Florida voters rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed medical marijuana in the Sunshine State, thanks to the requirement that it get 60 percent of the vote and a huge infusion of anti-legalization cash from Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. But marijuana legalization advocates are faring much better in their other big contests of the night.
Washington, D.C., voters overwhelmingly approved Initiative 71, allowing anyone over 21 to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana and grow up to three plants. Congress can (and likely will) block the measure from taking effect. But Oregon will join Colorado and Washington State in the legal pot experiment, with The Oregonian projecting a win for Measure 91. Polls haven't closed yet in Alaska, the final state voting on legal marijuana tonight.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
A road trip through ZimbabweThe Week Recommends The country is 'friendly and relaxed', with plenty to see for those who wish to explore
-
The assassination of Malcolm XThe Explainer The civil rights leader gave furious clarity to black anger in the 1960s, but like several of his contemporaries met with a violent end
-
Assisted dying bill: is it being rushed?Talking Point Kim Leadbeater's significant changes to her landmark bill have caused consternation
-
ABC News to pay $15M in Trump defamation suitSpeed Read The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments lawSpeed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security lawSpeed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitutionspeed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidenceSpeed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulationsSpeed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriageSpeed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
