Arizona Proposition 207 was a voter

initiative In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...

that appeared on the November 3, 2020,

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

general election ballot to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Passing with 60% of the vote, the initiative legalized the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, licensed sales at

dispensaries A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in some cases even medical and dental treatment. In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist dispense ...

, and personal cultivation of up to six plants. Along with

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

and

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

, Arizona is one of four states that legalized recreational marijuana via ballot measures in 2020. The first state-licensed recreational marijuana sales in Arizona took place on January 22, 2021, making Arizona the fastest state to go from a legalization vote to retail sales in U.S. history.

Provisions

Proposition 207, also known as the Smart and Safe Act, legalizes the adult recreational use of marijuana, specifically by allowing adults 21 and older in Arizona to possess up to 1 ounce (28 g) of marijuana (with no more than 5 grams being marijuana concentrate), and to have up to 6 marijuana plants at their home (with up to 12 marijuana plants in households with two or more adult members). It directs the state Department of Health Services to set forth rules for retail marijuana sales by June 1, 2021, allow marijuana to be subject to state and local sales taxes like other retail items, and imposes an additional 16%

excise tax file:Lincoln Beer Stamp 1871.JPG, upright=1.2, 1871 U.S. Revenue stamp for 1/6 barrel of beer. Brewers would receive the stamp sheets, cut them into individual stamps, cancel them, and paste them over the Bunghole, bung of the beer barrel so when ...

on marijuana products, with the revenue being split between the state government agencies responsible for activities relating to the act, highways, community college districts, police departments, and fire departments. The initiative provides that employers may still adopt "drug-free workplace" policies and restrict employees' and applicants' use of marijuana, and provides that the initiative does not permit marijuana use in public spaces. The initiative establishes that the possession of more than an ounce (28 g), but less than 2.5 ounces (71 g), of marijuana, by an adult is a

petty offense A summary offence or petty offence is a violation in some common law jurisdictions that can be proceeded against summarily, without the right to a jury trial and/or indictment (required for an indictable offence). Canada In Canada, summary offenc ...

. The initiative prohibits the sale of marijuana products that resemble a "human, animal, insect, fruit, toy or cartoon" and sets forth penalties for possession of marijuana by minors (which, for a first offense for possession of under an ounce of marijuana, is a $100 fine and drug counseling). The proposition imposes a 16 percent excise tax on cannabis. The first share of revenue will be used to enforce state cannabis regulations, with the remainder divided as follows: 33% for community colleges, 31.4% for police and fire departments, 25.4% for a highway fund, 10% for a justice fund, and 0.2% to the

state attorney general The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney gener ...

for enforcement.

History

The Arizona Dispensaries Association and Arizona Cannabis Chamber of Commerce began organizing in August 2019 for another

ballot initiative In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...

after a failed November 2016 ballot initiative. The Arizona Dispensaries Association filed a ballot initiative application on September 26, 2019, for the "Smart and Safe Act," seeking to obtain the necessary 237,645 signatures from registered Arizona voters by the July 2, 2020 deadline to get on the November 3, 2020 ballot.Ryan Randazzo
Backers of Arizona's recreational marijuana measure file 420K signatures for November ballot
''Arizona Republic'' (July 1, 2020). Arizona legalization initiative, sponsored by Smart and Safe Arizona, had received 150,000 signatures by January 17, 2020, out of a required 237,645 signatures. The initiative likely had exceeded the minimum 237,645 valid signatures by April to appear on the November ballot. On July 1 the sponsors announced they had submitted over 420,000 signatures to the Secretary of State. On August 10, Secretary of State

Katie Hobbs Kathleen Marie Hobbs (born December 28, 1969) is an American politician and social worker who is the governor-elect of Arizona, having been elected in 2022. She has served as the 21st secretary of state of Arizona since 2019. A member of the D ...

announced the initiative had qualified for the 2020 ballot as Proposition (Prop) 207. The Associated Press announced that the initiative had passed on election day, November 3, 2020.

Polling

Likely voters polled in July 2020 indicated 62% support for cannabis legalization. ;On Proposition 207 ;On whether recreational marijuana should be legal

Results

Notes

;Partisan clients

References

{{reflist

External links

Arizona Proposition 207, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2020)
at Ballotpedia proposition 207 Arizona Proposition 207 Arizona ballot measures 2020 cannabis law reform Cannabis in Arizona Initiatives in the United States Cannabis ballot measures in the United States