North Dakota Advocates Turn in Petition Signatures to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

North Dakota advocates on Monday turned in 25,762 signatures to the secretary of state’s office seeking to put adult-use legalization on November ballots, the Jamestown Sun reports. In order to put the issue to voters, the secretary of state must verify 15,582 signatures and Secretary of State Al Jaeger has 35 days to determine whether the proposal meets the qualifications to proceed.  

The measure by New Approach North Dakota would legalize cannabis for adults 21-and-older and allow home cultivation of up to three plants, legalize personal possession of up to one ounce of flower, four grams of concentrates, and up to 500 milligrams of total THC.  

New Approach Chairman Dave Owen told Forum News Service that he is “certain” the campaign has enough valid signatures “to get over the threshold.” 

Two other groups seeking to put ballot initiatives on November ballots have already been rejected by Jaeger: one to set term limits for North Dakota politicians and another by a group seeking to raise the bar for amending the state constitution, the report says.  

In 2016, North Dakota voters approved a medical cannabis ballot question but two years later – also during a midterm election – rejected a proposal to legalize cannabis for adults. Owen said the adult-use measure failed because it didn’t include strict regulations; the current 19-page proposal clearly outlines the law provisions and mirrors a 2021 bill that passed the state House of Representatives but died in the Senate.