Weed Wins, but Greens Lose

How ballot initiatives shaped up in the 2018 general election

At the polls Tuesday night, Americans in 37 states voted up and down on 155 ballot initiatives, with big wins for legal marijuana but losses for environmentalist proposals.

Nearly 60 percent of Michiganders voted to legalize marijuana statewide, becoming the 10th to do so. The new law will permit adults age 21 and up to own up to 2.5 ounces and households to grow up to 12 plants. People will likely be able to smoke legally starting next month, after the results are certified.

Utah and Missouri voters also backed marijuana initiatives, becoming the 32nd and 33rd states in the union to establish medical marijuana regimes. In Utah, qualified patients will be allowed to purchase up to two ounces, while in Missouri patients will be permitted to obtain marijuana for 10 different medical conditions and also grow up to six plants for their use.

North Dakotans were the lone pot standouts. The state had previously implemented a medical marijuana regime, but a proposal for recreational use went down 60 percent to 40 percent. Neitherlosing senator Heidi Heitkamp (D.) nor her successful opponent Kevin Cramer (R.) backed the measure.

Although not voting directly on marijuana, Ohio also declined to back a drug liberalization measure. Nearly two thirds of Ohioans rejected issue 1, which would have reduced drug possession and use from felony to misdemeanor status. Two other criminal justice-related initiatives passed, however: Florida voted to reenfranchise former felons and Louisiana ended its practice of not requiring a unanimous jury for felony convictions.

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