(Greater Dakota News Service)- Last month, 53% of South Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana use for those age 21 years and older, but a legal challenge and strong opposition from Republican leaders could hinder the changes.
Dave Wiltse, a political scientist at South Dakota State University, says despite passage, the state still is very conservative. Some members of law enforcement and Governor Kristi Noem remain firmly opposed so, he says, if they can’t stop marijuana legalization, they might try other ways to limit access.
“We could see really high licensing fees, we could see high regulation of this industry to the point that it might be prohibitive for someone to enter it.”
Wiltse says while it’s hard to predict any outcomes to the legal challenge, it appears the state’s hands are tied because the changes involve the constitution, not state law. But, he says, because a lot of Republicans still voted “no” on the amendment, party leaders feel it’s worth it to keep pushing back.
“It might be a little distasteful because they are going against the will of the people. But it’s just not the sort of thing that really is going to steer their voting choices.”
The lawsuit against Amendment A was brought by Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Rick Miller. They say it conflicts with existing language within the state’s constitution because it’s too broad. South Dakota’s attorney general disagrees and says the lawsuit should be tossed out.
In last month’s election, South Dakota voters also approved legalizing medical marijuana.
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