Proposition 205 legalizing marijuana fails in Arizona

Arizona voters on Tuesday rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed the use of marijuana for recreational purposes.

{mosads}Proposition 205 was losing by a 4-point margin with 98 percent of the vote reporting. The Associated Press projected the measure would go down to defeat.

Supporters raised and spent about $5.2 million on Proposition 205. But a coalition of opponents, led by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, spent $5.6 million on advertising warning of the consequences of legalization.

Opponents warned voters that legalizing marijuana, especially edible forms that look like candy bars, would be bad for children. Paid advertisements the campaign against Proposition 205 ran cast a negative light on Colorado, where marijuana has been legal for nearly four years.

Voters in three other states — Washington, Oregon and Alaska — have approved the use of marijuana for recreational purposes since 2012. Ohio rejected a similar measure in 2015.

Voters in Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and California are also deciding whether to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes on Tuesday.