They just posted this job on Indeed on Friday. Now if the Supreme Court can verify that Recreational is also legal we can change our economy in South Dakota. Besides the millions in tax revenue and the millions we will save on justice costs related to decriminalization, much, much more will be created in job and business growth. As I have told people, South Dakota would be getting a whole new tourism industry. Recreational is NOT legal in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana or Wyoming. You get the picture.

I guess I have never thought Donita ‘Noem’ Trump was the smartest knife in the drawer, but I also didn’t think she was a total idiot, until I heard her make this statement;

“I believe if we move ahead with industrial hemp and we aren’t prepared with it from a regulatory standpoint, from an enforcement standpoint, if we don’t have the equipment and dollars to do this correctly, we will be opening the door to allowing marijuana to be legalized in the state of South Dakota,” Noem said.

Industrial Hemp isn’t the gateway to legalizing recreational pot. Never has been. Two completely different industries, not only in the products they provide but how it is grown.

“The plant looks exactly like a marijuana plant because it’s exactly the same plant as a marijuana plant,” Noem said.

Lesmeister disputed Noem’s claim, saying that they’re two separate plants and “standing in a field, there’s a vast difference.”

Why would any farmer in SD want to risk losing their entire farm over a rotational crop by sneaking in illegal cannabis? It’s ignorant. First off if the plants were hidden in the field, they would be overpowered by the industrial hemp, and secondly, and more importantly, the plant that contains THC, has to be grown in a greenhouse. You could plant it outside, but your results wouldn’t be something you would want to sell. If you have ever seen a grow house you would realize that it is a very delicate plant that has to be watered properly, lighted properly, special organic fertilizers and hand pruned to make it a viable crop to sell. Industrial hemp is pretty much planted and harvested (outside), that’s it. I’m amazed that someone who calls herself a farmer and sat on the ag committee knows very little about a crop that actually built our nation. Even Ellis agrees with me;

We can debate the pros and cons of marijuana legalization another day, but let’s first dispense with the asinine argument that hemp and marijuana are the same.

Well, we choose the hills we want to die on. Noem has chosen hemp.

Like I said in my first post about this, Kristi, grow a brain. It makes you wonder what she has been smoking?

There are many stories circulating about the initiatives and referendums ‘circulating’ the state, but one seems to be standing out. I am hearing that ‘recreational’ marijuana is doing very well.

I have also personally opined that if rec gets on the ballot, it will pass. I wouldn’t even be surprised if it gets as high as 56% of the vote.

Besides the fact that people who smoke or have no problem with people who smoke voting for the initiative, there are many who don’t want to go through a prescription process to get the pain relief they need from a natural occurring drug. So who else would vote for rec use? Educators would get a dedicated 40% in revenue from the sale of the product. That could easily infuse over $20 million in the first year. There is also all the savings in law enforcement and incarceration, which should make police and state’s attorneys across our state very happy.

The only argument recently gaining steam against legal rec is ‘drug’ driving. Guess what, drinking and driving will still kill more people each year than any other kind of drug use. That and whether or not you are legally smoking and purchasing marijuana or not, just like drinking and driving, making it a legal product doesn’t change whether people will drive while using it.

Of course our last hurdle will be if our state legislature and AG will let this legally be put on the ballot, and if it passes, let it become state law. Like IM 22, if they override this, it would quite possibly be one of the stupidest things they have ever done (I know, where do we begin on that list).

Unlike Marsy’s Law and IM 22, the legislature, the citizens, the business community, and law enforcement best get ready, legal rec marijuana could be a stark reality next Fall in SD, instead of meddling with it or f’ing up this opportunity, let’s embrace it.

Damn right it would! And I suspect most of that tax revenue would come from out of state. Think about it. If South Dakota legalizes Recreational, we would be surrounded by 6 states that do not have it legalized. I actually think the state could easily raise $30-40 million in tax revenue in the first year. Of course our closed minded legislators (mostly Republican) don’t have a clue, just read this ridiculous quote from our Speaker of the House;

“Never. Absolutely not,” said South Dakota House Speaker Mark Mickelson, R-Sioux Falls. “Tax yourself for something you need, don’t tax someone else for their path to destruction.”

So I’m guessing next year Mr. Mickelson will be proposing removing taxes from alcohol, or even better yet making us a dry state to end it’s ‘destruction’ of our state. Hey, go a step further and get rid of video lottery also. Only Republicans think that it is okay to tax food, clothes and energy costs instead of a cash cow like REC marijuana. I think if this makes the ballot, it will pass by 56%. As a person who follows politics, I will say that REC marijuana is used by all stripes, Dems, Indies and Republicans. I also think that it HAS to pass by a good margin, otherwise our legislature will be making moves to overturn it. Just look at IM22. It’s time South Dakota moves into the 21st century and approves this important measure, that would improve education and save tax payers millions in legal costs.