Pierre, SD, USA / DRGNews
Dec 10, 2020 6:25 AM
(Greater Dakota News Service)- Last month, 53% of South Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana use for those age 21 years and older, but a legal challenge and strong opposition from Republican leaders could hinder the changes.
Dave Wiltse, a political scientist at South Dakota State University, says despite passage, the state still is very conservative. Some members of law enforcement and Governor Kristi Noem remain firmly opposed so, he says, if they can’t stop marijuana legalization, they might try other ways to limit access.
“We could see really high licensing fees, we could see high regulation of this industry to the point that it might be prohibitive for someone to enter it.”