Despite it being a crazy year, Americans can't lose sight of the fact that Election Day is a little over three months away. At stake are 435 seats in the House of Representatives, roughly a third of all seats in the Senate, and, of course, the Oval Office.

But it's an equally important election at the state level. No matter what happens federally, it's unlikely that marijuana's scheduling will be changed anytime soon. This means state-level cannabis legalizations will continue to play a major role in growing the U.S. pot industry.

Marijuana legalization in South Dakota could see daylight in 2020. The state passed measures to legalize both recreational and medical marijuana. Luckily, both of the measures collected the required signatures before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The only issue was if the pandemic didn’t retreat by November, it would be hard for people to vote on the measures. Now that lockdown restrictions have been easing, voting should be possible. So, the fate of legalization in South Dakota lies in voters’ hands.

Marijuana legalization advocates kicked off their campaign on Wednesday to convince South Dakota voters to vote to legalize both medical and recreational marijuana in the November general election, according to a new report by the Associated Press.

To legalize, or not to legalize? That is the question South Dakotans will answer when it comes to marijuana in the state. In November, voters will decide on Constitutional Amendment A and Initiated Measure 26.

The year 2020 was destined to be a banner year for marijuana producers and dispensaries. That is, until COVID-19 reared its ugly head. 

If you’re wondering how COVID-19 is affecting marijuana legislation, you’re not the only one. The reality is that the coronavirus pandemic has, unfortunately, hampered some marijuana legalization efforts in the short term, but it shouldn’t have any long-lasting effects. 

One of the USA’s few remaining hemp holdout states is now very cautiously joining the country’s cannabis revolution.

On Friday, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem signed HB 1008 into law, which is an Act to legalize the growth, production, and transportation of industrial hemp in the state; to make appropriations for funding and to declare an emergency.

The term “declare an emergency” isn’t as ominous as it sounds. It simply means the Act comes into effect immediately.

Marijuana is illegal in South Dakota. However, the state decided to make both recreational and medical marijuana legal this year. South Dakota started its marijuana campaigns to put legalization proposals on the November 2020 ballot. Campaigns have to collect signatures to qualify for the ballot. However, the coronavirus pandemic will probably make it difficult. Now, South Dakota will plan on how to make sure marijuana legalization initiatives pass through in case the pandemic gets worse or isn’t resolved by November.

Legislation that would legalize and regulate hemp in South Dakota has again made it to the Governor’s desk. Perhaps it will have better luck this time around.

It was just over a year ago that another bill that would have allowed industrial hemp to be grown and processed in the state, House Bill 1191, was vetoed by Governor Kristi Noem who said the state wasn’t yet ready for the crop.

Throughout history, cannabis was regulated by federal law on reservations, so it was generally illegal. But after the 2013 Cole Memo, the topic of cannabis on tribal land and how it ties into the tribe’s government autonomy became increasingly prevalent.

What a difference a year makes. In 2019, South Dakota lawmakers passed a bill to legalize industrial hemp, only to see the measure vetoed by the state’s Republican governor. Now, with the governor reversing course, a new hemp bill looks poised to become law.