Measure legalizing recreational marijuana qualifies for North Dakota ballot

BISMARCK, ND – Voters in North Dakota will have the opportunity this fall to decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

According to an Associated Press report, North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe announced that a ballot initiative calling for legalization has qualified for the November election.  Howe said that his office had reviewed and accepted nearly 19,000 signatures, several thousand more than the 15,582 that were needed.

If the ballot measure is approved, it will legalize marijuana for adults aged 21 and older to use marijuana at their homes and, if permitted, on others’ private property.  It would also regulate commercial sales of recreational cannabis and allow home cultivation of plants.   The measure sets purchase and possession amounts of 1 ounce of dried leaves or flowers, 4 grams of a cannabinoid concentrate, 1,500 milligrams of total THC in the form of a cannabis product and 300 milligrams of an edible product. It would allow cannabis solutions, capsules, transdermal patches, concentrates, topical and edible products.

New Economic Frontier, the group backing the ballot measure, submitted petitions with more than 22,000 signatures.  The group’s chairperson, Steve Bakken, said in a statement that supporters are “excited for North Dakotans to cast their votes on the legalization of adult-use cannabis in November.”  He added, “It represents a unique opportunity for North Dakota to diversify its economy and alleviate some of the burden on our law enforcement and judicial systems. It’s about unlocking our state’s potential and securing a brighter future for all residents.”

Bakken, a Burleigh County commissioner and former Bismarck mayor, said law enforcement resources would be more effectively utilized in addressing issues involving opioids and fentanyl instead of marijuana.

Medical marijuana was approved by North Dakota voters in 2016, but measures to legalize recreational marijuana were defeated in 2018 and 2022.

The new ballot measure would approve commercial cannabis activity, including retail sales of recreational marijuana at up to 18 licensed dispensaries statewide. The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services or another state agency designated by state lawmakers would be responsible for regulating cannabis businesses. The legislation requires the regulatory agency to establish rules for administering the cannabis program by October 1, 2025.

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