Montana to vote to legalize cannabis in 2020

Two initiatives to legalize cannabis for adults will be on the ballot this November in the state of Montana. While most other U.S. states have legalized cannabis through a single initiative, Montana’s laws require two separate measures to be submitted: a statutory change authorizing the taxed and regulated sale of cannabis and a constitutional amendment prohibiting anyone under the age of 21 from purchasing Cannabis.

If both measures are passed, adults over the age of 21 will be able to purchase limited quantities of cannabis at state-licensed stores. The two separate measures, however, create a unique situation. If voters approve the legalization measure but not the constitutional age limit; anyone 18 or older would be allowed to purchase cannabis.

Sales will be taxed at 20.1% and most of this tax revenue will be allocated to funding substance abuse programs, veterans’ services, and healthcare. The state’s general fund will collect 10.51% of these revenues, and municipalities that authorize the sale of cannabis will also receive a portion. The state plans that sales are expected to generate $3.5 million in tax revenue by Q4 2022, a figure that could reach $38.5 million by Q4 2025.

The regulatory body, which will be under the Department of Revenue, must issue commercial licenses no later than October 1, 2021, only to local operators. The proposal also includes provisions allowing anyone who has been convicted of minor cannabis-related offenses to request a new conviction or even the expungement of their criminal record.

«This is great news for Montana voters, who will now have the opportunity to enact a policy legalizing marijuana that will create jobs, generate revenue, and allow law enforcement to focus on real crime,» said declared Matthew Schweich, Deputy Director of the Marijuana Policy Project. «The petition campaign for New Approach Montana »was one of the most innovative ever seen, and its success demonstrates the strong support among Montana voters for cannabis policy reform.”.

New Approach Montana, the campaign behind the initiative, has begun collecting signatures for their petition at the beginning of this year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to collect signatures door-to-door, so the group sued the state to secure the right to collect signatures electronically. The request was denied, and the group had to suspend its efforts until the state began reopening in May. The activists behind the initiative finally succeeded to collect enough signatures to qualify for the next election.

In addition to Montana, Six more states will vote to legalize at least one instance of cannabis use this year.