A measure that would have made South Dakota the 12th state with a medical cannabis law got a support by only 48 percent of voters at the elections on 7 November. This is the first defeat of a medical cannabis measure presented to voters in the United States. Measures that would have legalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis by adults in Colorado and Nevada got support by 40 and 44 percent, respectively.

On the federal level supporters of medical cannabis welcomed the outcome of the elections for the House of Representatives. Nancy Pelosi, the new speaker of the House of Representatives, has been a strong supporter of the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, aimed at ending federal attacks on medical cannabis patients in states where medical use of cannabis is permitted. Many opponents of medical cannabis were defeated and many of the new members of the House are expected to be supporters, among them Stephen Cohen, who introduced medical cannabis legislation as a Tennessee state senator.

(Sources: Associated Press of 9 November 2006, Denver Post of 8 November 2006, press releases of the Marijuana Policy Project and NORML)