Marijuana Legalization Was on the Ballot in 4 ‘Red States.’ This Map Shows the Results.
Voters in four Republican-run states last week considered ballot measures to legalize the use of recreational marijuana, with mixed results.
SO WHAT
Republicans are making a last stand against marijuana legalization, but there’s dissent in even their ranks.
THE MAP
Legalization measures passed in just a single “red state,” Missouri, as well as in Maryland, the only Democratic-run state that voted on the idea in the midterm elections.
Voters in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota rejected their states’ proposals to let adults purchase marijuana for fun.
- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and other conservative politicians and groups campaigned against the measures.
- Missouri was the third Republican-run state, after Montana and Alaska, and the 20th state overall — plus Washington, D.C. — to legalize recreational marijuana use.
- All but 13 states allow marijuana use for medical purposes, including Arkansas, South Dakota and North Dakota.
THE PEOPLE
Fully 60% of Americans — and 47% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents — support legalizing recreational marijuana, according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted last year.
- Just 8% of Americans, and 12% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, want marijuana use to be completely illegal, as it remains under federal law.