Scottsdale, AZ – In just 68 days, voters will decide whether or not they want to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Arizona for people 21 and older.
“I’m so for it, even in the recreational use as well,” said Kris Roessler.
So what happens if Prop 205, which seeks to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol, passes?
“I don’t know,” Roessler said.
She is not alone. Whether for or against, there are many voters who are not really sure what recreational use will look like.
JP Holyoak, the chairman of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, explained the process outlined within the measure.
“Adults will be protected from prosecution once the law is signed by the governor and it’s on the books,” said Holyoak.
That would happen in January. But buying from a licensed facility could take much longer.
The initiative calls for the creation of a new agency called the Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control.
“Then the state has about a year to get its rule-making process in place,” Holyoak said.
The governor has to appoint a director and seven people to a marijuana commission to make those rules and then enforce them, which could take up to a year.
Once in place, though, Holyoak says buying at a licensed facility would look similar to the way people with medical marijuana cards currently buy from dispensaries.
Gov. Doug Ducey has a few concerns about this measure.
According to a spokesperson, “One of his biggest concerns is that this initiative was written by special interests for their own financial benefit. The idea of creating a government agency that requires representation from the very industry it is charged with regulating is an idea ripe for potential corruption.”
The measure cleared a final legal hurdle Wednesday ensuring it will be on the November ballot.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: What Recreational Marijuana Use Would Look Like If Passed
Author: Amanda Goodman
Contact: 503-906-1249
Photo Credit: KPHO
Website: Fox 12
