Recreational marijuana sales began in Arizona on Jan. 22 across the state, following the passage of Proposition 207 in November. Arizona is one of 15 states and the District of Columbia that legalize recreational marijuana use for adults. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, this will remain illegal until the department passes rules authorizing and regulating delivery through marijuana facilities. A 1920 newspaper showed that if a Mexican immigrant possessed marijuana, he was convicted, but only punished for using marijuana. [1] Other sources disagree with this idea, as a newspaper wrote in 1926 that a Mexican immigrant was sentenced to prison for using drugs. [2] Due to the war on drugs, as well as archival problems, it is much harder to find credible sources on the history of cannabis prohibition in Arizona. The Smart and Safe law was passed on 3 November 2020 with 60% of the vote. [35] The possession and cultivation of cannabis became legal on November 30, 2020, when the election results were confirmed. [47] The sale of state-licensed recreational cannabis began on January 22, 2021, making Arizona the fastest state to begin retail sales after approval of recreational legalization in U.S. history. [48] [49] Prior to the legalization of recreational marijuana, individuals arrested with any amount of marijuana under two pounds could be charged with a Class 6 felony under RSO 13-3405.
However, Proposition 207 created a new chapter in Title 36 of the revised Arizona Regulations entitled “Responsible Use of Marijuana by Adults.” “This is a monumental achievement for the Arizonans,” a-t-AZmarijuana.com said. “This bill will create new jobs, new revenue for state programs, and give law enforcement more time to focus on preventing and solving real crimes, rather than on people who use or possess only small amounts of marijuana.” In the context of U.S. immigration, the term “legalization” is colloquially used to refer to a process by which a person who is in the country illegally can obtain lawful permanent residence. Since 1929, U.S. law has provided for the legalization process known as a registry, in which the applicant only has to prove that he or she has resided continuously in the country since a certain specified “registration date” (originally 1921; now 1972) and is not inadmissible for other reasons (criminal record, etc.). [1] [2] One legalization proposal that has recently been widely discussed was the DREAM law. The new industry is expected to generate thousands of new jobs and millions of dollars in annual revenue that will improve the state. Under ARS 36-2862, many Arizonans with certain types of marijuana-related convictions can apply to the courts to remove marijuana. A deletion removes a conviction from your record and will not appear when employers and others conduct background checks. Arizona`s medical marijuana law does not allow employers to discriminate against a medical marijuana cardholder if they hire, fire, or punish solely because of their cardholder status, unless the employer loses federal benefits if they don`t.
A positive drug test cannot be withheld against a patient unless the patient has consumed, possessed or been impaired by cannabis while working or working hours. However, being a medical marijuana patient does not allow anyone to do anything under the influence that could be considered negligence or malpractice. Patients are also not allowed to possess or use medical marijuana on school grounds, including buses, or in a prison or prison. Driving a vehicle, aircraft or boat during disability is illegal. Arizona tried again in 2002 to legalize medical cannabis with Proposition 203, but it received only 42.7% of the vote. A viable solution was not approved until nearly 10 years later. In 2010, voters passed the Arizona medical marijuana issue, a heavily revised 203 proposal, by a narrow margin — 50.13% of the vote. After the passage of Proposition 203, the first sales of medical marijuana did not take place until December 2012. Pharmacies are allowed to have one retail outlet for every 10 registered dispensaries in Arizona. Patients who are far from their nearest pharmacy can opt for a medical cannabis delivery service. These services deliver medical cannabis directly to the residence of a registered patient or designated caregiver. The recreational use of cannabis was halted by the adoption of Proposition 207 on September 3.
November 2020. [35] [36] The organization of the initiative began in August 2019 through the Arizona Dispensaries Association and the Arizona Cannabis Chamber of Commerce. [37] [38] [39] The Arizona Dispensaries Association filed a Smart and Safe Act election initiative petition on September 26, 2019[40] to obtain the required 237,645 signatures from registered voters in Arizona by July 2, 2020. [41] [42] The Smart and Safe Arizona campaign eventually submitted more than 420,000 signatures to the Secretary of State`s office. [42] [43] On August 11, 2020, the Secretary of State announced that the initiative had qualified for the November vote as Proposition 207. [44] On January 22, pharmacies began legally selling marijuana to adults 21 years of age and older. Adults can buy up to an ounce of marijuana per day at a pharmacy, with no more than 5 grams of concentrates (extracts). While it`s legal for you to use marijuana recreationally as long as you`re at least 21 years old, marijuana laws don`t stop employers from establishing policies requiring drug-free workplaces. This means that you can be fired by your employer because you are a recreational marijuana user.
In November 2010, Proposition 203, an initiative to legalize the medical use of cannabis, was approved with 50.1% of the vote. [13] The initiative allowed physician-referred patients to possess up to 2+1⁄2 ounces (71 g) of cannabis for the treatment of certain eligible conditions. [14] [15] It limited the number of pharmacies to 124 and stipulated that only patients living more than 25 miles (40 km) from a pharmacy could grow their own cannabis. [14] [16] Proposition 203 passed despite opposition from Governor Jan Brewer, Attorney General Terry Goddard, all of the state`s sheriffs and district attorneys, and many other state politicians. [16] [17] Legal recreational and medical marijuana laws have had a significant impact on the criminal justice system in Arizona. Before marijuana was legalized, even a small amount of marijuana could lead to a conviction for a crime. – Marijuana use is still illegal in public places, but it is only a minor offense for all offenders. Legalization is a process often applied to what are considered victimless crimes by those working towards legalization, an example of which is the use of illegal drugs (see Drug Legalization). Possession and use of recreational marijuana became legal for adults 21 and older in Arizona when ballots were certified.
