Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota
Legalizing it: Voters in four states decisively approved ballot measures this week to legalize recreational marijuana. “We did it, New Jersey!” tweeted Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, who called the decision “a huge step forward for racial and social justice.” Nationally, black people are 3.64 times more likely than white people to get arrested for marijuana possession. In all, 15 states
(as well as Washington, D.C.) now allow recreational marijuana use, and 36 permit medical usage. Separately, Mississippi voters overwhelmingly voted to give access to marijuana for people with serious medical conditions. Meanwhile, in Oregon, residents voted to decriminalize possession of small amounts of harder drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the advocacy group Drug Policy Alliance, said after the vote, “This is like taking a sledgehammer to the cornerstone of the drug war.”