South Dakota high court to hear recreational cannabis case this month

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The South Dakota Supreme Court is expected to hear the state’s voter-approved constitutional amendment to legalize recreational cannabis in April.

According to the Argus Leader of Sioux Falls, the high court will hear oral arguments in a challenge to the amendment on April 28.

This comes after attorneys representing the organization South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws appealed a lower-court ruling striking down the amendment.

In February, a district judge ruled the ballot measure was unconstitutional because it contained more than a single topic.

Then the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office dropped its defense of the adult-use marijuana amendment after earlier asserting in court that the initiative was constitutional.

Gov. Kristi Noem opposes the voter-approved effort to legalize marijuana and directed the lawsuit to try to kill the measure.

In addition, the governor is trying to add restrictions to the state’s medical cannabis program, which voters also approved.