North Dakota’s Republican-held Senate rejects bill to legalize recreational cannabis in the state.

Last month, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 1420 with a 56-38. But it failed to win over the Senate, with an overwhelming upper chamber vote of 37-10. Unfortunately, this means the Senate rejects bill to legalize recreational cannabis.

The bill would have created a legal cannabis program and allowed adults over 21 to possess and use cannabis products after July 1, 2022.

Unfortunately, the proposal didn’t even receive majority support from the chamber’s seven Democrats. And despite Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, telling Forum News Service last week that he would support the legislation, he voted against it.

Lawmakers that voted to kill the bill said that they wouldn’t put their names on legislation that goes against their position that ‘cannabis is harmful’. Opponents also noted that the police and health advocates disapprove of legalized cannabis.

Now What?

Many believe that now a citizen-initiated legalization ballot measure will pass sooner or later in North Dakota. Just last year South Dakota and Montana voters approved the legalization of cannabis. If voters take control of cannabis legalization, lawmakers will not have much discretion over the cannabis program’s rules.

Now two organizations working to get legalization on the ballot next year. They intend to gather signatures and continue to push for legalization.

The Senate also voted down a bill that would have set a 15 percent tax rate for consumers buying cannabis and a 10 percent levy on retailers selling cannabis.

Another proposal failed in the Senate, unable to get two-thirds of the chamber to pass. This proposal was for the medical cannabis program (which is already legal) to add edible products to the program.

The Senate will likely consider a bill on Friday to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis. House Bill 1202 will make it a noncriminal offense to possess one ounce of cannabis. It will also lower the maximum penalty for possessing large amounts of cannabis.

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