Groups Oppose Recreational Marijuana

Steve Bakken, chair of New Economic Frontier, speaks in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana during the Greater North Dakota Chamber Policy Summit on Sept. 10, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) -Some North Dakota health care and law enforcement organizations announced this week their opposition to legalizing recreational marijuana.

In a joint news release, North Dakota’s Medical Association, Hospital Association, Peace Officers Association, Chiefs of Police Association and Sheriffs and Deputies Association stated they have come together to oppose the cannabis measure, known as Measure 5 on the November ballot.

“Don’t buy into the argument that legalization of recreational marijuana will free up law enforcement to focus on more serious crime,” Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler said in a statement. “In fact, quite the opposite will happen. Legalization will lead to an increase in traffic accidents and fatalities.”

The North Dakota Medical Association emphasized health risks of the measure.

“Studies have shown that frequent use of marijuana is associated with the development of substance use disorders, impaired cognitive function, cancer, and mental health issues such as anxiety, psychosis and depression,” Dr. Stephanie Dahl, president of the North Dakota Medical Association, said in a statement.

Tim Blasl, president of the North Dakota Hospital Association, said communities should take a “cautious approach” to policy changes that could increase the prevalence of substance use.

“Instead of legalizing marijuana, we should focus on prevention, education, and providing adequate resources for those who need help with substance use and mental health issues,” Blasl said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the proposal to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older was among topics discussed during the Greater North Dakota Chamber Policy Summit on Tuesday.

Steve Bakken, chair of New Economic Frontier and the Measure 5 sponsoring committee, said half the states in the country have legalized cannabis since 2012. He highlighted news this week that former President Donald Trump said he will vote for a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida.

Bakken also said one of the goals of the measure is to dramatically reduce or eliminate black market sales of marijuana.

“A regulated market helps insure the availability of safer, uncontaminated products, reducing health risk associated with legal marijuana,” Bakken said.

Speaking against the measure during the summit, Molly Barnes, executive vice president for Northern Improvement Co., a North Dakota-based highway and heavy equipment contractor, said marijuana is now much more potent than the variety found at Woodstock in the 1960s.

“Pot is no longer harmless,” Barnes said. She also cited increases in emergency room visits, impaired driving and mental health concerns among states that have legalized cannabis.

Bakken said he sees legal marijuana in North Dakota’s future and believes it’s better to get out ahead of an issue instead of waiting for it to become a problem.

The North Dakota Petroleum Council, Association of General Contractors, North Dakota Motor Carriers, North Dakota Farmers Union, North Dakota Catholic Conference and North Dakota Family Alliance also have come out against the recreational marijuana measure, according to the news release.

South Dakota voters will also vote on a recreational marijuana measure this November. Montana, Minnesota and Canada have already legalized recreational cannabis.