News » Marijuana Legalization Initiatives Approved for Circulation in Missouri





Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan announced last week that two initiatives for marijuana legalization measures have been approved for circulation. Both initatives were filed by Dan Viets, an attorney and long-time legalization advocate – who’s also a member of the national NORML Legal Committee and Board.

The two measures are identical save for one item: one amends the Missouri State Constitution and the other amends Missouri law. The two were separated because it’s much more difficult to get enough signatures and votes to change the state’s constitution than it is to change law.

The initiatives legalize marijuana use and possession for persons aged 21 and over and provides a licensing for sale provision similar to alcohol regulation. It also calls for the state’s criminal justice system to lift sanctions against those imprisoned under state supervision for nonviolent marijuana offenses along with criminal record expungment. A tax of up to $100 per pound could be levied by the state on retail marijuana sales and an exemption to the under 21 rule is given for minors with medical marijuana needs.

To qualify for the November 2012 ballot, the initiatives will need enough valid signatures to match 8% of the 2008 governor’s race votes for the constitutional amendment and 5% for the statutory amendment. Signatures must be gathered by May 6, 2012.

If these efforts succeed, Missouri would join Washington and Colorado as the third state likely to hear marijuana legalization at the ballot box.

To see the full text of the initiatives, see the Source link below.

[source Missouri Sec of State]

[via Hawaii News Daily]

Tags: legalization, marijuana, Missouri, pot, show-me cannabis