Good for Oklahoma
Voters yesterday overwhelmingly rejected a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes. Sanity exists somewhere, it seems.
Congratulations to former Governor Frank Keating, the Republican who led the campaign against legal pot in the Sooner State.
From Oklahoman.com:
Oklahoma voters say 'no' to SQ 820, recreational marijuana
Oklahomans gave a resounding "No" to legalizing recreational marijuana sales Tuesday, striking a blow against efforts to expand an industry beyond the current medical marijuana framework set up five years ago.
Over 61% of voters rejected State Question 820, which was criticized by some law enforcement, religious leaders and public school administrators in the closing weeks of the campaign as a step too far.
At its core, the state question would have legalized recreational sales to anyone 21 and older. Supporters sought to expand the law, which would have effectively decriminalized marijuana use and would have allowed persons to seek expungement of their criminal record for most marijuana-related convictions.
Instead, Oklahoma's marijuana laws will remain as-is, barring any significant changes considered by lawmakers this year.
"We are obviously pleased with the results," said Pat McFerron, a campaign advisor for the No 820 campaign. "We think this sends a clear message that Oklahomans oppose the unfettered access to marijuana we have experienced under our so-called medical program. Voters clearly want to protect our children, crack down on organized crime, and improve the mental health of those in our state."
Every county voted against the state question. It lost in Oklahoma County (the state’s most populous county, home of the state capitol, Oklahoma City) by just 36 votes.
Read the rest here (it might be behind a paywall).
Perhaps Oklahomans paid attention to what’s been happening in Colorado since it voted a decade ago to legalize recreational pot. The Rocky Mountain High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA), a consortium of federal and state law enforcement agencies and officials from New Mexico to the Canadian border, has tracked it annually. Their most recent report was published in 2021. Here are a few statistical charts. While Colorado’s population has increased, marijuana use and adverse traffic incidents are increasing at higher rates. Much higher.
Perhaps your state should be paying attention, especially Virginia, where my state Senator, Democrat Adam Ebbin, is pushing a legal pot bill with a mechanism for retail sales. No thanks.