While Minnesota Republicans play candidate games with pot political parties--see Max Nesterak's DFL campaigns blunted by marijuana candidates, burning chance of legalization in the Minnesota Reformer--Deep Red South Dakota's voters approved ballot measures legalizing both recreational and medical cannabis.
We're wondering whether Northeastern South Dakota will become a haven for marijuana tourism from Minnesota. We've seen some social media discussions about the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate on the Lake Traverse Reservation possibly supplementing its income by opening dispensaries.
The details of the coming of legal pot are in the document we embed below. The shorter version can be found in Joe Sneve and Trevor Mitchell's reporting in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, South Dakotans vote to legalize pot. Now what?:
Not to be a buzzkill, but don't go sparking that spliff, doobie or bong up just yet, South Dakota.
South Dakotans voted to do away with marijuana laws that have put thousands behind bars in recent decades when they signed off on a pair of ballot measures that explicitly legalized both medical and recreational use of marijuana.
Recreational marijuana passed with 53% of the vote and medical marijuana with 69%.
But based on state law governing the process by which ballot questions take effect, South Dakota's new voter-approved cannabis rules won't become the law of the land for months. Here's what we know about what the months to come will look like.
When will the ballot measure take effect?
Under state law, it'll take effect July 1, 2021. . . .
Who are the key players in implementing this law?
The state Legislature and the Department of Revenue will have a role to play before implementation is fully achieved.
What's the timeline?
The revenue department has until April 2022 to create rules around licensing, like application and renewal fees, time periods for applying and the process by which applications are approved or denied.
Constitutional Amendment A also requires lawmakers establish a medical marijuana program within the same time-frame. Organizers are optimistic that the program will model what voters passed in Initiated Measure 26, which allows medical marijuana cardholders to possess three ounces of marijuana and "additional amounts of marijuana products," according to the Attorney General's Office explanation of IM26.
Will there be dispensaries in Sioux Falls?
Constitutional Amendment A allows counties, municipalities and townships to continue to prohibit the commercial distribution of pot, meaning if enough commissioners or councilors or township board members had the mind to, they could stop anyone from legally opening a dispensary within the borders they govern.
After July 1, can I grow at home?
Unless you have a medical card, adults 21 and over won't be able to grow at home if a dispensary is available within their jurisdiction. Only if the jurisdiction they live in chooses to continue to prohibit dispensaries, as noted above. . . .
We've seen chatter on twitter about Minnesotans heading to Sioux Falls for pot, but the Argus Leader's Sneve reports in Recreational marijuana passes in South Dakota "Governor Kristi Noem and Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, who both vocally opposed opening marijuana up for recreational use."
Roberts County--which borders Lake Traverse and Big Stone Lake--voted for Amendment A, while Grant County--home to Big Stone City and the headwaters of the Minnesota River at Big Stone Lake--voted no. Perhaps tiny Big Stone City will take advantage of puns on its name and allow a dispensary or two.
We'll be on the lookout for developments. We do suspect that some of our more mellow friends might be out for camping after July 1. The Sisseton Hills offer lovely views of Minnesota farmland and the long border lakes.
Here's the text of Amendment A:
Amendment A with AG explanation posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
Related post: The peculiar knots of cannabis policy prompt GOP kinks in South Dakota and Minnesota
Photo: Sica Hollow State Park. For more on the park check out Sica Hollow State Park (SD)- A Spooky & Beautiful Place.
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