Recreational marijuana legalization certified for November ballot in Missouri

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Missouri voters will have the opportunity to legalize recreational marijuana in November after a constitutional amendment to do just that was certified for the ballot.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said Tuesday that Legal Missouri 2022 had submitted a sufficient number of voter signatures to qualify for the ballot, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

The campaign said it submitted about 214,000 signatures, though it needed only 184,720 to qualify.

The measure’s success this year was in doubt at a few points.

But the campaign’s manager, John Payne, predicted a November victory, considering polling that shows a solid majority of Missourians support adult-use legalization.

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According to the campaign, if successful at the ballot box, the 39-page measure would:

  • Establish a new state 6% tax on adult-use marijuana and allow for localities to add another 3% tax.
  • Award at least 144 new business licenses via lottery. All of the licenses would be reserved for military veterans, low-income residents and those impacted by the war on drugs.
  • Reform the existing medical marijuana system in various ways, such as extending the lifespan of MMJ patient cards from one year to three years.
  • Allow localities to ban adult-use sales “through a vote of the people.”