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Arkansas Marijuana Legalization Study Initiative (2012)

From Ballotpedia

1 Path to the ballot
2 See also
3 References

An Arkansas Marijuana Legalization Study Initiative, also known as the Arkansas Cannabis and Hemp Study Act, may appear on the November 2012 ballot as an initiated state statute. The measure would establish the Cannabis and Hemp Authority to research the effects of marijuana for medical, recreational and agricultural purposes. It is being sponsored by the Mountain Home Teapot Party, which submitted ballot language to the Arkansas Attorney General on April 20, 2011 in order to gain petition circulation approval.^[1]

Path to the ballot

Supporters must obtain at least 62,507 signatures from registered voters by July 6, 2012 in order to get the measure on the 2012 ballot. The measure is an initiated state statute, which means the required amount of signatures equals to at least 6% of the total number of votes cast for governor.

Before the initiative can circulate, however, the popular name and ballot title must be approved by the Arkansas Attorney General. On May 4, 2011, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel rejected the proposal's popular name and ballot title.

According to McDaniel, the initiative might be interpreted as authorizing the cultivation of the drug without conducting the study, and also that the ballot title fails to point out that marijuana is illegal under federal law. McDaniel also cited this point when rejecting the now certified medical marijuana initiative earlier in 2011. Lastly, the attorney general stated that the initiative is ambiguous as to who would conduct the study of the use of marijuana.^[2]

References

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