ballot measures regarding cannabis legalization for both recreational and medical use. We’ve highlighted some of the state measures on the ballot this year below.

A poll from 2017 showed that 64 percent of Americans supported the legalization of cannabis, while data shows that legal marijuana sales topped $9.7 billion in North America. While midterms may not seem important, they hold as much weight as (and in some cases more weight than) general elections. Statistically, midterms have a notoriously low turnout, especially among younger voters. This is your opportunity to have your voice heard and truly make a change, whether it’s about cannabis legalization or other state issues. Get out there and vote!

Legalization of cannabis in various forms and functions is one of the ballot measures in several states this midterm election. Here are some of the standouts.

Adult Use

Michigan – Proposal 18-1

• Allows personal use and possession of marijuana by those 21 and older (includes flower, concentrates, edibles, and up to 10 ounces of cannabis flowers)
• Allows lawful cultivation and sale of industrial hemp and marijuana by those 21 and older (up to 12 plants for home growing)
• Permits 10% tax on retail sales of cannabis

North Dakota – Measure 3

• Removes marijuana, hashish, and THC from Schedule I controlled substances list
• Prohibits prosecution of non-violent cannabis-related activity (including selling, growing, processing, testing) for persons over 21
• Requires immediate automatic expungement of prior cannabis convictions and arrests
• No mention of licensing, possession, taxation, or regulation

Medical Use

Missouri – Amendment 2, Amendment 3, Proposition C

Amendment 2

• Amends state constitution to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for medical use
• 4% tax on medical cannabis
• Tax revenue applied to administration of regulatory program and healthcare services for military veterans
• Allows patients to grow their own medical cannabis

Amendment 3

• Amends state constitution to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for medical use
• 15% tax on medical cannabis
• Tax revenue applied to establishing/funding state-run cancer research institute, chaired by Brad Bradshaw (author of amendment) who would also select governing board
• Does not allow patients to grow cannabis

Proposition C

• Amends state constitution to allow growth, sale, and use of medical cannabis
• 2% tax on medical cannabis
• Tax revenue applied to veterans’ services, drug treatment, early childhood education, public safety initiatives in cities with medical marijuana facilities
• Creates licensing procedures and regulations for cultivation, testing, production, and dispensing in medical cannabis facilities

Utah – Proposition 2

• Creates state-controlled procedures to allow patients with qualifying medical conditions to legally acquire and use medical cannabis
• Qualifying conditions include HIV, cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain, and more
• Allows establishment of state-licensed facilities to grow, test, and sell medical cannabis
• Patients allowed to grow up to 6 cannabis plants for personal medical use
• State controls on licensed facilities

Other

Ohio – State Issue 1

• Reduces low-level drug offenses to misdemeanors
• Possession, purchase, and consumption of cannabis becomes a misdemeanor with only probation penalties, no jail time
• Maintains cannabis distribution remains felony
• Diverts funds saved from prison spending to drug treatment programs
• Creates sentence credits program for inmates participating in work, education, or rehabilitation programs
• Retroactive application (allows individuals who have previously been convicted of low-level drug offenses prior to the issue’s enactment to change their conviction offense and be release or re-sentenced)

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