Marijuana Legalization Measures on the Ballot in Four States
In the 2024 U.S. general elections, four states – Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota – put marijuana legalization measures to a vote. The results are in, and here’s a breakdown of what each measure would have done and how it fared at the polls.
In Florida, Amendment 3, a state constitutional amendment, failed to pass, falling short of the 60% approval threshold. The amendment would have allowed adults 21 and older to possess, purchase, and use marijuana for non-medical purposes, as well as permit medical marijuana treatment centers and other licensed entities to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute marijuana products and accessories.
In Nebraska, voters approved Initiative Measures 437 and 438, which would have legalized medical marijuana. Measure 437 would have allowed the use, possession, and acquisition of up to 5 ounces of cannabis for medical purposes with a written recommendation from a healthcare provider. Measure 438 would have legalized the possession, manufacture, distribution, delivery, and dispensing of cannabis for medical purposes by registered private entities, establishing the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate the industry.
In North Dakota, Initiated Measure 5, which would have legalized the consumption and sale of marijuana for adults over 21 and created a regulatory body for the drug, was rejected by voters. Medical marijuana is already legal in the state.
In South Dakota, Initiated Measure 29, which would have allowed the possession, growing, ingesting, and distribution of marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia by adults 21 and older, was also rejected by voters.
