Arkansas Democratic gubernatorial nominee Chris Jones supports a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in the state and would try to pass marijuana-related criminal justice reforms through the state legislature if he were to take office in January, the candidate said during a phone interview last week.
In an interview with Arkansas Cannabiz focused primarily on marijuana policy, Jones said Arkansas has a chance to be a leader by becoming the first state in the south to legalize recreational marijuana. (Virginia legalized adult-use marijuana last year.)
Jones trumpeted the potential tax revenue and entrepreneurship opportunities of adult-use marijuana while reiterating his support for the amendment sponsored by Responsible Growth Arkansas that was denied a spot on the ballot by a state board at a meeting last week.
The Responsible Growth amendment would legalize marijuana use for adults 21 years and older but would not expunge any sentences for past marijuana-related crimes.
Jones, who grew up in Pine Bluff, said he believes the industry-backed amendment from Responsible Growth Arkansas will ultimately be on the November ballot. The proposed amendment gained more than enough signatures to make the ballot but the state Board of Election Commissioners voted unanimously not to certify the ballot title to put the Arkansas Adult Use Cannabis Amendment on the ballot.
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