Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Oregon Votes To Decriminalize Street Drugs In Small Amounts; More States Legalize Pot
AP: Push To Relax Drug Laws Gains Big Victories On State Ballots
A nationwide push to relax drug laws took a significant step forward Tuesday as more states legalized marijuana for adults and voters made Oregon the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of street drugs such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. The drug measures were among 120 proposed state laws and constitutional amendments that were on the ballot in 32 states. They touched on an array of issues that have roiled politics in recent years — voting rights, racial inequalities, abortion, taxes and education, to name a few. (Lieb, 11/4)
Politico: 1 In 3 Americans Now Lives In A State Where Recreational Marijuana Is Legal
Some 16 million Americans were added to the list of places that allow adults to use marijuana legally, after voters in New Jersey, Arizona, South Dakota and Montana on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved ballot measures on weed. They will join about 93 million Americans who live in states that already have legalized weed, meaning about 1 in 3 Americans now live in states where marijuana is legal for anyone at least 21 years old. South Dakota and Mississippi voters also approved measures to legalize medical marijuana on Election Day. (Fertig and Zhang, 11/4)
On specific state ballot initiatives —
The Wall Street Journal: Oregon Votes To Decriminalize All Drugs, Allow Psilocybin For Mental Health Treatment
Oregon became the first state in the nation to decriminalize the possession of all illegal drugs and also legalize the use of psilocybin—the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms—for mental health treatment, after voters passed a pair of ballot measures this week. Both are the first of their kind in any U.S. state and represent the next frontier in the relaxation of drug laws beyond marijuana. (Morrison, 11/4)
Philadelphia Inquirer: New Jersey Approves Legal Weed For Adults In Historic Marijuana Vote
New Jersey approved a constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana for adult use on Tuesday by a ratio of about 2 to 1. With the historic vote, New Jersey became the first state in the Mid-Atlantic region to adopt legal cannabis, creating a potential $2 billion market and making it likely that criminal arrests for marijuana will be curtailed. The decision represents a potential bonanza for state taxpayers and will put pressure on Pennsylvania and New York to follow suit, experts say. (Wood, 11/4)
Arizona Republic: Arizona Prop. 207 To Legalize Marijuana Passed By Voters
Arizona's ballot measure to legalize marijuana passed Tuesday with voters deciding to join 11 other states that have done so despite a conflict with federal law, according to The Associated Press. Proposition 207 would legalize possession of as much as an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older and set up a licensing system for retail sales of the drug, starting with the medical-marijuana dispensaries already operating in the state. Sales could begin in March under the measure. (Randazzo, 11/3)
Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi's Initiative 65 On Medical Marijuana Approved By Voters
Voters have overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana in Mississippi. Voters approved the citizen-led Initiative 65 by a 74% majority that will allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana for 22 debilitating conditions. (Gates, 11/4)
