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Several states will have health-related measures on the ballot next week.
The details:
- Marijuana: Massachusetts will vote on a ballot measure that could make it the first state to reverse marijuana legalization. It proposes civil penalties for possession of more than 1 ounce of marijuana, and for minors, mandatory participation in drug awareness education and community service. Polling suggests the measure is unlikely to pass. But there seems to be little momentum for further state legalization efforts – 5 proposed measures in 4 states that would have eased access to marijuana did not garner enough support to make it on the ballot.
- Other legalization: Voters in Idaho will vote on a constitutional amendment to take drug legalization out of the hands of voters. If it passes, only lawmakers would be allowed to legalize substances like marijuana, narcotics, or psychoactive substances.
- Medicaid: A measure in South Dakota would condition Medicaid expansion, previously approved by voters, on the federal share of funding remaining at 90%. It is unclear whether a drop in federal funding would trigger an immediate end to expansion or just open the door for lawmakers to reconsider it.
Read more: The key health care ballot measures we’re watching in the midterms
Published
October 2026