Cannabis Reg. Update: Marijuana Legalization In Oklahoma & News From Arkansas, Wisconsin And Oregon

Arkansas Poll Shows Growing Majority Support For Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative As Top Republicans Urge ‘No’ Vote

Despite Arkansas’s governor and conservative officials' attempt to convince voters to say 'NO' to the cannabis legalization initiative that will appear on the November ballot, a new survey found that "59 percent of likely voters in Arkansas are in favor of the ballot measure, with just 29 percent opposed and 13 percent undecided."

The Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College survey focused on respondents talking specifically about the initiative, rather than the general concept of legalization, reported Marijuana Moment. Moreover, the same company surveyed voters on the issue, and “54 percent said they backed the policy change.” Now support is notably higher for the specific ballot question.

“On November 8th, voters will be asked to consider one proposed constitutional amendment proposed by the people. Issue 4 would authorize the possession, personal use, and consumption of cannabis by adults in Arkansas sold by licensed adult-use dispensaries and provide for the regulation of those facilities. If the election were held today, would you vote for or against Issue 4?” reads the language of the latest question.

The poll revealed majority support across multiple demographic groups, with even plural support among Republicans, despite a stronger push by GOP lawmakers to persuade voters to reject the measure. “Among Democrats, 75 percent said they favor the ballot initiative. And independents back legalization at 63 percent”

"Because of the divide among Republicans, this strong performance by No. 4 puts GOP candidates in a tough spot deciding whether to stay quiet or oppose the measure," said Jay Barth, professor at Hendrix College, in an analysis. “On the other hand, we are likely to see Democratic candidates take a stronger stance in support of Issue 4 as they try to stick to a popular measure, particularly among lower-propensity younger voters,” Barth added. "The biggest question of all, of course: will those votes count?"

Methodology: “The survey of 835 likely Arkansas voters was conducted Sept. 12, 2022, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.8%,” reads a statement.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R), U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), and John Boozman (R-AR) are among the conservative voices asking voters to oppose the initiative. However, it's up to the state Supreme Court to decide if the vote will count on the November ballot.

Oklahoma Supreme Court With A Number Of Legal Challenges After Complaints Against State Marijuana Legalization Initiative

Oklahoma Supreme Court must now sort out four complaints in total submitted from those who are against the marijuana legalization ballot initiative, which recently closed.

Even if those protests are dispensed with, the official placement of the reform proposal for the November election is still in question amid separate legal scrutiny over ballot printing deadlines, reported Marijuana Moment.

The first two, filed earlier this month, concerned the validity of the signatures on the ballot measure that the secretary of state's office certified last month.

A third party disputes the title of the ballot approved by the state attorney general. In addition, hours before the challenge deadline, an activist in favor of the reform who also disagrees with the title of the ballot filed the fourth complaint.

Plaintiffs in the third challenge argued that the language of the ballot title is misleading because it doesn’t adequately inform voters about the five policy impacts of the proposal.

However, the complaint support legalization on the ballot; although, it is asking the court to strike the current ballot title and replace it with the one that the campaign originally submitted before accepting the attorney general’s revisions.

The fourth and final complaint comes from cannabis activist Jed Green, who proposed a revised ballot title that he is asking the court to adopt instead of the attorney general's version.

In his new filing, Green said that the title misses three “fundamental” provisions of the law that would be enacted if voters approve the initiative: 1) that the legislature could still amend the law if voters approve it, 2) that fines for public consumption would be limited to $25 and 3) that medical cannabis dispensaries would need to obtain a second license to serve adult-use consumers and adhere to those separate licensing requirements.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently issued an order assuming jurisdiction to decide whether State Question 820 — as the campaign has dubbed the ballot — will appear on the November 2022 ballot. Moreover, State Question 820 is the only cannabis legalization initiative to secure enough valid signatures to appear on Oklahomans' ballots this midterm.

How About Marijuana Legalization In Wisconsin?

Wisconsin Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers and his Republican challenger Tim Michels are on opposite sides of whether marijuana should be legal in the state.

Evers is planning to again propose legalizing marijuana in the next state budget if he is re-elected. The plan, which would require users to be 21 to purchase, "is estimated to generate $166 million in revenue that Evers wants to use to help fund schools," reported Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Michels, a construction executive, does not support the legalization of marijuana. This is a position mirrored by Republicans who control the state legislature and who have already twice blocked Evers' marijuana proposals. "I do not support the legalization of marijuana," Michels said in an interview in May on WTAQ. "I think it's all a slippery slope. I really do."

“It's time for Wisconsin to join more than a dozen states across the country by legalizing and taxing marijuana, much like we already do with alcohol, so we can continue to compete for talented workers to come to our state, expand access to medical treatment for thousands, and have more resources to invest in critical state priorities like K-12 education,” Evers, who recently issued a round of pardons in the state, including 11 for individuals previously convicted of marijuana-related offenses, said. Evers also added that Wisconsin should treat marijuana like alcohol.

However, a poll conducted in August by the Marquette University Law School said that "69 % of Wisconsin voters support cannabis legalization. 23 % said they did not want marijuana legalized and 8% said they didn't have an opinion."

Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission Resume A Program To Catch Alcohol And Cannabis Sellers

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) is resuming a program to have minors attempt to buy alcohol and marijuana products to catch retailers who fail to check identification and “have already caught several violators,” reported Kezi.com

The OLCC restarted the program, which was affected by the pandemic in 2020, in May of this year by directly employing people between the ages of 18 and 20, and has already conducted several operations in Oregon. OLCC operations involve sending volunteers under the age of 21 to alcohol and cannabis retailers to attempt to purchase products from them.

According to the OLCC, "only 35% of Eugene-area liquor retailers were found to comply with identity verification standards in two separate operations conducted in the area. Statewide, only about 63% of retailers properly verify IDs." Moreover, the OLCC is disappointed by these numbers, since its goal is for 90% or more of retailers to comply.

In a Dec. 28 meeting, the OLCC approved new rules, including doubling how much marijuana customers can purchase and giving the green light to home delivery across city and county lines, among other issues.

Now, the OLCC expressed its Marijuana Program recently completed a minor lure operation in the Medford region that showed a compliance rate of just 67%.

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