Arizona, South Dakota And New Jersey Vote To Legalize Recreational Marijuana

Voters have overwhelmingly approved ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona and New Jersey, and both recreational and medical use in South Dakota.

According to CNN projections, South Dakota will be the first state ever to approve both medical and recreational marijuana measures simultaneously. While the results are still pending for Montana’s ballot questions on recreational marijuana and Mississippi’s medical marijuana measure.

Pre-election polling shows that the ballot initiatives in Arizona, Montana, and New Jersey had enough support. But the initiatives would only be the first step in the process, John Hudak, deputy director at the Brookings Institution, told CNN. The Brookings Institution specializes in state and federal marijuana policies.

Hudak said that after voters approve the measures, the state legislatures normally would then need to set up regulatory structures within each of those states.

There are currently 11 states that have legalized full adult marijuana use.