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N.D. (AP) – North Dakota voters are likely to have a chance this fall to decide whether they should allow people to use marijuana for pain relief.

Backers of medical marijuana turned in petitions with about 20,000 signatures to Secretary of State Al Jaeger’s office on Monday.

The measure needs only about 13,500 names to qualify for the November ballot.

Dave Schwartz of Fargo is campaign director for the medical marijuana proposal. He says it would help people with cancer, stress disorder and other debilitating illnesses.

Schwartz says the measure calls for strict regulation of marijuana use and says it is not a way just to help people get high.

Jaeger has about a month to review the petitions and decide whether they are sufficient to put on the ballot.