Big night for drugs: 6 states and Washington DC decriminalized or legalized marijuana and other drugs

Voters in several states have approved legal measures to decriminalize marijuana for the purpose of medical and recreational usage, according to election results. Check out the breakdown of the states where marijuana and other drugs will now be deemed legal.

Arizona: Proposition 207, which legalizes the use of recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21, was approved by Arizona voters. Under the proposition, marijuana offenses may also be expunged, according to The New York Times.

Washington, D.C.: Voters approved Initiative 81, which effectively decriminalizes the use of “‘magic mushrooms’ and other organic psychedelic drugs,” reports Fox5DC. While the drugs have not been deemed completely legal, there have been recategorized as “the lowest level police enforcement priority.”

New Jersey: As the first state to legalize recreational marijuana in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, New Jersey passed its ballot measure with a 67% to 33% margin.

Montana: Voters in Montana voted to approve initiative I-190, which institutes the legalization of recreational marijuana for adult, by a 57% to 43% margin. Medical marijuana usage has been approved in Montana since 2004.

South Dakota: On a separate ballot initiative for the legalization of recreational and medical cannabis use, voters approved the passing of Amendment A for recreational usage by a margin of 53% to 47% and Measure 26, medical marijuana initiative, by a 69% to 31% margin.

Mississippi: Voters in the southern state passed Initiative 65 and Initiative 65A, which is a measure to legalize the use of medical marijuana in Mississippi.

Initiative 65 will allow “patients with at least one of 22 debilitating medical conditions to use medical marijuana, under the approval of Mississippi licensed physicians and licensed treatment centers.”

On the other hand, Initiative 65A “restricts medical marijuana to terminally ill patients and would require pharmaceutical-grade marijuana products to have oversight by licensed physicians, nurses, and pharmacists,” reports WLBT.

Oregon: For the 2020 election, voters in Oregon approved the passing of Measure 110 which decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of cocaine and heroin. However, the sale and distribution of both drugs is still illegal.