On Tuesday, voters in North Dakota decided against the legalization of recreational cannabis.

The measure, listed as Initiative Measure 5 on the ballot, was turned down by 52.5% of voters, according to the Associated Press, which reported the results shortly after 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

If passed, the initiative would have established a new section in North Dakota law that would have permitted the following:

• The cultivation, processing, sale of marijuana, and the possession and use of different cannabis products by adults aged 21 and over
• The creation of a state agency to oversee and register recreational cannabis producers, dispensaries, and their representatives
• Legal protections for adults 21 and older who consume cannabis
• Penalties for breaching the new regulations
• Maintain certain rights for employers concerning employee cannabis use
• Override local laws that ban the purchasing, selling, using, delivering, or growing of cannabis for those 21 and older
• Ensure that administrative fees are allocated for the management of the new regulations

Overview of the anticipated financial outcomes

The projected financial implications of the new regulations included estimated revenues of $10,227,600 and expenditures of $8,324,275, along with additional undisclosed costs related to behavioral health and social consequences, according to the North Dakota Secretary of State.

The state established its medical marijuana program in 2017.