The November 2 elections brought troubling signs for Democrats hoping to retain control of Congress and criminal justice reformers alike.
Of these, seven cities—Martins Ferry, Murray City, New Lexington, New Straitsville, Rayland, Tiltonsville and Yorkville—approved decriminalization.
The victories are significant in part because at the same time, a separate initiative is collecting signatures to certify a statewide adult-use legalization ballot in 2022.
Meanwhile, the city of Detroit voted to decriminalize several categories of psychedelic drugs.
Because this language doesn’t offer full rights and protections for entheogen users, risks of criminalization remain.
Analysts predicted the state would raise an additional $138 million each year, to be used to provide cash stipends to middle- and low-income students to attend after-school, summer and tutoring programs. But opponents argued that it would be wrong to make cannabis more expensive for patients and others who use it, that it would work against cannabis social equity efforts, and that money for education should be found elsewhere.
Finally, the city of Philadelphia voted in favor of a referendum supporting recreational cannabis legalization in Pennsylvania.
Governor Tom Wolf supports legalization, but any effort will need support from the Republican majority in both chambers of the legislature.