South Dakota marijuana advocates launch campaign for November election

Marijuana legalization advocates kicked off their campaign on Wednesday to convince South Dakota voters to vote to legalize both medical and recreational marijuana in the November general election.

South Dakota, where marijuana is currently illegal, would be the first state to approve both medical and recreational marijuana at the same time, if voters pass a pair of initiatives on the November ballot. In a solidly-conservative state, the proposals may serve as an indicator of how much opinions on marijuana have changed as states across the nation move to legalize a drug that is still technically outlawed by the federal government.

Marijuana advocates started their campaign by touting the support of a former U.S. attorney for South Dakota and a former staffer for a Republican president and senator. But they will have to overcome the opposition of Republican Gov. Kristi Noem.

The current movement to reform policing and criminal justice laws after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer may lend momentum to the campaign to legalize, said supporter Brendan Johnson, a former U.S. attorney who was appointed under President Barack Obama. [Read more at Chicago Tribune]