Over 250,000 Signatures Submitted on Arizona Initiative to Legalize Cannabis
The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) today submitted 258,582 total signatures to the Arizona Secretary of State for their initiative to legalize cannabis for everyone 21 and older. This is far greater than than the 150,642 required to put the measure to a vote of the people this November.
“We are very encouraged by the strong levels of support and enthusiasm we found among voters during the petition drive,” says CRMLA Chairman J.P. Holyoak. “Arizonans are ready to end the antiquated policy of marijuana prohibition and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. We look forward to continuing the public conversation about the initiative, and we think most will agree it is a sensible step forward for our state.”
According to Holyoak, the proposed initiative would “allow adults 21 and older to possess limited amounts of marijuana; establish a system in which marijuana is regulated similarly to alcohol; and enact a 15 percent tax on retail marijuana sales, from which a majority of the revenue would be directed to Arizona schools and education programs.”
Yesterday, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee released a report estimating that passage of the initiative will generate approximately $82 million in annual tax revenue for the state, with more than $55 million dedicated to full-day kindergarten programs and general aid to K-12 schools.
According to polling released last year, 53% of those in Arizona support legalizing cannabis.