West Virginia Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Backs Holding Adult-Use Cannabis Voter Referendum

In a statement released last week, Steve Williams, the current mayor of Huntington and Democratic candidate for governor of West Virginia, said he would support a voter referendum to legalize cannabis in the state, The Inter-Mountain reports. His opponent, Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, said legalizing cannabis is not the answer to the state’s substance use disorder crisis. 

“West Virginia has an opportunity to join the growing number of states, including Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., that have taken bold steps to legalize cannabis, and I believe it’s time we give the people a voice on this issue. One avenue to move forward is to put legalization on the ballot and let voters decide.” — Williams, in a statement, via The Inter-Mountain 

Williams pointed to Colorado and California, where the reforms have “spurred economic growth and created thousands of jobs.” 

“West Virginia can follow their lead to diversify our economy and attract new opportunities,” Williams said in the statement, which also noted the potential tax revenues from legalizing cannabis for adult use.

A 2016 report by West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy found that legalizing cannabis for adults could generate between $26 million and $45 million annually from sales by state residents, with another $116 million and $194 million per year in potential tax revenues from sales to out-of-state visitors.

Williams also noted the criminal reforms associated with legalizing cannabis could “reduce unnecessary arrests and refocus our law enforcement efforts on more serious crimes.”

“West Virginians are being arrested and incarcerated for low level, non-violent offenses that aren’t even considered crimes in other states which unnecessarily burdens our justice system,” he said in the statement.

In a statement responding to his opponent, Morrisey said he is “laser focused on doing everything we can to make sure we fight the opioid epidemic in West Virginia.”

“That means addressing the Chinese fentanyl coming in through the southern border and getting the victims the care they need,” Morrisey said in the statement. “I’m not for adding more drugs into our state.”