South Dakota Moves Toward Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization

LOS ANGELES- South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws (SDBML), a cannabis advocacy group, has recently submitted 29,030 signatures to South Dakota’s Secretary of State in a bid to get an adult-use cannabis initiative on the November ballot. The Secretary of State’s office, headed by Monae Johnson, must verify at least 17,508 of these signatures by August 13 for the initiative to qualify for inclusion.

The initiative, driven by a seven-month campaign by SDBML and its volunteers, aims to legalize the possession, purchase, and cultivation of cannabis for adults over the age of 21. If approved, adults could possess up to two ounces of cannabis or 16 grams of concentrates and cultivate up to six plants per person, with a household limit of twelve plants.

This submission marks another significant attempt in the state to legalize recreational cannabis, following a tumultuous history of voter-approved initiatives later overturned by legal challenges. In 2020, an adult-use cannabis initiative was nullified for violating the state constitution’s single subject rule, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in 2021.

Despite setbacks, advocates remain hopeful. Matthew Schweich, executive director of SDBML, highlighted the inconsistency of cannabis’s illegal status compared to the legal status of alcohol, which he argues is more harmful. Advocates like Deb Peters, president of the Cannabis Industry Association of South Dakota, see this initiative as pivotal for the state, potentially aligning it with other states that have recognized the economic benefits of regulated recreational cannabis.

South Dakota’s medical cannabis program, established following a successful 2020 initiative, has seen considerable participation, with the Department of Health issuing 11,500 medical cannabis cards since 2021. Advocates believe that the current initiative, if passed, could significantly benefit existing licensed medical cannabis businesses by potentially granting them early access to the recreational market.

As the Secretary of State’s office begins the validation process, South Dakotans await another opportunity to vote on this issue, reflecting persistent efforts by local activists and national organizations like the Marijuana Policy Project to shift public policy in favor of cannabis legalization.