Pandemic Puts the Breaks on Many State Marijuana Legalization Initiatives

At the beginning of this year, more than a dozen states appeared likely to legalize marijuana for recreational or medical purposes by the end of 2020. Due to the pandemic, many of those states are unlikely to proceed with legalization this year, according to Vox.

Legalization advocates cannot gather the signatures they need to get the issue on the ballot. In addition, state legislators who might have championed the issue are now focused on the pandemic, the article notes.

Recreational legalization efforts have stalled in Arkansas, Montana, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont. Medical marijuana legalization efforts are on hold in Idaho, Nebraska, Kentucky and Alabama.

Legalization efforts are going forward in a few states. A recreational legalization measure will be on the November ballot in New Jersey, and one is likely to be on the ballot in Arizona. Voters will decide on two separate medical marijuana measures in Mississippi, while South Dakota will have ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana for recreational and medical purposes.