November is set to be a critical month for cannabis legalization efforts in the US, with four states placing key cannabis reforms on the ballot.
A month out from what is set to be one of the most consequential elections in US history, The Cannabis Business Advisors have given their expert opinion on the likely outcomes in Nebraska, Florida, South Dakota and North Dakota.
In August, state officials announced that voters will get to decide whether to legalize medical cannabis in the state during the November ballot, via two separate initiatives.
Among these are the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Initiative, and the Nebraska Medical Regulation Initiative.
The former would seek to protect medical cannabis patients and their caregivers from facing legal recourse due to their medical cannabis usage. Meanwhile, the second initiative seeks to create a state Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate medical cannabis businesses across the state.
Despite dual measures, the cannabis consultancy believes they are both doomed to fail due to legal challenges to the vote filed in September.
“We believe the people of Nebraska want medical cannabis and will pass the measure, but a legal filing claiming that many of the signatures received were fraudulent may void the vote results. So even though the issue will go on the ballot, if the judge rules to invalidate the signatures, the election results will be voided,” the consultancy explained.
Elsewhere, Florida is set to vote on the legalization of adult-use cannabis in November, which if passed would make the state the second largest potential market in the country behind California.
With former president Donald Trump, a Florida resident, voicing support for the measure, but Rublican Governor Ron DeSantis staunchly against the reform, the outcome of the ballot is likely to come down to a thin margin.
Florida’s Amendment 3, which would legalize cannabis for recreational purposes, is now one of the most expensive ballot initiatives in US history, seeing over $90m raised in support of the measure, largely funded by the state’s largest operator, Trulieve.
Despite opposition from DeSantis and the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, a poll suggests the measure may pass with the required 60%.
This is echoed by the advisory group, who believe it will ‘pass by a fraction, not a landslide.’
Two years since South Dakota voted to legalise medical cannabis, adult-use legalization is now set to go to the ballot box for a third time in November.
It comes after a petition to push through the ballot received over 22,000 signatures from registered voters, comfortably surpassing the 17,508 signatures required.
The bill, which would legalize consumption for over 21s and possession of up to two ounces of cannabis flower, is expected to pass.
“It passed the last time adult use was on the ballot, alongside medical, so the state focused on rolling out medical only. Now that it’s been two years since medical has been up and operational, there’s room for expansion into adult use this coming year.”
Neighboring North Dakota, meanwhile, is also set to vote on adult-use cannabis for a second time in two years.
The proposal, supported by the New Economic Frontier group, secured its place on the November ballot after collecting over 18,000 verified signatures, comfortably exceeding the required threshold.
If approved, the measure would allow adults aged 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of cannabis, four grams of concentrates, and edibles containing up to 300 milligrams of THC.
According to The Cannabis Business Advisors, this is also expected to be passed. They stated: “The state has had medical for many years now and the question of recreational cannabis has been a close call in the last two elections.
“They’ve failed marginally each time. This year’s ballot initiative seems to be the most promising, especially with its next-door neighbor Minnesota legalizing adult use.”
