Cannabis in Arizona

Southwest Cannabis Conference & Expo in Phoenix, Arizona

Cannabis in Arizona is legal for medical uses, but prohibited for recreational use.

Medical marijuana

Proposition 200 (1996)

in 1996, 65% of Arizona voters approved Proposition 200, a drug policy reform initiative containing a provision allowing the use of cannabis with a doctor's prescription.[1] The medical cannabis portion of the initiative was then essentially repealed by state legislators a few months later,[2] but the change was rejected by voters in a 1998 veto referendum (Proposition 300).[3] Ultimately the medical cannabis provision was ineffective, however, due to language that created significant conflict with federal law (use of the word "prescribe" instead of "recommend").[4]

Proposition 203 (2002)

Proposition 203 in 2002 to legalize the medical use of cannabis failed with 42.7% of the vote.[5]

Proposition 203 (2010)

Proposition 203 in 2010 to legalize the medical use of cannabis passed with 50.1% of the vote.[6]

Recreational cannabis

Proposition 205 (2016)

Proposition 205 in 2016 to legalize the recreational use cannabis failed with 48.7% of the vote[7][8]

Among the largest contributors to defeat of the initiative (Proposition 205) were Discount Tire ($1 million), Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry ($918,000), Sheldon Adelson ($500,000), and Insys Therapeutics ($500,000).[9]

Advocacy

Opposition

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is a leading opponent to cannabis reform efforts in the state of Arizona. He has made a number of controversial comments on the subject, including telling a military veteran who spoke in support of cannabis legalization "I have no respect for you... because you’re an enemy".[10] Montgomery has also engaged in a multi-year legal battle seeking to overturn the state's medical marijuana law that was approved by voters in 2010.[11]

References

  1. "Drug Reform Measure Signed Into Law In Arizona". NORML. December 9, 1996. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  2. "Arizona Bill Delays Medical Marijuana Use". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 16, 1997. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  3. Spivack, Sarah (November 12, 1998). "Doctors leery to prescribe marijuana as medication". Arizona Daily Wildcat. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  4. State-By-State Medical Marijuana Laws, Marijuana Policy Project, December 2016
  5. "Arizona Marijuana Legalization, Proposition 203 (2002)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  6. "Arizona Medical Marijuana Question, Proposition 203 (2010)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  7. "Arizona Marijuana Legalization, Proposition 205 (2016)", Ballotpedia
  8. "Arizona Proposition 205 — Legalize Marijuana — Results: Rejected". New York Times. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
  9. Stern, Ray (November 3, 2016). "Here Are the Prohibitionists Who've Donated $10,000 or More to Keep Marijuana a Felony in Arizona". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  10. Pishko, Jessica (November 7, 2016). "This Arizona Prosecutor Is Waging a Strange War on Weed—and That’s Just the Beginning". The Nation. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  11. Stern, Ray (December 22, 2016). "County Attorney Bill Montgomery Continues His Failing Crusade Against Arizona's Medical Marijuana Law". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
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