South Dakota residents are looking to join the ranks of states that allow residents safe access to cannabis.
Per The Cannabist
Supporters of a pair of ballot measures that would legalize medical and recreational marijuana in South Dakota launched their push Saturday to get on the ballot in 2018.
Backers of the South Dakota effort would have to submit nearly 14,000 valid signatures for each initiative to the secretary of state by November 2017 to put them before voters in 2018. The kickoff event was in Sioux Falls.
Melissa Mentele, founder and director of a group advancing the measures, said voters “should definitely expect to see us on the ballot.”
New Approach South Dakota’s medical cannabis proposal would allow patients with serious medical conditions and a health practitioner’s recommendation to use marijuana. Qualifying patients — such as people with cancer, AIDS and hepatitis C — would be able to get a registration card to possess up to 3 ounces of the plant.
People 21 and older would be able to possess and use marijuana under the recreational marijuana proposal. Possession for South Dakota residents would be limited to 1 ounce of marijuana, five plants and any excess cannabis produced by the plants if they are stored in the same facility where they were cultivated.
Under the new bill, dispensaries will be established. They also propose that anyone who has been jailed or is currently locked up would have their cases reviewed or sentences would be commuted.
Residents of the state are being optimistic when it comes to this new measure. The last two proposals failed at the ballot.