Oregon, DC Say Yes To Pot, Florida Says No To Medical Marijuana

The legal status of marijuana was decided by voters in several U.S. states and cities Tuesday, with mixed results.

Oregon, the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana in the 1970s, voted yes to Measure 9i1 to legalize recreational marijuana, something voters narrowly rejected in 2012, KGW reported Tuesday. Under the measure, Oregonians 21 and older will be able to possess and smoke pot starting July 1, 2015. With 68 of the vote counted, the proposition was leading with 54 percent.

Voters in the nation’s capital, where medical marijuana use is already permitted, also passed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in the District of Columbia with a 65 percent in favor, according to NPR.

Meanwhile, the vote to legalize pot for medical use fell short in Florida, with only 57 percent in favor, NPR reported Tuesday. The Sunshine State required at least 60 percent of the vote to pass the legislation.

Alaskans also voted on Ballot Measure 2, which -- if passed -- would allow people over age of 21 to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and six plants in their home. It would also make possessing, manufacturing and selling marijuana paraphernalia legal. Inconsistent polling makes the outcome of the vote a toss-up. Polling in America’s largest state is notoriously difficult and the handful of polls that did ask about Ballot Measure 2 found conflicting results. Much like in the hotly contested Alaska Senate race, results aren’t expected for at least a few days while election officials gather and count votes.

Eighteen states have already decriminalized marijuana and 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized pot for medical use. Colorado and Washington were the first states to pass laws in favor of recreational marijuana in 2012.