Schwarzenegger Reduces Charge for Marijuana Possession

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday signed into law a bill that reduces the charge for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction.

Upon signing the bill, however, Schwarzenegger took the opportunity to reiterate his opposition to Proposition 19, the measure that would legalize the growth, possession and distribution of marijuana in California.

The new law does not change the penalties for possession. Currently, carrying up to an ounce of marijuana is punishable by a fine of up to $100; no jail time or probation can be ordered. One key difference, however, is that until now a defendant has been entitled to a jury trial and a defense attorney. By downgrading possession to an infraction, that will no longer be the case.

"In this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, and the courts cannot afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket," Schwarzenegger wrote in a signing statement.

The new rules go into effect in California January 1, 2011.

Randy Thomasson, president of saveCalifornia.com, decried the new law, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"This virtual legalization of marijuana definitely sends the wrong message to teenagers and young adults," Thomasson said. "It invites youth to become addicted to mind-altering pot because there's not much hassle and no public stigma and no rehab if they're caught."

On the other side of the debate, Dale Gieringer, director of California NORML, said the measure will save the state millions.

"Gov. Schwarzenegger deserves credit for sparing the state's taxpayers the cost of prosecuting minor pot offenders," Gieringer said in a statement. "Californians increasingly recognize that the war on marijuana is a waste of law enforcement resources."

State officials have determined that legalizing and regulating marijuana could generate up to $1.4 billion in tax revenues for California, a figure proponents of Prop. 19 often tout as a reason to support the measure. The impact the specific ballot measure could have on state revenues is less clear, since it would allow municipalities to enact their own regulations, but the California Legislative Analyst's Office said in an analysis it could generate "hundreds of millions" for the state.

Schwarzenegger said in his statement, however, that Prop. 19 "is a deeply flawed measure that, if passed, will adversely impact California's businesses without bringing in the tax revenues to the state promised by its proponents."

A poll released by the Public Policy Institute of California on Wednesday showed Californians now support Prop. 19 overall 52 percent to 41 percent.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Marijuana Nation

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Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[dmgoedde]

BIG LOGIC PROBLEM HERE FOLKS:

Cannabis would still be illegal under this bill and you can't grow your own. Thus, all Arnold has done is give an economic stimulus to the CARTELS. WAY TO GO. The problem from violence and gangs will be even worse now.

Prop 19 removes the illegality and will crush the cartles. I personally doubt the US Feds (Obama) will alienate the young voters that put him in office by suing CA over prop 19 when it passes.

The actual outcome of Arnold signing this is that prop 19 MUST pass now, otherwise cartels will grow stronger.

[ihatechico]

Yeah, that would be tight!

[magnumdr]

If pot becomes legal in California will the pot smokers be allowed to smoke in places that cigarette smokers can't. How about driving a car when they are high or opperating any machinery. Think about that!

[documemts]

California marijuana laws: "Your terminated f---er!"

[auto117584]

Kansas 1946 is correct. The government, which serves corporations and banks and the super-rich ruling elite, has always lied to the people on issues that impact corporations. If everyone were stoned, there wouldn't be much work getting done. That's a fact, haha. Everyone would be happy as hell, but the corporations wouldn't be making any money, and that's the bottom line. So, the puppets (politicians) do as they are told, and make pot out to be a great evil. They say it's addictive (it's not), it leads to hard drugs (it doesn't), and people will die left and right (they won't). The fact is, it's impossible to OD on pot (unless a government "doctor" injects into your veins a pound and a half of concentrated THC tar. Then you'd die because it would clog your heart valves.) Don't listen to anything the government says, they're on the payroll of the super-rich, and they are all about mind control. We would have to have some honesty about pot if we're going to legalize it. There are some effects, none of which I consider dangerous, but they have to be considered. As a personal aside, a tidbit of information, when I have been really really stoned, and driving a car... I naturally slow down to handle the sensory input. I don't stop paying attention. In fact, I think I'm a better driver when stoned, because I am INTO it. haha. My two cents. Toke on!

[Rodeo_Joe]

I guess I'll take my vacation THIS year in California, and check out the Redwood Forest, or Yosemite. Their beaches are are scenic, too.

Very Nice - 3 cheers for the Terminator.

[lucymercer]

In the days of Prohibition, only the churches and the criminals supported keeping alcohol illegal. The churches did it to save souls, the criminals did it so they could, and did, make millions selling illegal whiskey. That's where Al Capone and countless other bootleggers made their fortunes. Same deal today. How long would drug cartels last if marijuana were legalized? About 30 seconds.
Have we learned anything from this? Apparently not.
Hegel was right when he said, "The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history."

[MikeCoruscant]

Just legalize it. 1) Cigarettes are extremely bad for you, they are legal to purchase and smoking kills people. 2) Alcohol is bad for you (It's a poison to your brain.) is legal and alcohol kills people. 3) If marijuana was legal, many younger people would lose interest, corporations would make lots of money, there would be government standards for quality, the government would make a lot of money on taxes, we'd free up people in jail who are not criminals, it would save the government money by not having these people in jail. 4) Just because it's legal doesn't mean people are going to now run out and buy it. I have never smoked and I don't drink. Yet I can purchase cigarettes and alcohol one block in either direction of where I live.

[Lisafirestarter]

NO on 19. It adds criminal penalties that don't exist today and gives the cities too much power over your rights. It also adds criminal penalties for use in front of your own kids. CPS can come in and take away your kids if prop 19 passes. It should be just as legal as alcohol. How many parents drink in front of their kids.

This is the debate Richard Lee doesn't want you to see. He refused to debate if Lanette Davies was on the panel. He had her kicked off at the International Hemp Expo Sept. 25, before he took the stage.

When a man is afraid of democratic discourse there is something wrong. This is what the No people were ticked off about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttu0xxpLIVg

[ihatechico]

Can I just give you $100 now and you just leave me alone?