Governor Kelly Armstrong (R) signed HB1203 into law. The new law will allow edible lozenges to be recommended for qualifying patients in the medical program.

Most of the results of the 2024 elections are in, and while a large majority of Americans support legalization, cannabis policy reform ballot initiatives received mixed results across the country.

Earlier today, a committee of 25 North Dakotans filed a 2022 ballot initiative petition to legalize cannabis. After a review by the Secretary of State and Attorney General, New Approach North Dakota will begin collecting signatures from voters. The campaign must gather more than 15,582 valid signatures by July 11 to qualify the measure for the November 2022 ballot.

Earlier today, the North Dakota House of Representatives approved two pieces of legislation to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adults 21 and older. The proposals were introduced by Republican lawmakers who say they personally oppose legalization but are seeking to prevent a more permissive law from being enacted by voters via the 2022 ballot.

Last Wednesday, Dale Quigley, deputy coordinator for the National Marijuana Initiative, a project of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, spoke virtually with North Dakota lawmakers, who began a study of adult-use cannabis 10 months ago. As policy makers in North Dakota continue to examine how legal cannabis is working in other states, Quigley presented findings from Colorado, one of the first two states to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2012. During his presentation, Quigley…

Last week, Legalize ND submitted petition language to put an initiative to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana before the voters next November. Once the measure is approved for circulation by the secretary of state, activists must gather 13,452 voter signatures before July 6, 2020 to qualify for the ballot. In 2018, North Dakotans rejected a proposal to legalize marijuana for adults 59% to 41%. This time around, however, Legalize ND worked closely with the North Dakota Legislative Council and…

The first round of pardon applications, which you can access here, will be accepted until Aug. 10 Great news! In a unanimous decision last week, North Dakota's Pardon Advisory Council voted to allow individuals previously convicted of certain marijuana crimes to apply to have those offenses pardoned. The new policy, supported by Gov. Doug Burgum and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, will wipe the slate clean — free of charge — for thousands of North Dakota residents with marijuana possession convictions…

Good news! With Gov. Doug Burgum’s signature on House Bill 1050, we’ve reached a milestone: half the states in the country have eliminated jail time penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana! It is encouraging to see lawmakers in a conservative state like North Dakota acknowledge and rectify the injustice of jailing people for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Politicians can no longer ignore public support for marijuana policy reform, which is growing quickly in every part…

Contact your state legislators and ask them to support decriminalizing marijuana possession. Great news! In a 37-10 vote, senators in North Dakota’s legislature passed legislation last Thursday to replace criminal penalties for possession of up to half an ounce of marijuana with a civil fine of $250. The proposal, introduced by Fargo Republican Sen. Kristin Roers, gained traction as the local marijuana policy reform organization, Legalize ND, announced plans to pursue a 2020 ballot initiative to…

Election Day is finally here. For many months, the YES on 3 team has worked tirelessly to educate North Dakotans about the benefits of ending the wasteful and destructive policy of marijuana prohibition. Now, all that’s left is to go out and VOTE! Look up polling locations here and set a time to go. By passing Measure 3, North Dakota could send a powerful message about the strength of the legalization movement in this country. It all comes down to today. Be part of this historic reform effort and vote…