Oklahoma votes against legalizing recreational marijuana

March 8, 2023
AggregatedNews
Oklahoma
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Voters in Oklahoma on Tuesday rejected a measure to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, a defeat that marks a significant setback for the marijuana legalization movement.

The Associated Press projected the defeat, which came five years after state voters approved the drug for medical purposes. Oklahoma, one of the more conservative states in the country, would have been the 22nd state to allow recreational use of marijuana.

In November, voters in five states considered similar measures. Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota voted no, while Maryland and Missouri voted yes.

Oklahoma’s State Question 820 would have allowed adults over the age of 21 to buy marijuana from licensed sellers and established a tax on the proceeds. It also would have permitted some marijuana-related convictions to be expunged.

The measure faced opposition from Republican lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. James Lankford and Gov. Kevin Stitt. Lankford urged Oklahomans to vote no, saying the state had already seen marijuana use skyrocket, “hurting our communities and families.”

The proposal’s backers said it would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue, help address racial disparities in marijuana-related convictions and further regulate the industry.

The rejection of the measure by Oklahoma voters points to a backlash against the state’s burgeoning marijuana business. [Read More @ The Washington Post]

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