Governor Burgum has historically expressed opposition to broader, adult-use marijuana legalization. He did not make any public statements in 2019 to indicate that he has changed this position.

"Republican Gov. Doug Burgum supports decriminalization at the state level, his spokesman Mike Nowatzki said" 

Governor Burgum signed several marijuana-related bills into law in 2019. House Bill 1050 reduced penalties for activities specific to the possession of one-half ounce of marijuana or the possession of marijuana-related paraphernalia. House Bill 1283, House Bill 1417, and House Bill 1283 expanded patients’ access to medical cannabis. Additionally, with the support of the Governor’s office, state officials enacted new procedures in 2019 permitting those with low-level marijuana possession convictions to seek unconditional pardons. (Link)(Link)(Link)(Link)

"These pardons are consistent with our recent efforts with the Legislature to reduce the penalties for low-level marijuana offenses and eliminate barriers to employment created by often distant past offenses, as well as with our approach of treating addiction like the disease that it is," Burgum said. "By removing the stigma of these minor offenses, we can offer individuals a second chance at a successful, healthy and productive life and help address our state's workforce shortage." (1/17/20)

Governor Burgum said that he opposed a 2018 ballot initiative that sought to legalize the adult use of marijuana, stating that he is against the “full, unfettered legalization of recreational marijuana.” (8/14/18)

2017: Asked by a reporter whether he had ever smoked marijuana, Burgum said he did while hitchhiking to Alaska in the summer of 1976…. "Everybody that picks you up when you're hitchhiking to Alaska in 1976 generally wants to share some company and share some other things while you're driving." (4/13/17) 

Burgum said the so-called war on drugs has been ineffective, citing societal costs.
"Simultaneously, while we're taking a step forward here around legalizing medical marijuana in our state, we also have to take a hard look at ourselves as a society and say what are the real costs of addiction and what can we do to try to prevent the tragedies that often come with addiction," he said. (4/13/17)