Wyoming cities (also known as Cody) host marijuana legalization events

Cody joins five other Wyoming cities by hosting events to determine the future of medical and recreational marijuana by voting rather than bills.

Oil City News reports that the Libertarian Party of Wyoming has partnered with Compassionate Options Wyoming. Your goal? Decriminalize marijuana in the state of Wyoming.

Specifically, the groups hold events to collect signatures for petitions from the Wyoming Secretary of State. If successful, medical and recreational marijuana legalization would be put to the vote in the 2022 or 2024 general election.

Recent efforts to legalize marijuana have failed in the Wyoming legislature, so the next step is a public vote rather than a bill.

During the 2021 legislative session, House Bill 82 (medical marijuana implementation requirements) and HB 209 (full marijuana regulation) were not considered by the State House of Representatives’ full committee.

House Bill 209 tried to legalize the drug within limits. However, ownership would be limited to adults age 21 and older, and any home-grown marijuana would only be used for personal consumption.

If passed, this could generate significant revenue for the state. For example, during the 2021 legislative session, the Wyoming Legislative Service Office found that marijuana could generate nearly $ 49.5 million each year.

The Libertarian Party of Wyoming lists marijuana legalization as one of its positions. It also calls for an end to the failed “war on drugs” initiated by the federal government in 1971 during the Nixon administration.

Compassionate Options Wyoming plans to legalize medical marijuana as a treatment option for people with terminal diseases.

The signature window for the petition is 18 months. During this time, the groups must collect over 41,000 signatures for the petition to become an electoral initiative.

Events are held in the following locations in six Wyoming cities, including Cody:

• Evanston – Hamblin Park, 190 Bear River Drive, Evanston, September 11th 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Rawlins – The Grindz, 509 W Cedar St., Rawlins, September 10th, 5:30 pm-10:00pm
• Riverton – Rendezvous at the Riverwalk, Riverton Fairgrounds, September 11th 10:00 am-3:00pm
• Green River – Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson, 440 Uinta Drive, Green River, September 10-11, 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Cody – City Park, 908 Sheridan Ave., Sept. 11, 11:00 a.m.
• Cheyenne – Elevate Studios, 1408A E 13th St., September 10th, 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM
• Casper – Washington Park, Shelter 2, 951 S Jefferson St., Sept. 11, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.