Marijuana is becoming increasingly accepted in the United States. There are currently 2 petitions circulating South Dakota that aim to change local marijuana laws. One seeks to decriminalize one ounce or less and the other to legalize pot for medical use.
The petition to decriminalize marijuana would reduce charges for a person caught carrying one ounce or less of the drug. Instead of jail time, a person would receive a $100 fine and have to forfeit the substance and paraphernalia. Ryan Gaddy is a sponsor of the petition. He says decriminalization will reduce the number of people in jail for possession of the drug.
“Most cannabis related arrests are coming out with a quarter ounce or less. Most people are not carrying ounces in their car. They’re carrying smaller bags when they’re going from the location they purchased to their home. They get in trouble. They clog up the court system. We need to take a more conservative approach to this issue financially,” says Gaddy.
Separate from this effort is the medical marijuana petition. This proposal seeks to legalize marijuana for treatment of specified medical conditions. Melissa Mentele is the sponsor for the medical petition.
“Our bill is not geared towards any recreational use or protecting recreational users. We simply want to see access for our sickest and most fragile residents in South Dakota,” Mentele explains.
She says legalization for medical purposes would allow for dispensaries, care-givers and people with a medical license to possess the drug. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says marijuana may have a negative effect on the public.
“Things that the public will look at are the public safety and health issues as well as what has been going on in some of those other states including Colorado as well as Washington, Oregon and other surrounding states,” Jackley says.
Each petition needs to obtain nearly 14-thousand signatures to land on the November 2016 general election ballot.