BISMARCK, N.D.- Supporters of legalizing medical marijuana in North Dakota are ready to submit a proposed initiative to put the issue on the November 2016 ballot, the chairman of effort said Monday.
The citizen initiative seeks to establish a state-regulated system of medical marijuana dispensaries where people could buy the drug if a doctor recommended its use for pain relief. Rilie Ray Morgan, a Fargo financial planner heading the initiative, said the 23-page document will be submitted to Secretary of State Al Jaeger on Tuesday.
North Dakota's Republican-led House rejected a bipartisan measure this year to legalize medical marijuana. People suffering chronic pain and parents of critically ill children pleaded with lawmakers to pass the measure, while state law enforcement and health officials said doing so would be a threat to public health and safety. Morgan said he believes "a vast majority" of North Dakotans support marijuana for medical purposes.
