Columbia attorney Dan Viets has promoted legalizing recreational marijuana for decades, and if his prediction and polls are correct, it could happen in November when voters statewide will cast ballots on the matter.

“The data that we have from very recent independent polling is that 62% of Missouri voters approve it,” Viets said. “We’re not taking anything for granted, but the data we have certainly indicated we have a good chance of passage.”

In recent years, there hasn’t been a marijuana legalization measure that has failed, he said.

Medical marijuana has been allowed in Missouri since 2018.

The issue transcends party politics, Viets said.

“The national polling shows close to half of Republicans support legalizing marijuana,” Viets said, adding that a larger majority of Democrats support it.

“It’s clearly nonpartisan,” Viets said. “It’s not a partisan issue.”

The fact that the issue made it onto the ballot through initiative petition shows that Missourians can’t rely on the Missouri General Assembly to represent their views, he said.

Several other states that have legalized recreational marijuana have set the stage for Missouri, he said.