latimes.com Measure to legalize marijuana will be on California's November ballot Supporters of the initiative collected well more than the 433,971 signatures needed for it to go before voters in the fall, again putting the state at the forefront of the nation's drug debate. By John Hoeffel
March 25, 2010
An initiative to legalize marijuana and allow it to be sold and taxed will appear on the November ballot, state election officials announced Wednesday, triggering what will probably be a much-watched campaign that once again puts California on the forefront of the nation's debate over whether to soften drug laws.
The number of valid signatures reported by Los Angeles County, submitted minutes before Wednesday's 5 p.m. deadline, put the measure well beyond the 433,971 it needed to be certified. Supporters turned in 694,248 signatures, collecting them in every county except Alpine. County election officials estimated that 523,531 were valid.
The measure's main advocate, Richard Lee, an Oakland marijuana entrepreneur, savored the chance to press his case with voters that the state's decades-old ban on marijuana is a failed policy.
"We're one step closer to ending cannabis prohibition and the unjust laws that lock people up for cannabis while alcohol is not only sold openly but advertised on television to kids every day," he said.
Lee, tapping $1.3 million from his businesses, has put together a highly organized campaign that he emphasized Wednesday would be led by a team of experienced political consultants, including Chris Lehane, a veteran operative who has worked in the White House and on presidential campaigns.
"There's all kinds of big professional politicos who are coming on board now to take it to the next level," Lee said.
Opponents have also started to put together their campaign. "There's going to be a very broad coalition opposing this that will include law enforcement," said John Lovell, a Sacramento lobbyist who represents the California Police Chiefs Assn. and other law enforcement groups. "We'll educate people as to what this measure really entails."
The measure, like the medical marijuana initiative, could put California on a collision course with the federal government. The possession and sale of marijuana remain a federal crime.
This month, President Obama's drug czar, R. Gil Kerlikowske, decried legalization in a speech to police chiefs in San Jose.
The initiative would allow adults 21 or older to possess up to an ounce for personal use.
Possession of an ounce or less has been a misdemeanor with a $100 fine since 1975, when Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, who was then governor, signed a law that reduced tough marijuana penalties that had allowed judges to impose 10-year sentences.
Legalization supporters note that misdemeanor arrests have risen dramatically in California in the last two decades. The initiative would also allow adults to grow up to 25 square feet of marijuana per residence or parcel.
But the measure, known as the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act, goes further, allowing cities and counties to adopt ordinances that would authorize the cultivation, transportation and sale of marijuana, which could be taxed to raise revenue.
Supporters hope this feature will win over voters watching local governments jettison employees and programs in the midst of a severe budget crisis.
Three other marijuana legalization initiatives have been floated this year but are not expected to qualify for the ballot. One failed, one was withdrawn and one remains active.
Lovell said that the initiative would lead to increased marijuana use, cause the same kind of social ills as alcohol and tobacco and put more demands on law enforcement. He said voters are distressed by the medical marijuana law. "Neighborhoods feel very uncomfortable with these locations that have a lot of dope and a lot of cash," he said.
Lee countered that the state's experience with medical marijuana shows "the sky didn't fall." He said the measure would allow police to focus on serious crime, undercut Mexican drug cartels and make it harder for teenagers to buy marijuana.
Underscoring the importance the backing of law enforcement will play, Lee's campaign on Wednesday highlighted the support of retired Orange County Superior Court Judge James P. Gray, a former L.A. County deputy sheriff and Torrance police officer.
With polls showing that a slim majority of voters support legalization, the legalization campaign will be trying to appeal to a slice of undecided voters who are mostly mothers. "It's always easier for people to say no than to say yes for an initiative," said Mark Baldassare, the pollster for the Public Policy Institute of California.
Lee hopes to raise as much as $20 million. He will probably be able to tap a handful of wealthy advocates who have supported efforts to relax drug laws, including multibillionaire investor George Soros and George Zimmer, founder of the Men's Wearhouse. Zimmer has donated at least $20,000.
Lovell said he expected to raise less than his opponents but would have enough to get his message out.
-------------------- Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise. Posts: 3827 | From: beautiful California | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
interestingly, passage of this would be the flip side of the coin on the State AG's suing the Feds over health care.
a few years back the Suprem Court ruled that the Feds could trump medical marijuana laws based on the right to "control interstate commerce". theoretically CA couldn't garantee that their medical marijuana wouldn't trickle into other states...
what one must ask oneself, is why did it take a constitutional amendment to ban alcohol, but not to ban pot.
seems like the teaparty, wanting less govt interference and to restrict the general overbearing attitude of the Feds, should back this bill and repeal of federal pot laws.
i wonder if a 50$ per plant tax nationawide wouldn't balnce the budget real quick.
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
$20, maybe...$50 seems a lil "high"--they also should include provisions barring Monsanto et al from being able to enter the game: certified-organic, small operations only...
quote:Originally posted by T e x: $20, maybe...$50 seems a lil "high"--they also should include provisions barring Monsanto et al from being able to enter the game: certified-organic, small operations only...
well, i dunno what a plant is worth, however i do know that the cheaper you make it the more plants there will be. i hear figures like 1000$ to 5000$ per plant thrown around. th emore plants the lower the price, and that's not exaclty what we want.
make tags like we have for deer, make the fine 5 grand per plant or six months in county (picking up trash and cleaning the storm drains) per plant over 12 inches w/o a tag.
it would be easy to limit total ownership to 100 plants to keep it an "entepreneurship" type of business...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Cost would drop anyway, as current law acts as a "subsidy." But there would be plenty of margin remaining for the top-end boyz re: capital outlay for hydro equipment. Doubt limiting totals would be anymore effective than they are now. But you could limit registration such that big corp.s can't open 10 gillion "subsidiaries," with five acres each.
posted
legalizing weed.....I guess that would be "cool" but not what we need.
-------------------- It isn't so much that liberals are ignorant. It's just that they know so many things that aren't so. Posts: 6949 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by glassman: where does the Govt. derive it's right to ban it tho? it's not in the constitution.
they have no more right to ban it than they do to force people to get health care.
they began to control it by taxing it in 1937 and moved on from there.
Same govt that can tell you what kind of toilet you have to have in your home, or what your kids are allowed to eat in school
Posts: 6949 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Glassman could get a lot of business making glass pieces for stoners in cali
-------------------- It isn't so much that liberals are ignorant. It's just that they know so many things that aren't so. Posts: 6949 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by buckstalker: That is one weird video...
it's a scene from very wierd movie by Frank Zappa.
200 Motels is the name of the movie and it is pure insanity.. i got tricked into seeing it at a "midnite madness" movie back in the 70's and that scene stuck with me.
I've never been a big fan of Zappa. The only reason i went was because i had seen a couple of really good midnite madness movies with the same group of freinds that i did enjoy. The Floyd "live at pompei" and the Led Zep movie "the song reamins the same".
i recognise the genius of Zappa, but it' kinda like Pate- no matter how good you make it? it's still liver
and CM is correct,(and not just in CA) making pipes is very profitable for those that do it. It's really odd that someone who has no interest in an Art Peice will pay 500$ to 1000$ for a waterpipe that isn't even very pretty.
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by buckstalker: That is one weird video...
LOL. What do you expect from a guy who named his daughter "Moon Unit"...?
-------------------- One is never completely useless. One can always serve as a bad example. Posts: 2430 | From: CA | Registered: Jun 2005
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