Kristi Noem (R)
South Dakota
| Took Office | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Term Expires | 2022 |
NORML Grade: F
2019 Enacted Legislation
None
2019 Vetoed Legislation
Governor Noem vetoed legislation that sought to license and regulate commercial hemp production in the state, opining, "There is no question in my mind that normalizing hemp, like legalizing medical marijuana, is part of a larger strategy to undermine enforcement of the drug laws and make legalized marijuana inevitable." (Link)
Comments
Governor Noem has historically opposed all efforts to liberalize marijuana laws in South Dakota, and she recently affirmed her opposition to a pair of 2020 ballot initiatives that seek to legalize and regulate medical cannabis and adult-use marijuana. (Link)
Marijuana is "the gateway drug to getting people more addicted, getting into stronger drugs, then they end up committing crimes, and it just opens the door to bad habits and behaviors that aren’t going to be beneficial." (Link)
"Legalizing industrial hemp weakens drug laws. It hurts law enforcement. It’s a step backward." (Link)