Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories by KELO.com News on issues and candidates in the November 2020 election. For more information about the issues and voting, click here.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The legalization of marijuana has become one of the most polarizing topics in modern-day politics.
n recent years South Dakota has become a battleground for the political back and forth. Do South Dakotans legalize the recreational use of what was once a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in pharmacies in the early 19th century? Or do they continue to fight against what the government classified as a Schedule 1 drug (no accepted medical use and a drug with high potential for abuse), and keep it where it is, illegal?
The initiative (Amendment A) to legalize marijuana filed by Brendan Johnson, former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota was able to garner over 50,000 signatures on November 4, 2019, with 73% of signatures being validated by the state.
According to Amendment A, it would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for individuals 21 years old and older. Individuals would be allowed to possess, use, and distribute up to one ounce of marijuana. No more than eight grams could be in a concentrated form.
Amendment A would also require the South Dakota State Legislature to pass laws providing for a program for medical marijuana and the sale of hemp by April 1, 2022. The measure would require the Department of Revenue to adopt rules and regulations to implement the amendment including the issuance of licenses, health and safety requirements, and more.
Proponents of Amendment A argue that a move in this direction is a step in the right direction. According to the South Dakota Secretary of State website, proponents of the measure argue that the states’ approach to marijuana doesn’t make sense while laying out their pros.
Pro–Constitutional Amendment A:
- Includes strong protections for children. Marijuana will only be sold to adults age 21 or older in regulated, licensed businesses that check I.D. before every single sale.
- Protects health. When marijuana is sold on the illicit market it can be contaminated with chemicals or laced with other drugs. Amendment A will ensure that consumers know what they are buying and consuming and that products are safe.
- Creates jobs: All marijuana sold in South Dakota must be grown and packaged inside our borders, which will lead to hundreds of jobs for construction workers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC workers, laborers, and retail workers.
- Creates new revenue: According to the Legislative Research Council, Amendment A will generate $60M by 2024, including millions of dollars for schools.
- Saves law enforcement resources. By reducing prosecutions and arrests for minor marijuana-related offenses, law enforcement will save money and be able to focus on serious crime.
- Protects patients: Amendment A will require that South Dakota protect patients whose doctors recommend marijuana, including veterans who need marijuana as an alternative to opioids to treat PTSD and pain.
- Rebuilds lives: South Dakota’s current marijuana laws can ruin a person’s life. One youthful mistake for minor conduct can result in a criminal record preventing someone from going to school or getting a job. Amendment A will stop this.
But detractors of the Initiative aren’t buying it, Major organizations in South Dakota such as the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, South Dakota Association of Cooperatives, South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations, South Dakota Chamber of Commerce are vehemently against the Amendment. The South Dakota State Medical Association who also opposes the move urges a “no” vote stating that marijuana is a hazardous drug and public health concern.
Right alongside the argument for adopting the amendment on the South Dakota Secretary of State website, opposition shared why this change would only degenerate into more social woes for our community.
Con–Constitutional Amendment A:
The South Dakota State Medical Association urges a “no” vote and maintains that marijuana is a hazardous drug and a public health concern. As such, the SDSMA believes the sale and possession of marijuana – especially for recreational purposes – should not be legalized. At the time of this writing, the DEA has more than doubled the number of individuals and institutions allowed to conduct research on marijuana, as well as increasing the amount of marijuana to study due to public demand – this includes over 90 researchers registered to conduct CBD research on humans.
Marijuana remains classified by the federal government as a schedule 1 drug – meaning there is no accepted medical use and a drug with a high potential for abuse. Research has shown marijuana to be highly addictive with well documented negative consequences with both short- and long-term use. Consequences include impaired short-term memory and decreased concentration, attention span, and problem-solving. Alterations in motor control, coordination, judgment, reaction time, and tracking ability have also been documented.
Negative health effects on lung function associated with smoking marijuana have also been documented, and studies have linked marijuana use with higher rates of psychosis in patients with a predisposition to schizophrenia. Marijuana use has the potential to cause brain atrophy and permanently change the structure and physiology of the developing brain.
Furthermore, it is important to understand that marijuana use harms more than just the person using the drug. Societal costs of marijuana use include paying for increased emergency room visits, medical care, and addiction treatment for the uninsured; more victims of drugged driving accidents; increased crime; and a negative impact on the health of those exposed to secondhand smoke. The SDSMA further believes marijuana will create a steep cost for society and taxpayers that far outweighs its tax revenues. Vote no.
South Dakota will be one of five states that will be voting on legalizing marijuana during the General Election.
