Montana Activists Submit 130,000 Signatures For Marijuana Legalization Initiatives Despite Coronavirus Setbacks

Montana activists are turning in more than 130,000 signatures on Friday to qualify a pair of legalization initiatives for the November ballot. While the coronavirus pandemic took a major hit on the New Approach Montana campaign, forcing a temporary suspension of signature gathering during critical months, they relaunched the process in recent weeks and submitted their final petitions batch on the deadline day. The first measure, a statutory change, would establish a regulated cannabis market for adult use in the state. Activists needed to collect about 25,000 valid signatures in order to qualify, and they said they turned in about 52,000 raw submissions. A separate constitutional amendment the group backed stipulates that only those 21 and older can participate in the market. The signature requirement for that measure is about 51,000—and the campaign submitted about 80,000. “We’ve overcome a global pandemic, wildfires, floods, hail, snow, and hurricane force winds,” Pepper Petersen, spokesperson for New Approach Montana, said in a press release. “Our campaign implemented strict health protocols and worked around the clock so that Montana voters could sign our petitions safely and qualify these popular initiatives for the November ballot. We collected signatures from every corner of the state and all 100 state house districts.” “The reason we were able to complete our signature drive in a shortened period of time and in spite of inclement weather is the strong support among Montanans for legalizing marijuana for adults,” he said. “We can generate tens of millions of dollars of new…

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Source : MJ moment
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