Marijuana
Recreational marijuana is illegal, but its high-inducing cousins are widespread
Recreational marijuana is illegal in South Dakota – voters confirmed as much in November – but the next best thing is available from border to border. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of hemp. By extension, it legalized two cannabinoids called delta-8 and delta-10 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which occur naturally in tiny amounts in the […]
Move to loosen penalties for drug ingestion, marijuana edibles fails in Senate
The South Dakota Senate rejected two bills Wednesday that aimed to soften controversial drug laws. One sought to help drug users avoid prison for failed drug tests; the other would have placed marijuana edibles and vape products in the same misdemeanor category as marijuana flower. Senate Bill 201, which failed by a single vote, would […]
Bills regulating medical marijuana ‘pop-up’ clinics pass House committee
Two bills regulating medical marijuana “pop-up clinics” passed the House Health and Human Services committee Tuesday morning at the Capitol in Pierre. The bills, one that would regulate pop-up clinic locations and another that would regulate advertisements and restrict telehealth meetings to obtain a medical marijuana card, passed through the committee 10-2 and 9-4, respectively. […]
State medical cannabis programs failing to make enough progress, advocacy group finds
WASHINGTON — A report from a patient advocacy group found the future of medical cannabis in the states is hazy unless costs are decreased, product safety standards are improved, and civil rights are strengthened for patients and prescribers. Americans for Safe Access issued its annual State of the States report on Thursday. The organization, a […]
Bill would add conditions for medical marijuana, but also repeal public process
PIERRE — A bill in the Legislature would add eight conditions to those that qualify a patient for a medical marijuana card, but the bill would also remove a public process to add more conditions to the list. A legislative committee approved the bill Wednesday on a 6-1 vote and sent it to the full […]
Attempt to help states ease banking for marijuana businesses stumbles in Congress
The annual Defense Department policy bill members of Congress released late Tuesday did not include measures to loosen federal marijuana restrictions, to the disappointment of advocates. That leaves few avenues to pass marijuana measures seen as boons to states where the drug is legal before Congress adjourns for the year. As one of the last […]
GF&P: Medical marijuana patients won’t lose hunting rights
Sioux Falls lawyer Ryan Kolbeck typically doesn’t deal with legal questions about hunting licenses. The criminal defense attorney did field multiple calls on the topic in the days following the Nov. 8 election, however. They started coming in shortly after it became clear that South Dakota voters had voted to reject the legalization of recreational […]
Voters back Medicaid expansion, lean against recreational cannabis
South Dakotans voted to expand eligibility for the state’s Medicaid programs Tuesday. Constitutional Amendment D was winning with 56% of the vote as of 1 a.m. Nov. 9, or roughly 166,879 votes. While the state is one of 12 that hadn’t expanded eligibility for its Medicaid programs, it was the only state to feature the […]
Johnson: Colorado experience doesn’t square with legal pot fears
Marijuana legalization in Colorado has not had the negative societal effect that opponents of Initiated Measure 27 say it will have on South Dakota if voters pass it on Tuesday. The group against marijuana legalization insinuate that out-of-state drug interests, not South Dakotans who signed petitions, are waging a campaign to endanger our children, families […]
Weed on the ballot: Voters could approve legal marijuana in 5 more states
Midterm voters in five states will determine if they should join the growing list of places where recreational marijuana use is allowed, even as any use of the drug is still illegal under federal law. Referendums to legalize recreational use of marijuana are on Nov. 8 ballots in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, South Dakota and North […]
Oversight committee clashes over ‘pop-up’ medical marijuana clinics
A medical marijuana card clinic popped up in early October at the Watertown Hampton Inn, where walk-ins were welcome. An advance notice in the local newspaper said “certification takes roughly five minutes,” and the medical cannabis card would be mailed to the patient once approved. That’s how most medical marijuana patients in South Dakota are […]