North Dakota Secretary of State approves marijuana legalization ballot measure

Legalization measure clears approval hurdle in state that narrowly rejected recreational cannabis in 2022.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

North Dakota's Secretary of State has approved a marijuana legalization ballot measure, clearing a procedural gate for what would be a second statewide vote on recreational cannabis. The state rejected legalization in 2022, but the regulatory landscape has shifted notably since then: the state has legalized medical marijuana edibles, allowed fines instead of court proceedings for low-level offenses, and expanded tribal cannabis operations.

Medical marijuana businesses have already funded the push for legalization, according to prior reporting, signaling industry momentum even as the state maintains criminal penalties for larger-scale trafficking. The approval suggests the measure is on track for voter consideration, though the outcome remains uncertain given the 2022 defeat.

Watch whether voter appetite has grown as medical operations mature and adjacent regulatory changes normalize cannabis in the state's enforcement landscape.