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Legal sales of recreational marijuana in Arizona began on Friday, a step previously unthinkable in the former conservative stronghold that joins 14 other states that have largely legalized marijuana.
The state Department of Health Services announced on Friday that it had approved 86 licenses in nine of the state’s 15 counties under the provisions of the marijuana legalization measure passed by voters in November. Most of the licenses went to existing medical marijuana dispensaries that can start selling marijuana immediately.
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“It is an exciting step for those who wish to participate in this program,” said Dr. Cara Christ, Arizona’s director of health, on Friday.
According to the terms of Proposition 207, people aged 21 or over can grow their own plants and legally own up to 28 grams of marijuana or a smaller amount of “concentrates”, such as hashish. Owning between 1 ounce and 2.5 ounces (70 grams) is a petty offense with a maximum fine of $ 300.
The march towards decriminalization in the state of the Sun Belt was a long one. Approval of the legalization measure came four years after Arizona voters narrowly defeated a similar proposal, although medical marijuana has been legal in the state since 2010.
The initiative faced strong opposition from Republican Governor Doug Ducey and Republican Party leaders in the state legislature, but 60% of state voters in the November election approved it.
The marijuana vote reflected major trends at play during the historic election that saw Democrat Joe Biden turn into the former Republican state where political giants include five-term Conservative Senator Barry Goldwater and the late Republican Senator John McCain.
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Demographic changes, including a rapidly growing Latin population and a flood of new residents, have made the state more friendly for Democrats.
The recreational marijuana measure was supported by advocates of the legal marijuana industry and advocates of criminal justice reform who argued that the state’s strict marijuana laws were at odds with the nation. Arizona was the only state in the country that still allowed a felony indictment for first possession of small amounts of marijuana, although most cases were prosecuted as minor offenses.
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The vast majority of licenses issued on Friday were in Maricopa County, the largest county in the state that houses Phoenix and its suburbs. Other counties with dispensaries now authorized to sell recreational marijuana are Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai and Yuma counties.
Voters in New Jersey, South Dakota and Montana also approved making recreational marijuana possession legal last November.
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Arizona prosecutors withdrew thousands of marijuana possession cases after the measure passed. State ownership became technically legal when the election results were certified on November 30, but there was no authorized way to buy it without a medical marijuana card.
Voters in November dealt another blow to Republicans in controlling the levers of state power when they passed a new tax on those who earn more to increase education funding, a move that came after years of Republican Party tax cuts and underfunding of public schools.