A New Lawsuit Seeks to Block Arizona's Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measure
Opponents of cannabis legalization have filed a lawsuit against the Safe & Smart Arizona initiative in an attempt to keep it off the November 2020 ballot.
The complaint, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court on July 20, alleges that the 100-word summary statement used by petitioners to solicit signatures for the measure was misleading and left out key information.
The lawsuit was filed by Lisa James, the chairperson of Arizonans for Health and Public Safety, and "eight concerned Arizona voters," according to the group's news release. The registered political committee, which has raised a little over $100,000 — including $50,000 from the Center for Arizona Policy Action, a conservative group — opposes legalizing recreational marijuana, according to the filing. The plaintiffs in the case are being represented by the national law firm Polsinelli. Former Arizona Congressman John Shadegg and attorney Sean Gallagher will be the lead litigators.
The lawsuit claims numerous instances of alleged omissions from the summary. For example, it says the summary fails to properly define "marijuana," noting that it also legalizes concentrated marijuana. It says the summary failed to mention, among other things, that a 16 percent excise tax on marijuana would not be adjustable by the Legislature, and that there is no excise tax on home-grown marijuana. It also claims the measure's summary misled the public about DUI and employer protections.
Read more: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/marijuana/lawsuit-seeks-to-block-arizona-marijuana-legalization-ballot-measure-11482540