Log in

Legal pot initiative cleared for fall ballot

Posted 8/23/16

Voters will decide this fall whether the state should legalize recreational marijuana.

Last Friday, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by opponents that included …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

Legal pot initiative cleared for fall ballot

Posted

Voters will decide this fall whether the state should legalize recreational marijuana.

Last Friday, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by opponents that included Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The opponents argued that supporters of the legislation were deceiving voters with the effect of the measure in the workplace, motorists, child custody and licensing of certain professions.

Judge Jo Lynn Gentry dismissed the arguments and said the measure, known as Proposition 205, will appear on the November ballot.

The initiative would legalize cannabis for recreational use and establish licensed locations where sales of the drug would be taxed, similar to the system in Colorado.

If voters pass the initiative, it would legalize marijuana for anyone 21 years and older. Arizonans would be allowed to have six marijuana plants per house, and marijuana sales would be subject to a 15 percent tax with the revenue directed to education and health care.

In 2010, voters passed the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, which allows the drug to be used as a medicine. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

Proposition 205 qualified Aug. 10 for the November ballot when Arizona Secretary of State officially certified the petition submitted by the Committee to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol.

Proponents submitted more than a 177,000 signatures in support of the initiative.

The Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors voted unanimously in February not to support the initiative, following the lead of the state chamber.