Arizona voters have approved Proposition 207, a statewide ballot initiative legalizing the possession, use, and commercial sale of marijuana for adults. The Act permits those age 21 or older to possess up to one ounce of cannabis and directs revenue from retail cannabis sales to fund various public education and safety programs. Adults may cultivate up to six plants for non-commercial purposes in a private residence. Those with marijuana convictions are permitted to petition the courts to have their records expunged.
NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said: “Until now, Arizona had imposed some of the strictest prohibition laws in the country; in some instances, the possession of even small amounts of marijuana was classified as a felony. By rejecting this failed policy, no Arizonan going forward will be saddled with a criminal conviction for engaging in the personal possession or cultivation of cannabis, or face the lifelong stigma that comes with it.”
Altieri added, “Proposition 207 will disrupt the illicit market, end low-level marijuana arrests, create jobs and new revenue. This result once again shows that marijuana legalization is not exclusively a ‘blue’ state issue, but an issue that is supported by a majority of all Americans — regardless of party politics.”
