Update Nov. 10, 2016: Maine residents have voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The measure passed by only a fraction of a percentage point, reports ABC News.
Citizens in California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted on Tuesday to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, while the measure to legalize it in Arizona did not pass. Additionally, Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas legalized the medical use of cannabis. Maine also had a measure to legalize pot’s recreational use, but it’s still too close to call.
In the states that legalized recreational use, marijuana would be treated much like alcohol and be heavily regulated and taxed, reports CBS News. Some states would allow the public to grow their own crops. No one under the age of 21 would be able to consume cannabis.
The ballot measures were opposed by most law enforcement, and the use of marijuana is still prohibited by the federal government. Additionally, there is case law stating employers can disqualify employees and persons being considered for employment under their drug-free workplace programs.
Studies have found that daily use of pot among American college students is on the rise and that it plays a role in more than one in 10 U.S. traffic fatalities.
