PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) – Marijuana activists who have longed for decades to end America’s drug war celebrated more major victories yesterday, with Oregon and the United States capital approving recreational pot use.
The advocates believed they also have another win, too, in Alaska, as a legal pot measure held a steady lead.
The only major loss for drug-law reformers came in Florida and even there, a medical marijuana proposal earned 58 per cent – just shy of the 60 per cent required to pass.
As Republicans swept to power in the Senate, the results emboldened marijuana activists as they prepare legalisation efforts in California, Massachusetts, Maine and other states in the next presidential election year.
“We’re starting work right now for 2016,” said Joe Brezny, who’s leading a campaign to legalise marijuana in Nevada. “The other side is in trouble if we’re doing this well in a Republican midterm year.”
Legalisation opponent Kevin Sabet called the votes “a bit of a wake-up call before 2016”, noting that drug policy groups had spent millions on the legalisation campaigns, vastly outspending opponents.
Guam was poised to become the first U.S. territory to legalise medical marijuana, according to unofficial results that were expected to be certified today.
The measures were among many that appeared on ballots, with voters approving ones to raise the minimum wage in four states, passing expanded gun background checks in Washington state and rejecting abortion-related measures in two states.
In California, drug war opponents welcomed a vote that reduces penalties, from felonies to misdemeanours, on possession of small amounts of drugs – including cocaine and heroin.
