North Dakota Voters Reject Marijuana Legalization

North Dakota voters defeated a measure calling for the legalization of recreational marijuana.

The outcome of the proposal wasn’t clear until Wednesday morning. North Dakota is one of a handful of states, including Florida and South Dakota, where recreational marijuana measures went before voters. Two dozen states have legalized recreational marijuana, the most recent being Ohio in 2023.

North Dakota voters rejected past measures in 2018 and 2022. The state’s Senate defeated two House-passed bills for legalization and taxation in 2021.

The measure sought to legalize recreational marijuana for people 21 and older to use at their homes and, if permitted, on others’ private property. The measure also outlined production and processing regulations, prohibited uses — such as in public or in vehicles — and would have allowed home cultivation of plants.

Supporters said the measure would have allowed law enforcement to focus limited resources on more important issues, such as fentanyl. Opponents said marijuana has harmful physiological and societal effects.