- Voters in five states cast their votes on marijuana legalization efforts on Tuesday.
- The ballot measures passed in Maryland and Missouri, and failed in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Five states had marijuana legalization initiatives on their ballots in 2022.
On Tuesday, Maryland and Missouri joined the ranks of the growing number of states where cannabis is legal, while legalization votes failed in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Arkansas
Recreational marijuana will remain illegal in Arkansas after well over half of voters said "no" on Issue 4, which would have legalized marijuana use for adults over the age of 21.
If passed, the measure would have established a 10% sales tax for marijuana and allotted 15% of the tax revenue toward an annual law enforcement stipend.
Maryland
Marijuana is now legal in Maryland after over 65% of voters said "yes" to Question 4, which allows marijuana use for adults over the age of 21.
Although medicinal marijuana use was legalized in Maryland in 2013, Question 4 sought to add the Marijuana Legalization Amendment to the state constitution.
Adults over the age of 21 are now able to have up to 1.5 ounces in their possession and can grow up to two marijuana plants outside of the public eye. Now that Question 4 has passed, state lawmakers will have to enact further laws for the "use, distribution, possession, regulation, and taxation" of marijuana in the state.
Missouri
Missouri voters signaled their support for an effort to legalize marijuana use for adults over the age of 21.
With the passage of Amendment 3, the Marijuana Legalization Initiative, personal marijuana use is now legal in Missouri. Medicinal marijuana use was legalized in Missouri in 2018.
The decision is a big win for proponents of criminal justice reform, as the measure permits those who were incarcerated for non-violent marijuana-related offenses to petition for release, parole, and record expungement.
North Dakota
North Dakota citizens voted against a measure that would have legalized the use and sale of marijuana by adults aged 21 and older.
This marks the second time voters in the deep-red Midwestern state have rejected recreational marijuana legalization. They previously voted against a similar ballot measure in 2018.
South Dakota
Recreational marijuana will remain illegal in South Dakota after over half of voters said "no" on Measure 27, which would have legalized marijuana use for adults over the age of 21 and limit possession to one ounce of marijuana.