It was an off-year election yesterday, but that doesn’t mean big referendums on the topic of marijuana and psychedelics didn’t occur.
Virginia
One of the biggest results, of course, is the election of a Republican Governor in Virginia. While that doesn’t carry any weight around the already legalized cannabis in the state, it could easily complicate the process of legalization. Per the bill signed earlier this year, weed won’t be legal in the state until 2024, giving new Governor-elect Youngkin plenty of time to curtail it’s advancement.
Ohio
Over a dozen cities in Ohio voted on whether or not to decriminalize marijuana, and of those cities, 7 voted in favor of decriminalization. The other 7 voted against. The 7 in favor join 22 other municipalities in the state that have already enacted marijuana decriminalization.
Colorado
Colorado is fed up with high weed taxes, and they showed it via rejecting a tax hike that would go towards funding more education programs. Another Denver-specific referendum that would increase weed taxes for pandemic research is also on its way to being rejected.
Detroit
Good news in Detroit! Voters have approved psychedelic decriminalization by a 61% to 39% margin. More and more cities across the country are adopting this policy, and we should be seeing this referendum popping up in many more elections in the upcoming years.
Philadelphia
With 73% of voters in favor of the referendum, Philadelphians send a message to the rest of the state of Pennsylvania that they want legal recreational marijuana. “The citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to pass legislation that will decriminalize, regulate, and tax the use, and sale to adults aged 21 years or older, of cannabis for non-medical purposes,” the measure states. No action is to be taken due to this referendum, however it is hoped that it can add a boost of momentum to the process in Harrisburg. Pennsylvania’s Governor is on board, it just takes the convincing of the GOP-controlled State Senate.
And that’s that. Some good news, some not so good. Sounds like a run-of-the-mill American election.
