Toke of the Town
The Push for Cannabis Legalization
Reid Larson, Staff Reporter
rlarson@csumb.edu
A cloud may soon hover over California and many people are welcoming its presence as voters gear up to tackle the issue of legalizing marijuana for adults. The cloud of course may be a breath of fresh air for some on Nov. 2, when the citizens of California will vote as to whether marijuana will remain illegal or be taxed and regulated by each county.
The Tax and Regulate Initiative is the organization on the forefront of the issue having already collected 680,000 signatures supporting the change. Richard Lee, founder of the initiative and successful legal marijuana entrepreneur, is already claiming an “overwhelming victory.” “It was so easy to get them. People were so eager to sign,” Lee told the Los Angeles Times.
The proposal would legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older. Residents could cultivate marijuana gardens up to 25 square feet. City and county governments would determine whether to permit and tax marijuana sales within their boundaries. While Lee has already collected more than 57 percent of the signatures needed in his campaign, county election officials still need to verify and validate each and every one.
Medicinal marijuana has been legal in California with a doctor’s recommendation since 1996 with the passing of Proposition 215 however, by a slim margin, only 56 percent. Since then the Medical Marijuana Program (MMP) has become more widely accepted giving way to thoughts of complete legalization for Californians.
Lee was already successful in his attempt to have medicinal cannabis taxed in his hometown of Oakland. In July of 2009, Measure F passed with 80 percent of participating voters in support of the tax. City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, who helped sponsor the measure, said she hopes it will generate up to $1 million a year for Oakland’s general fund.
Opponents to such measures argue that legalization will lead to higher crime and increased use of marijuana. On the other hand, advocates draw parallels between cannabis prohibition and the negative effects of alcohol prohibition earlier in America’s history.
A 2009 Field Poll found that 56 percent of Californians support legalization typically citing the poor economy. Both major republican candidates for California governor — the former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman and the insurance commissioner, Steve Poizner — have said they oppose the bill.
A similar attempt was made at legalization in California in 1972 (Proposition 19) but was not passed. While marijuana is still illegal under federal law, many argue that the federal government has no grounds to prosecute Californians if they do in fact pass the initiative.
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