Arizona Judge Rules in Favor of Marijuana Ballot Initiative

Today, August 19, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by opponents of Proposition 205, the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, who were attempting to keep the initiative off the November ballot.

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Arizona, which supports Prop 205, is asking Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, who were plaintiffs in the lawsuit, to accept the court’s ruling and focus on fighting serious crimes instead of citizen initiatives.

“We are pleased with the court’s ruling and that Arizona voters will be able to exercise their right to vote on Proposition 205,” said J.P. Holyoak, CRMLA Campaign Chairman. “This was a frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit. If these county prosecutors dislike this ballot measure, they should take their arguments to the voters, not to our overburdened court system. We hope they will accept the court’s ruling and return to waging legal battles against dangerous criminals rather than citizen initiatives.”

If passed, Prop 205 will allow adults 21 and older to possess limited amounts of marijuana, establish a government-regulated system in which marijuana is regulated similarly to alcohol, and enact a 15-percent tax on retail marijuana sales. A majority of the tax revenue would be directed to Arizona schools and other education programs.

“Roughly 84 years ago, it was the voters who put an end to the failed policy of alcohol prohibition in Arizona,” Holyoak said. “Today’s ruling confirmed they will have the opportunity to end an equally disastrous prohibition policy this November.”

Photo: newsok.com