2020 Arizona Proposition 207

Arizona Proposition 207 is a voter initiative to appear on the November 2020 ballot, legalizing and taxing cannabis for adult use.

Provisions

The Smart and Safe Act, if enacted, would legalize the adult recreational use of marijuana, specifically by allowing adults in Arizona to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana (with no more than 5 grams being marijuana concentrate), and by allowing each adult to have up to 6 marijuana plants at their home (with up to 12 marijuana plants in households with two or more adult members).[1] It would direct the state Department of Health Services to set forth rules for retail marijuana sales by June 1, 2021, allow marijuana to be subject to state and local sales taxes like other retail items, and would impose an additional 16% excise tax on marijuana products, with the revenue being split between the state government agencies responsible for activities relating to the act, highways, community college districts, police departments, and fire departments.[1] The initiative would provide that employers may still adopt "drug-free workplace" policies and restrict employees' and applicants' use of marijuana, and would provide that the initiative does not permit marijuana use in public spaces.[1] The initiative would establish that the possession by an adult of more than an ounce, but less than 2.5 ounces, of marijuana, is a petty offense.[1] The initiative would prohibit the sale of marijuana products that resemble a "human, animal, insect, fruit, toy or cartoon" and would set forth penalties for possession of marijuana by minors (which, for a first offense for possession of under an ounce of marijuana, would be a $100 fine and drug counseling).[1]

The proposition, if enacted by voters, would impose a 16 percent tax on cannabis sales. The first share of revenue would be used to enforce state cannabis regulations, then the remainder divided as follows: 33% for community colleges, 31.4% for police and fire departments, 25.4% for a highway fund, 10% for a justice fund, and 0.2% to the Arizona Attorney General for enforcement.

History

The Arizona Dispensaries Association and Arizona Cannabis Chamber of Commerce began organizing in August 2019 for another ballot initiative.[2][3][4] The Arizona Dispensaries Association filed a ballot initiative application on September 26, 2019, for the "Smart and Safe Act,"[5] seeking to obtain the necessary 237,645 signatures from registered Arizona voters by the July 2, 2020 deadline to get on the November 3, 2020 ballot.[6][1]

Arizona legalization initiative, sponsored by Smart and Safe Arizona, had received 150,000 signatures by January 17, 2020,[7] out of a required 237,645 signatures.[8] The initiative likely had exceeded the minimum 237,645 valid signatures by April to appear on the November ballot.[9] On July 1 the sponsors announced they had submitted over 420,000 signatures to the Secretary of State.[10][1][11] On August 10, the Secretary of State announced it had qualified for the 2020 ballot.[12]

Polling

Likely state voters indicated 62% support for cannabis legalization in July, 2020.[13]

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References
  1. Ryan Randazzo, Backers of Arizona's recreational marijuana measure file 420K signatures for November ballot, Arizona Republic (July 1, 2020).
  2. Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services (14 Nov 2019). "Arizona group unveils proposed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana use, sales". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  3. Giles, Ben; Rosenblatt, Dillon (2019-08-16). "Recreational marijuana initiative written from lessons learned". Arizona Capitol Times. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  4. "New group coming up with initiative to legalize marijuana". KNXV. 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  5. Tattrie, Darryl (26 Sep 2019). "Application for Serial Number / Initiative Petition I-23-2020" (PDF). Retrieved 18 Jan 2020.
  6. "Initiative, Referendum and Recall | Arizona Secretary of State". azsos.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  7. Brian Penny (January 17, 2020), "Opposition Is Minimal (So Far) in the Recreational Cannabis Effort for 2020", Phoenix New Times
  8. Arizona Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2020), Ballotpedia, accessed 2020-01-18
  9. Howard Fischer (May 15, 2020). "Ruling against online signatures leaves several Arizona initiative drives out of luck". Arizona Daily Star. Tucson.
  10. Natasha Yee (July 1, 2020). "Arizona Marijuana Iniitaitive Files 420000 Signatures With State". Phoenix New Times.
  11. Natasha Yee (July 1, 2020). "Arizona Marijuana Iniitaitive Files 420000 Signatures With State". Phoenix New Times.
  12. "Marijuana legalization to be placed on the general election ballot in November". Tucson, Arizona: KOLD-TV.
  13. Michael Lucie (July 21, 2020), Support for marijuana legalization jumps among voters in Arizona poll, Glendale, Arizona: KTAR-FM
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