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RAPID CITY, S.D. – On Saturday, March 23, South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws (SDBML) organized a statewide “Petition Sign & Drive” event to gather support for a proposed 2024 cannabis legalization ballot measure. The initiative aims to collect 17,508 signatures by May 7 to qualify for the November 5th ballot.
The event is a collaboration between SDBML and Grow South Dakota, a statewide ballot question committee. In 2020, recreational marijuana for adult use passed with just over 50% of the vote. However, the South Dakota Supreme Court overturned the amendment. Simultaneously, medical marijuana passed with over 70% support, but with implementation delays.
According to the Department of Health, over 90,000 adults in South Dakota used marijuana last year – whether legally or illegally.
Kittrick Jeffries, CEO and Owner of Puffy’s Dispensary, said, “Trying to make marijuana illegal is like trying to make the wind illegal. It’s impossible. You can’t do it because there will always be a supply of marijuana in South Dakota,” Jeffries asserted. “This allows a safe opportunity for them [legal adults] to have tested verified products for consumption…South Dakota is a very pro freedom state, and we want to make sure that everybody has that freedom.”
The “Petition Sign & Drive” events took place at six locations across South Dakota, including Sioux Falls and Brookings. Jeffries noted that while the current measure lacks a tax reform component, they intend to collaborate with the state legislature to ensure appropriate allocation of taxes from cannabis sales. Potential beneficiaries of these taxes include infrastructure, education, law enforcement and more.
Jeffries also clarified that signatures from the 2022 petition are not valid for the 2024 petition. Those interested in supporting this year’s initiative can visit the official SDBML website or follow updates on the SDBML Facebook page for information on upcoming “Petition Sign & Drive” events.
Puffy’s Dispensary Facebook Link
