"There is no ballot initiative process [in Tennessee] and lawmakers in the state haven’t listened to voters. Almost half of the states in the country have processes where citizens can collect signatures and put issues on the ballot," said Karen O'Keefe, MPP's director of state policies.

"I think the lack of a time period between medical and adult use will work in our favor and minimize the risk of conflict we've seen in other states," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.

"We will see I think movement in South Carolina this year and I’m hoping that we will also see the beginnings of a concerted effort in North Carolina as well," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.

"The bottom line is we are seeing voters across the political spectrum support cannabis reform," said Chris Lindsey, MPP's director of government relations.

"This historic set of victories will place even greater pressure on Congress to address the glaring and untenable conflicts between state and federal laws when it comes to cannabis legalization."

"New Jersey legalized it, but so did deep-red South Dakota and Montana. It shows that regardless of political ideology or party differences, American support cannabis legalization," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.

"Americans across the country have embraced the idea that marijuana legalization is the policy decision that best serves the interests of public health, public safety, and, most importantly, justice," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.

"A few years ago, nobody would have predicted that South Dakota would legalize marijuana before New York. But that’s the power of the ballot initiative process," said Matthew Schweich, MPP's deputy director.

"With the passage of these initiatives, one-third of the population now lives in jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis for adult use, and 70% of all states have embraced cannabis for medical use. The federal government is out of step with a clear national trend toward legalization," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.

"This is a great day for New Jersey. After years of political inaction, voters have definitively approved marijuana legalization," said Steve Hawkins, MPP's executive director.