BISMARCK - A petition to put legalizing marijuana use up to a statewide vote in North Dakota has been filed with the secretary of state’s office.
The petition seeks to make it legal to grow, possess, use and distribute marijuana for those over age 21.
The petition also would prevent the state from requiring a license to grow, use or distribute marijuana.
The effort would remove penalties related to marijuana use from the state code.
Eric Olson of Fargo is chairman of the 27-member sponsoring committee that will try to get the initiated measure on the statewide ballot.
Secretary of State Al Jaeger said in a news release that his office received the petition Wednesday. Jaeger’s office could approve the petition as early as Feb. 18.
If approved, the committee would need to gather 13,452 signatures by July 11 to put it to a statewide vote in the November general election.
The petition is separate from an effort to legalize medical marijuana in North Dakota through the initiated measure process.
