News Comment #14

Law enforcement officers ask courts to stop legal marijuana

Sioux Falls, SD- Earlier in November, over 225,000 people voted yes on Amendment A for recreational marijuana in South Dakota. Today, two law enforcement officers came forward to the courts and want to overturn the legislation passed by the voters.

The two officers looking to overturn the vote is Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and SD Highway Patrol Officer Rick Miller. The officers are looking to challenge the constitutionality of Amendment A, which legalized the cultivation, transport, possession and sale of marijuana in in the state.

The Lawsuit contends because Amendment A inserts a new section the U.S. Constitution, then the whole constitution would have to be revised through state convention, which hasn’t happened since statehood.

The officers have not returned any calls as of earlier today and both police departments have been quiet about the subject.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem stated earlier this week, “In South Dakota we respect the constitution and I look forward to the court addressing the serious constitional concerns laid out in this lawsuit.”

If the trial is heard, it will be the first kind of vote since the subject became a rule. This issue touches on tax, transportation, licensing, health and marijuana and hemp. The lawsuit says Amendment A used more than one subject.

What if the court ruled in favor of the two officers? it wouldn’t be the first time the court system has kicked something like this to the curb. Last year, Nebraska supreme court ruled a ballot of medical marijuana off the list due to breaking of the one subject rule.

https://www.argusleader.com/news/

I thought the lead for this article was great. Especially for the target audience of south Dakota. This subject was a huge deal when South Dakota passed the vote to legalize recreational marijuana. Now it might be overturned which is crazy.

The audience was definitely for people in South Dakota and the surrounding states. People interested in Law and or marijuana would be interested too.

I thought the overall article was good, lots of information and it made me read the whole thing.

I would have added maybe how long this whole process would take and maybe when the next steps of the lawsuit will take place.