In November, South Dakota voters will decide whether to enshrine recreational use of marijuana into the state constitution.
It’s the second of two marijuana related questions to make the ballot.
Matthew Schweich is the deputy director with the Marijuana Policy Project. It’s a national organization assisting the group South Dakotan’s For Better Marijuana Laws with its signature drive. He says they’re excited to move into the next phase of the campaign.
“Now, we’re going to focus on earning the support of as many voters as we can across the state,” Schweich says. “We’re cautiously optimistic that if we run a good campaign we can pass both of these initiatives at the ballot box this November.”
The constitutional amendment imposes a 15 percent tax on marijuana sales.
A fiscal note from the Legislative Research Council estimates the constitutional amendment would generate roughly $28 million in revenue in 2024, after the program gets established. Tax revenue will get split between public schools and the state general fund.
The document also says incarceration costs would decrease and “serious car accident costs” would increase.
The Attorney General’s summary says judicial clarification for the amendment may be necessary, and the amendment legalizes some drugs considered felony controlled substances under current state law.
