Members of the national and local Libertarian Party are teaming up with Wyoming activists to get a medical cannabis legalization initiative on the state ballot next year.
According to the Casper Star-Tribune, the campaign – which doesn’t yet have a formal name – got the go-ahead this week from the Wyoming secretary of state to begin the signature-gathering process.
In addition to the Wyoming Cannabis Patient Act of 2022 – which would legalize medical marijuana – backers are also trying to get adult-use MJ decriminalized with a second ballot initiative, titled the Wyoming Cannabis Amendments 2022.
The group has 30 days, starting Aug. 2, to collect and remit the first 100 signatures to the secretary of state’s office in order to prove additional support for the initiatives. A campaign spokesperson told the Star Tribune that goal could be reached by Friday.
After that, the campaign must gather at least 41,776 signatures of registered Wyoming voters for each of the two initiatives to be placed on the 2022 ballot.
A University of Wyoming survey in December found that 85% of voters support MMJ legalization and more than half back full legalization, the Star-Tribune reported.
Campaigns are also underway in Arkansas and Missouri to legalize recreational marijuana next year, and another is expected in Nebraska.
There are also bills in the Mississippi and Ohio legislatures to legalize medical and adult-use marijuana, respectively.