x
Breaking News
More () »

Arizonans approve Prop. 207 to legalize recreational marijuana in 2020 election

Arizonans decided that recreational marijuana will be legalized in the state.

PHOENIX — The Associated Press reported that Arizona voters have approved Proposition 207, which legalizes the use of recreational marijuana in the state.

The measure will look to decriminalize the possession and recreational use of marijuana for anyone over the age of 21 years old in the state.

Anyone of legal age will be able to possess up to an ounce of pot. 

Recreational marijuana sales will be permitted and people can grow their own plants. 

Possession will become legal when the election results are certified in about a month and sales should begin in May. 

The Arizona measure levies a 16% excise tax on pot sales.

You can see the results for Proposition 207 below: 

FULL ELECTION RESULTS: Tap here for results in Arizona's races

Prop. 207 is an updated version of Proposition 205, a proposition which also looked to legalize recreational marijuana, that appeared on the Arizona ballot in 2016. Voters in the state narrowly rejected the initiative in 2016 with 51.3% of voters that voted no.

Only two of Arizona’s 15 counties supported the proposition in 2016. It lost in Maricopa County by two points.

The initiative was placed on the 2020 ballot in Arizona after it survived a legal challenge from the Arizonans For Health and Public Safety Political Action Committee (PAC) in the Arizona Supreme Court on Aug. 20, when the high court issued a unanimous rejection of the opponents’ appeal.

The proposition was created and supported by the Smart and Safe Arizona Political Action Committee, which had received over $3.47 million in contributions.

More 12 News coverage of Election Day:

The proposition was opposed by Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizonans For Health and Public Safety PAC, which received $142,065 in contributions.

You can read more about Prop. 208 and Prop. 207, the initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana, in the Arizona Secretary of State's "What's On My Ballot" pamphlet.

Results are not made official on Election Night. 12 News will primarily use NBC News as our guiding source in reporting results for the presidential election and all other races. We will use The Associated Press in some situations.

Before You Leave, Check This Out