MINOT, N.D. – Last year a ballot measure to legalize marijuana in North Dakota failed at the ballot box. Despite this outcome, many of our state’s politicians recognize there is a need, and an appetite among voters, for some further loosening of our state’s laws with regard to marijuana. Enter state Rep. Shannon Roers Jones,…
Podcast: Measure 3 Debate, Elizabeth Warren’s DNA, and Voter ID
On the radio show today we had an hour-long and very informative debate about Measure 3 which, if approved in November, would legalize recreational marijuana in North Dakota. David Owens from Legalize ND made the affirmative argument for the measure while Will Jones from Smart Approaches to Marijuana provided the counter argument. I also discussed…
Podcast: Heitkamp’s Handling of Sex Abuse Case in the 1990’s, Burgum’s Fiscal Record, Opposition to Measure 3
On the radio show today we talked extensively about the bombshell Fox News story about Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s handling of a physical/sexual investigation involving a Native American school back in the 1990’s when she was Attorney General. Also Chris Edwards from the Cato Institute talked about their ranking North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum as the…
Podcast: Rep. Marvin Nelson Talks Marijuana, House Majority Leader Al Carlson Talks #NoDAPL and Heidi Heitkamp
On the radio show today, Democratic state Representative Marvin Nelson talked about the challenges North Dakota lawmakers may face if Measure 3 to legalize recreational marijuana passes. He says the Legislature may have to tweak a few things, but that they’re more than capable of making it work. House Majority Leader Al Carlson also joined…
Sean Foss: Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Creates Conundrum for Employers
This guest post was submitted by Fargo attorney Sean Foss. As North Dakota voters consider whether to approve Measure 3, which would generally legalize recreational marijuana use for those aged 21 and up, employers in the State face a particularly-difficult conundrum: if the measure passes, it will become illegal for most employers to discriminate against…
Senator Heitkamp Won’t Say Where She Stands on North Dakota’s Measure to Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Recently a SAB reader who attended a discussion on addiction in West Fargo told me they overheard the host of that discussion, Senator Heidi Heitkamp, tell other attendees that Measure 3 is a bad idea. That measure, if approved by North Dakota voters in November, would make recreational marijuana legal in our state. Last week,…
If Marijuana Legalization Has Been So Bad for Other States, Why Have So Many of Them Done It?
When opponents of Measure 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana in North Dakota, make their case against the proposal they often cite statistics from other parts of the country where marijuana has been legalized. The intent is to provide for us a cautionary tale about how legalizing marijuana might go in our state. A recent…
Print Column: Health Department’s Fiscal Note for Recreational Marijuana Measure Is Ridiculous
MINOT, N.D.—The Legislative Management Committee in Bismarck recently considered reports on the fiscal impacts of the four ballot measures on our November ballot. This is an important step in the legislative process, allowing the various state agencies to chime in on what sort of impacts these measures might have if they’re approved by voters. For…
Reported Cost of Implementing Recreational Marijuana Measure Seems Inflated
Today the Legislative Management Committee in Bismarck is receiving a report on the fiscal impacts of the four measures on the statewide ballot. You can read the agenda for the meeting here. That PDF contains links to the reports on all of the measures. The report on Measure 3, to legalize recreational marijuana, is the…
Secretary of State Approves Recreational Marijuana Measure for the Ballot
Today Secretary of State Al Jaeger’s office approved a third ballot measure for North Dakotans to vote on in November. The organizers behind a measure to legalize recreational marijuana submitted 15,777 signatures. Of those 738 were disqualified for various reasons, leaving the measure with a signature total 1,587 more than the law requires. Here’s the…