Petitioners gathered more than 32,000 signatures to put a medical marijuana referendum on the ballot in Montana this fall. The Montana measure would define and protect medical marijuana users under state law and create a registry of patients with ID cards.

In Oregon, voters will decide on the sequel to 1998's Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. The new initiative would make it easier for patients to get access to medical marijuana and establish dispensaries for growing and distributing the drug.

Alaskan voters have the opportunity in November to order their state to set up a tax-and-regulate system for marijuana, similar to those currently in place for tobacco and alcohol. The measure would only apply to marijuana smokers aged 21 and older. Penalties would remain in place for selling marijuana to minors, driving under the influence, and other related crimes.

Voters in Nevada and Arkansas will not get the chance to change their states' marijuana laws this fall. Citing financial trouble and organizational difficulties, the backers of ballot initiatives in these two states have pulled the plug.

Nevada's secretary of state would not certify an initiative to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana for personal use, saying the petitions were 15,000 signatures short of being eligible. About 20,000 signatures were rejected because they weren't properly signed -- a requirement now being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union.

In Arkansas, the coalition pushing for a medical-marijuana law says it doesn't have enough valid signatures to make the ballot, or enough money to educate voters if the question went before them. Petitioners gathered about 70,000 signatures for the initiative, which would have legalized marijuana use for people with debilitating medical conditions.

Marijuana ballot initiatives are also headed for voters this fall in several cities and towns across the United States.