Marijuana Legalization Could be put to California Voters

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Domestic Issues

(CBS/AP)

Advocates for legalizing and taxing marijuana in California say they have gathered enough signatures to put the issue to voters.

A message on the Web site of the Tax and Regulate Initiative says advocates have the signatures to get the question of giving local governments the authority to legalize and tax marijuana onto the 2010 ballot.

Richard Lee, the primary backer of the effort, tells the San Francisco Chronicle that more than 680,000 signatures have been gathered, far more than the necessary 433,971. It reportedly cost $1 million to gather the signatures over two months, and the drive was overseen by a professional firm.

Lee is the owner of Oakland's Oaksterdam University and Coffeeshop Blue Sky, a pair of marijuana-related businesses. His campaign is planning to submit the signatures for verification to the California Secretary of State next month, with the aim of seeing the issue on the ballot next November.

A Gallup poll in October found that 44 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization, and a CBS News poll in July put that figure at 41 percent. Among Californians, according to a recent Field Poll, support for legalization stands at 56 percent.

Advocates for legalizing marijuana in California argue that doing so – and taxing the drug – will generate much-needed revenue for the cash-strapped state, potentially in excess of $1 billion per year. The state is now facing a $22 billion budget deficit. Advocates also say that legalizing the drug will help put an end to what they consider the unnecessary arrest of hundreds of thousands of non-violent marijuana users nationwide each year.

President Obama, who has been asked about the issue more than once, says he believes marijuana legalization is not "a good strategy to grow our economy."

According to the Associated Press, the ballot proposal in California would legalize possession of marijuana up to one ounce for Californians age 21 and older. State residents could also cultivate small marijuana gardens, and local governments would decide whether or not to allow sales of the drug in their area.

It also reportedly calls for increased penalties for giving marijuana to a minor and prohibits smoking it in public or possessing it on school grounds.

California already allows medical marijuana use.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by judgegeorge August 17, 2010 1:39 AM EDT: I have always been against POT users in general and I have never used drugs in my life but I now have come to terms with the idea of making pot legal It really wouldn't hurt anyone its not already hurting and it would really give California a massive jump over other states economically and it could help more people prevent from losing there homes by creating more state jobs. I am seeing all of my friends suffer terribly due to the fact there is no economy at the bottom (small businesses) My values have shifted from concerning myself with other persons and there activities and values to My own survival and I believe I am not the only one.
I feel the same way about gambling now, There are Indian casinos everywhere! wouldn't it be nice if a registered and regulated store, sport bar etc could have say 2 or three slots etc it might save his business and spread the gambling money spent in a casino to more small businesses in California in turn help more families.
I am aware there are many problems that will stem from all these ideas, but that's where heavy regulations come into play on equipment and licensees there again causing more jobs to arise like special equipment added at the manufacturing level to allow the state to monitor the statistics and intake of the machines at a state facility and creating more jobs for different purposes, I am fairly sure POT and gambling will some day be legal here in California anyway, but it could save our economy if done much sooner.
Are personal and individual life values more important than our own survival? that's a really big sacrifice for Californians.
What are Your thoughts on all of these topics?
Thanks; Reply to this comment


by dp63 January 5, 2010 8:08 PM EST: Thank you for reporting this. Although the latest polls that came in over a week ago suggest the number is closer to 52-53%, when asked outright which drugs should be legalized.

Why is the trend moving up so fast, so quickly? I wonder whether those numbers will hold, or even move up more. It seems like more people are discussing the possibilities than ever. When presented fully with both sides of the argument (legalization vs. prohibition of cannabis), genuinely open-monded people see much more scientific, relevant and compelling data on the side of the legalization advocates. Simply put, weed ain't that bad for you, and most people know it, even if some might not like to admit it.

Hardcore prohibitionists, if they were honest, would say "We don't like pot, but we do like the fact we can use these laws against you. We can keep in mind the interests of the pharmecuticals, liquor industry, chemical companies, textile companies, private prison industry, lawyers, municipalities(etc. etc.). We also like that we can use these laws to control, arrest and imprison young minority males, becoming unemployable outcasts of our society, unable to get loans for college or getting hired by any mainstream company. Likely to get arrested and processed again, these young men are fodder, oiling our legal machinery, where so much money and so many jobs are created. We like arming our local police to the hilt with SWAT weaponry, we love breaking in doors and pointing automatic weapons and people's heads, terrifying them. We love the power this government has over it's people, and we will do anything or say anything to continue our unholy war."

Prohibitionists are haters.; Reply to this comment

by iirishamerican December 22, 2009 7:02 PM EST

0 deaths a year caused by marijuana what a harmful drug, phff HA! I would make asprin ileagal bafore marijuana. How absurd I don't even know why we are talking about this still, not to mention all the harmful leagal drugs there are that would be put out of business because people could use marijuana instead of all these phony legal addictive drugs that may cause blindness, trouble breathing, blood circulation problems, heart attack, swelling of the hands and feet,testicular cancer, skin rash, diarea, headaches, and my favorite sideffect of many of these legal drugs, death. If you should experience death call a doctor immedietly, sh** I would be depressed after I took one of those too! marijuana sideffects include laughter, relaxed, calm, easygoing, and sometimes a tendency to raid the fridge. so like I said why are we still talking about this. LEGALIZE IT ALREADY!

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by sbelknap01 December 25, 2009 2:57 PM EST: You're fun - but it really is a serious issue, so let me bend your ear a bit - my hubby has chronic severe pain, and uses some pretty nasty prescription drugs just to stay ok. His doctor tells us that legalized marijuana could allow him to reduce them and extend both life and comfort. Because his condition is so severe, using illegal pot isn't an option - it's effectiveness cannot be predicted and obtaining it is not safely predictable. Most doctors will tell you the same thing - IF you can assure them that their friendly Pharma representatives aren't listening. LEGALIZE IT ALREADY!


by iirishamerican December 22, 2009 6:46 PM EST: another thing cidaia alcohol is much worse than pot kills thousands every year same with all these so called legal drugs kills thousands every year. marijuana deaths=00 just because some politician in a suit and tie says it's not allowed doesn't make it rite. not to mention all the money that would be saved, not made but saved in non-violent people behind bars that would be sent home, all these foolish expensive marijuana stings that are set up. on and on and on; Reply to this comment


by iirishamerican December 22, 2009 6:37 PM EST: You can also grow tobacco, the cigarette industry makes tons of money, you can brew your own beer too. I don't know anyone with tobacco plants in their back yards or anyone that is brewing beer in their basements do you? Didn't think so.; Reply to this comment

by cidaia December 22, 2009 11:48 AM EST

Tax what people grow themselves? How you gonna do that?

If the goal is revenue, you'd do better to simply levy a fine to anyone caught possessing the stuff.

Of course the real goal is pleasure-seeking. And to that end it has become acceptable, even fashionable, to lie and pretend that pot is somehow safe and harmless - an argument based solely on the fact that liquor, which is harmful, is permitted "therefore two wrongs make a right".

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by MatterofLiberty December 22, 2009 5:39 PM EST: Tax the growers with a "Personal Growers License" yearly $100 fee and each plant with Cannabis Tags. Kind of like deer tags during hunting season. $10 a tag or something. That'll make a LOT more revenue than what they do off the 3% of whats confiscated each year currently.


by AttentionDeficit December 23, 2009 6:47 AM EST: I don't know that anyone is claiming that pot is completely harmless. The law as it is now protects the pushers of the more dangerous "wrong" through the threat of criminal prosecution of those engaging in the lesser "wrong". The effect of this is implied government sanction of the one the causes far greater harm

by Ajax151 December 17, 2009 10:51 AM EST

May I also add that I see nothing wrong with taxing the stuff up to $50/oz, which one of the *other* California initiatives wants to do. That's a tax of $1.75/gram, or $0.88 per joint. Unless it is *really* inferior ditchweed, it would still be significantly cheaper than it is now! The black market would still be undercut and upended. It could also be taxed based on potency, like liquor (but strangely not beer) currently is.

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by AttentionDeficit December 17, 2009 12:24 PM EST: Why not allow people to grow their own legally? Perhaps a $200 fee per year to be able to do so


by MatterofLiberty December 18, 2009 12:57 AM EST: I agree and If the DEA/FDA were smart they would see the inevitability of relegalization of cannabis and add another $1.00 per gram tax to their own coffers as well. DEA/FDA/ONDCP if your listening Regulated,Restricted,Taxed Cannabis for adults over 21 will keep your jobs financialy secure and you can create a distinction between Cannabis & Hard Drugs and continue gowing after the later. Your only getting 3% of the drug profits now by siezure dont you think you would make more by getting a little piece of ALL Cannabis sold?


by AttentionDeficit December 16, 2009 3:20 PM EST: I wonder why my comment was taken off.; Reply to this comment

by Horatio_IV December 15, 2009 8:19 PM EST

There is a terrible Catch 22 factor in this law. You can only possess 1 oz. yet you can grow your own. The problem is that any simple indoor grow setup will produce plant yields of around a pound each depending on the strain. A large outdoor strain may yield several times that. Instant violation. The possession limit on private property is a bad joke.

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