Voters defeat marijuana and psychedelic drug legalization measures in 4 states

Marijuana leaves. / Credit: Armando Olivo Martín del Campo CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 6, 2024 / 09:20 am (CNA).

Measures to legalize marijuana were defeated in three of the four states where it was on the ballot. Attempts to legalize recreational use of the drug came up short in Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota on Election Day, while two measures authorizing medical use in Nebraska succeeded. 

Additionally, Massachusetts voters decided against a measure that had aimed to legalize psychedelics.

Catholic bishops across the United States have urged Catholic voters throughout the election cycle to cast their votes against marijuana legalization initiatives. 

Read the following to see details on the results of each ballot measure. 

Amendment 3 in Florida

The constitutional amendment that would have authorized recreational marijuana in the Sunshine State has failed, coming up short of the requisite 60% approval to pass, with about 55.9% approval, according to results available at the time of publication. 

Amendment 3 sought to legalize purchase, possession, and use of up to 3 ounces of recreational marijuana and up to 5 ounces of marijuana concentrate for adults 21 years or older. It would have also facilitated both medical and “other state-licensed entities” to buy, cultivate, and sell marijuana and marijuana accessories. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had actively campaigned against the measure, declared the amendment’s failure to secure a 60% majority at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

DeSantis had avidly opposed the passage of Amendment 3, describing it as a corporate money grab from the weed industry. 

“Amendment 3 is bankrolled by one Big Weed company that has buried special privileges for itself in the text of the amendment,” he wrote in a social media post leading up to Election Day. “It’s not about freedom, it’s about corporate greed.”

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement ahead of Election Day urging Catholics to vote no on Amendment 3.

“Legalizing marijuana makes it more accessible, removes the criminal penalties and stigma attributable to it, and creates the impression that it is safe to use,” the bishops wrote. “Taken together, these factors ultimately lead to increased use of the drug — by as much as 20% in adults.” 

The bishops also included a statement from Pope Francis at the 31st International Drug Enforcement Conference in June 2014. “The problem of drug use is not solved with drugs!” the Holy Father stated emphatically. “Drug addiction is an evil, and with evil there can be no yielding or compromise.”

Initiative Measures 437 and 438 in Nebraska 

Both measures seeking to legalize and regulate medical marijuana have passed in Nebraska with support from over 70% of voters.

Measure 437 decriminalizes the possession of up to 5 ounces of medical marijuana, while Measure 438 removes penalties for distribution of the substance and establishes a regulatory board to oversee it. Patients over 18 could obtain up to 5 ounces of medical marijuana at the recommendation of a medical professional. Patients under 18 could also be authorized with written parental consent.

Nebraska and Idaho are the only two states that have yet to pass legislation that permits some form of medical marijuana possession.

Measure 5 in North Dakota 

As of this morning, results show that North Dakota’s ballot measure proposing the legalization of recreational marijuana has failed.

Measure 5 was defeated after securing only 47% approval.

Had it passed, the measure would have sanctioned possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana flower, 4 grams of cannabinoid concentrate, up to 1,500 mg of THC in the form of cannabinoid products, and 300 mg of edibles. Individuals would also have authorization to possess three plants each and up to six plants per household.

Under the measure, the state Legislature would have had to establish a department or agency to regulate the production and distribution of marijuana products. This department would have been allowed to sanction up to seven cultivation facilities and 18 marijuana retailers. 

North Dakota previously rejected measures related to legalizing marijuana in 2018 by 59% and 2022 by 55%. 

“Marijuana is not the harmless drug that some imagine it to be,” the bishops of North Dakota wrote in a statement ahead of the election opposing the measure. “Regular marijuana use is also associated with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and suicide,” they pointed out. “Significant numbers of users become addicted to marijuana, and it often serves as a gateway to even harder drugs.”

Initiated Measure 29 in South Dakota 

South Dakota’s measure on recreational marijuana use also appears to have failed, according to the latest polling at the time of publication. At the time of publication, results showed just 44% approval for the measure. 

Measure 29 sought to legalize recreational use, possession, and distribution of marijuana for individuals 21 and over. Under the measure, possession would be limited to 2 ounces of marijuana, 16 grams of concentrated cannabis, and 1,600 mg of THC in the form of cannabis products. Individuals would also be authorized to possess up to six plants each but no more than 12 plants per household. 

The measure placed limits on the use of marijuana in public areas where minors are present, such as preschools, elementary schools, high schools, and juvenile detention centers, as well as any public spaces where smoking tobacco is also prohibited. 

“As Christians, we must carefully consider how “recreational” marijuana legalization will affect the welfare of individuals and the common good,” bishops in South Dakota said ahead of Election Day in a joint statement regarding the measure.

“There is a widespread perception in society today that marijuana is a harmless drug,” they added. “This perception is radically at odds with the available evidence.”

Question 4 on psychedelics in Massachusetts

A ballot initiative in Massachusetts that sought to legalize psychedelic drugs also appears to have failed after securing less than 45% approval. 

Question 4 is an indirectly initiated state statute on the Massachusetts ballot that would have legalized certain “natural” psychedelic substances and created an advisory board to regulate licensing and distribution. Currently, psychedelics are only legal in Oregon and Colorado. 

The measure permitted individuals 21 and over to possess, grow, and use natural psychedelic substances that derive from plants or fungi, such as Ibogaine and psilocybin.

Bishop Robert Joseph McManus of Worcester released a fact sheet on the measure last month in a letter to Catholic priests in the diocese. In it, he instructed them to urge the faithful to vote against the measure. 

“The use of such natural drugs can alter one’s perception of reality, cause extreme feelings of euphoria or despair, and can worsen mental health issues,” McManus wrote, further describing the measure as “reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous to the public.”