South Dakota: Cannabis legalization will be on the November 2020 ballot

A measure to legalize adult-use cannabis has officially qualified for the November ballot in South Dakota.

including laws to ensure access to marijuana for medical use. https://t.co/kIMxnx1K2p

- South Dakota Secretary of State (@sodaksos) January 6, 2020

The proposed constitutional amendment, submitted by a former federal prosecutor last September, would allow adults 21 and older to possess and distribute up to 1 ounce (28g) of cannabis. Self-cultivation would also be authorized, with a limit of three cannabis plants per person.

At the same time, a separate campaign to legalize medical marijuana in South Dakota also submitted the number of signatures required and valid to qualify for the 2020 ballot. Both measures will be submitted to the upcoming November ballot.

Under the cannabis legalization proposal, the South Dakota Department of Revenue would be responsible for licensing growers, processors and retail stores. Sales of cannabis products would be taxed at 15%, which would be used to fund legalization implementation, public education and the state's general treasury.

In addition, the proposal obliges the state to legalize medical cannabis and authorize the sale of hemp by April 1, 2022. If the separate medial cannabis legalization initiative is approved, however, this specific provision would not apply.

The signature threshold for the medical cannabis initiative as a statutory measure (16,961 signatures) was lower than for the broader legalization measure, which is a proposed constitutional amendment (33,921 signatures).

At least 19 American states could legalize cannabis use in 2020.