cannabisnews.com: California May Vote on Legalizing Pot
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California May Vote on Legalizing Pot
Posted by CN Staff on March 23, 2010 at 18:41:57 PT
By John Hoeffel
Source: Los Angeles Times
California -- Fourteen years after California decided marijuana could be used as a medicine and ignited a national movement, the state is likely to vote on whether to take another step into the vanguard of drug liberalization: legalizing the controversial weed for fun and profit.On Wednesday, Los Angeles County elections officials must turn in their count of valid signatures collected in the county on a statewide legalization initiative. The number is virtually certain to be enough to qualify the initiative for the November ballot, according to a tally kept by state election officials.
That will once again make California the focal point of the long-stewing argument over marijuana legalization, a debate likely to be a high-dollar brawl between adversaries who believe it could launch or stifle another national trend.The campaign will air issues that have changed little over the years. Proponents will cite the financial and social cost of enforcing pot prohibition and argue that marijuana is not as dangerous and addictive as tobacco or alcohol. Opponents will highlight marijuana-linked crimes, rising teenage use and the harm the weed causes some smokers.But the debate also will play out against a cultural landscape that has changed substantially, with marijuana moving from dark street corners to neon-lit suburban boutiques. In the months since the Obama administration ordered drug agents to lay off dispensaries, hundreds have opened, putting pot within easy reach of most Californians. Whether voters view this de facto legalization with trepidation or equanimity could shape the outcome.The measure's supporters hope that this dynamic will shift the debate, allowing them to persuade voters to replace prohibition with controlled sales that could be taxed to help California's cities and counties."They already accept that it's out there. They want to see a smart strategy," said Chris Lehane, a top strategist for the initiative.But John Lovell, a Sacramento lobbyist for law enforcement groups, said he believes that voters will reject that argument."Why on Earth would you want to add yet another mind-altering substance to the legal array?" he asked.California is not alone in weighing legalization. Several state legislatures have considered bills and two other Western states may vote on initiatives. In Nevada, a measure aimed for 2012 would allow state-licensed pot stores. And a campaign in Washington hopes to put a legalization measure on the fall ballot.The 10-page California initiative would allow anyone 21 or older to possess, share and transport up to an ounce for personal use and to grow up to 25 square feet per residence or parcel. It would allow local governments, but not the state, to authorize the cultivation, transportation and sale of marijuana and to impose taxes to raise revenues.To make the ballot, the measure needs 433,971 valid signatures. By Tuesday, it was just 15,000 short. Los Angeles County, where supporters collected 142,246 signatures, is expected to put it over the top.The initiative's main proponent, Richard Lee, has spent at least $1.3 million, mostly on a professional signature-gathering effort, and has assembled a team of experienced campaign consultants that includes Lehane, a veteran of the Clinton White House.Lee, who owns half a dozen mostly pot-related businesses in Oakland, has said that he hopes to raise as much as $20 million. The last time pot was on the ballot, in 1996, proponents raised $2 million, with most of it from a few wealthy supporters.Lehane said the campaign would have a major Internet component. Marijuana has a devoted following on the Web. When President Obama held an online town hall meeting after his inauguration, he was barraged with questions about legalization."There's the potential to raise significant online resources," he said.Lovell has been assembling a coalition to defeat the measure. He thinks that he will be able to recruit business leaders because the initiative prohibits discrimination against anyone who uses marijuana, unless it affects job performance.Lovell said he is not worried about "the deep pockets on that side." He noted that opponents of Proposition 5, which would have let nonviolent drug offenders avoid prison, defeated it in 2008 despite being outspent."We don't have to match the other side dollar for dollar," he said.In that case, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and four former governors denounced the measure. All the major candidates for governor have shunned the pot initiative, including Democrat Jerry Brown, who as governor signed a law in 1975 that dramatically reduced marijuana penalties.Lehane said the legalization campaign would soon roll out radio ads with former law enforcement officials.Polls have shown that a slim majority of California voters want to legalize marijuana. Both sides will shape their arguments to take aim at the wavering voters in the middle.The measure's supporters say the undecided are primarily women in their 30s and 40s with children.Proponents hope to persuade those voters that it is time for a fresh approach to a drug that is a fact of life in California, where it supports a multibillion-dollar economy. The wisest plan, they argue, is to allow cities and counties to regulate sales and impose taxes to help them escape their budget disasters.Two independent pollsters, Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California and Mark DiCamillo of the Field Poll, said the state's grim financial situation may heighten the measure's appeal."Whether voters are really there, whether they want to legalize marijuana, I would probably tend to say no, but given the drastic state of the budget, I don't know," said DiCamillo, calling the issue a wild card. "The climate may actually help it a bit."Opponents plan to remind voters of the chaos caused by cities and counties struggling with California's medical marijuana law, noting that it had led to the explosive growth in dispensaries in Los Angeles County, where a quarter of the state's voters live."It's going to be a crazy quilt of 500 different marijuana nations," Lovell said.Lehane said the legalization campaign will unveil model ordinances to show voters how it could work and highlight separate state legislation to capture tax revenue from legal sales.The adversaries will also debate the social costs, disputing the effect prohibition has on marijuana use, drug violence and the role of Mexican cartels.Stephen Gutwillig, California director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said he hoped to highlight the increase in misdemeanor marijuana arrests, which tripled between 1990 and 2008."It really is on a scale that we have never seen," he said.Opponents will cite a national survey that found an increase in teenagers trying marijuana last year. And they are emphasizing the danger of drugged drivers. In a recent column, Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks cited a 2007 accident in which a driver high on marijuana crashed into a stopped vehicle, killing its driver and critically injuring a California Highway Patrol officer.Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author: John HoeffelPublished: March 23, 2010Copyright: 2010 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/oX7i15mrCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #24 posted by greenmed on March 24, 2010 at 19:54:39 PT
Had Enough
What you said about auras is so true. They are timeless and ageless. If it is an option I hope you meet that girl again in the near future and have the opportunity to rekindle your friendship further. Pure coincidence is very rare, providence less so.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on March 24, 2010 at 19:03:23 PT
John Tyler
I think I have about every album the Moody Blues ever made. I have about every DVD too.The Moody Blues - I Know You're Out There Somewherehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjImFYf2Vzc
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Comment #22 posted by devohawk on March 24, 2010 at 18:36:07 PT
not original
Something I read before. Education is mind altering, does that make it bad?
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Comment #21 posted by John Tyler on March 24, 2010 at 18:35:53 PT
Re#16
That was a great video. It took me for a stroll down my own memory lane too. I have always been a Moody Blues fan. Their music always says something to me. Thanks to everyone for all of the great MB’s links. I will also have to keep on eye out for the MB's at the Albert Hall DVD.
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on March 24, 2010 at 17:28:39 PT
Had Enough
That is so great. We had a talk with one of our friends not too long ago. Our longtime friends all live in other states. When he was here he talked about all the people he met in his life. He's even done business in Russia. He said the people that were from that time back in the early 70s are the ones that really matter to him. All the rest of the people that have touched his life just aren't quite the same.
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Comment #19 posted by Had Enough on March 24, 2010 at 17:21:12 PT
Video & Pictures of Time
The girl I mentioned was wearing the same aura, as the girl in the video was...I saw it in her face...smile...and her eyes...When I saw the video you posted it seemed so surreal...We talked for about an hour...about a lot of things from the past...the bands I was in...the boat races we went to...the adventures we took on the motorcycle...many other things...We talked for a short while about the present...Not much said about the future...Time waits for no man...************Time - Pink Floydhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntm1YfehK7ULyricshttp://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/pink+floyd/time_20108616.html
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on March 24, 2010 at 16:37:13 PT
Had Enough
That is so very cool. Moments in time can be so special. That's why making good memories are so very important as we go thru our own individual journey of life. We had company from out of state yesterday and the one man was who stood up for us when we got married in 73. We take many trips back down memory lane when we have a chance to be together. We have a couple friends that we have been close to since that time.PS: I love California Dreamin and always did and always will.
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Comment #17 posted by Had Enough on March 24, 2010 at 16:24:27 PT
Thanks...FoM...
Cool...the video made me think of things...past...present...future...About a month ago...I was looking for some old information I needed for a project. I found some old pictures from about 30 yrs ago while I was in California...the pictures zapped me, rocked my boat, and made me do some very heavy thinking...and still is...There was this young girl in the pictures...a small boat I used to race on the circuits...and a motorcycle I used to ride.I saw that same girl that was in the photographs last Saturday afternoon at a gathering type event...We talked for a while...I told her about the pictures...That video coincides perfectly with the pictures...Thanks again...Cool...very cool...************California Dreaminghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0UcQDUR-fU
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on March 24, 2010 at 15:21:39 PT
Had Enough
Here's is a video I really like. The Moody Blues: Wildest Dreamshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmmPFrkuPq0
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on March 24, 2010 at 15:03:17 PT
Had Enough
We bought that DVD and we just love the Moody Blues. Thank you for the song.
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Comment #14 posted by Had Enough on March 24, 2010 at 14:56:13 PT
Questions & Answer addendum #11
Question: John Lovell asked “”"Why on Earth would you want to add yet another mind-altering substance to the legal array?"””Answer: John Lovell, a Sacramento lobbyist for law enforcement groups.************Moody Blues - Question - Royal Albert Hallhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmOZFAYeurY&feature=related
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on March 24, 2010 at 14:17:16 PT
News From The NYT's Blog
Move To Legalize Marijuana in California Sparks Fears About Drop in PricesMarch 23, 2010URL: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/move-to-legalize-marijuana-in-california-sparks-fears-about-drop-in-prices/
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on March 24, 2010 at 13:52:02 PT
Pot Legalization Headed for Nov. Ballot
March 24, 2010Sacramento -- The California Secretary of State is expected today to certify a measure that would ask voters this November whether marijuana should be legalized and regulated for adult recreational use.The ballot measure would mark the second time in nearly 40 years that people in the Golden State would decide the issue of legalization, though the legal framework and cultural attitudes surrounding marijuana have changed significantly the past four decades.URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/24/BADI1CHAMR.DTL
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Comment #11 posted by afterburner on March 24, 2010 at 07:14:07 PT
Safer
"Why on Earth would you want to add yet another mind-altering substance to the legal array?" he [John Lovell, a Sacramento lobbyist for law enforcement groups] asked.Because it's SAFER!
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Comment #10 posted by The GCW on March 23, 2010 at 22:42:42 PT
The only explaination: Evil spirits at work
Study of Studies: Drug Prohibition Key Source of Violence and Crimehttp://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/content/2010/03/23/Study-Studies-Drug-Prohibition-Key-Source-Violence-and-Crime... "Harper admitted that the drug trade leads to "unimaginable violence and intimidation" and "the destruction of social systems, of families, of governmental institutions, the corruption of police forces", and said he was "frustrated by how little impact governments have been able to have on the drug trade internationally."But instead of recognizing the simple fact, repeated in study after study, that drug prohibition creates the illegal market that fuels this violence and corruption, Harper said we should keep pouring millions into a system that doesn't work because "drugs are bad"....-0-Folks, this isn't just a case of the existance of idiots. There is more than that going on. The only explaination is that there are evil spirits. We have proof of evil spirits with the war on cannabis and it is crystal clear.It really is true: the devil made them do it.There is no other logical explaination.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on March 23, 2010 at 21:35:24 PT
Clinton and meeting in Mexico
What I just saw on the news was just more of the same old stuff. Same meaningless double speak. Same financial support of the big drug warrior industry.Some to the effect of "We pledge more cooperation with Mexico in her war against the cartels and we will supply them with more modern technology to fight the cartels." Loosely.. but just about exactly what was said."Wild dogs and local foxes". That is a good analogy.
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Comment #8 posted by John Tyler on March 23, 2010 at 21:13:12 PT
off topic
Hillary Clinton and some other government big wigs are heading down to old Mexico for another Drug War pow wow with the Mexicans. Unless they have some new ideas instead of the “same old same old” stuff nothing will be accomplished, except a lot more money wasted.
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Comment #7 posted by runruff on March 23, 2010 at 21:05:16 PT
As one who appreciates the turn of a good phrase
That was a good one!Mexican dogs or local fox, had a surprise ending for me!lol
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Comment #6 posted by John Tyler on March 23, 2010 at 21:05:07 PT
why cannabis?
"Why on Earth would you want to add yet another mind-altering substance to the legal array?" John Lovell asked. Why, because cannabis is good. It is good for the body, mind and spirit. It is the good. It is in a class by itself. This is just another ignorant prohibitionist argument that arose from their confused thinking. Why do so many people love cannabis? People talk about it and write about it with a special reverence that is not used with any other product. Cannabis is special. The people that use it know it, and those that don’t, don’t know what they are talking about.
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Comment #5 posted by Shielde on March 23, 2010 at 20:49:42 PT
Fox
I was going to make a comment about fox guarding hen house but couldn't think of something to compare the Mexican cartel to in that analogy
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Comment #4 posted by EAH on March 23, 2010 at 20:45:38 PT:
For cryin' out loud!
"Why on Earth would you want to add yet another mind-altering substance to the legal array?" he asked.Legal array? WTF is that? Who gets to draw the arbitrary line and why? Because your whole premise is false. That it was illegal was a baseless fraud
all along. It exists anyway. You think making it illegal will make it go away? That is a fallacy.The opponent lie machine is going to go into high gear. Just like with Health Care. Just like with Prop 8. I hope cannabis advocates put on a better campaign than the no on 8 people did.
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Comment #3 posted by Hope on March 23, 2010 at 20:36:49 PT
"A wild dog or a local fox?"
That's good, Shielde. Very apt.
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Comment #2 posted by Shielde on March 23, 2010 at 19:52:23 PT
Fun
This out to be a fun thing to watch. See if the voice of the people is crushed by the will of the long arm of the law." the initiative prohibits discrimination against anyone who uses marijuana, unless it affects job performance"
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I expect that it allows for persons to be fired if they are actively smoking on the job or on break. What a person does during their own time should be their own issue."Opponents plan to remind voters of the chaos caused by cities and counties struggling with California's medical marijuana law, noting that it had led to the explosive growth in dispensaries in Los Angeles County"
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They want to remind the people that the cities and counties are struggling with unemployment and the explosion of growth of jobs is not good for their jobs.""It's going to be a crazy quilt of 500 different marijuana nations," Lovell said."
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Don't worry if it is ever legalized on a national level then it will become more regulated on national and state level. But until the time it is, we the people will fight for our rights on the lower levels since our elected officials will not listen."The adversaries will also debate the social costs, disputing the effect prohibition has on marijuana use, drug violence and the role of Mexican cartels."
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Ahh the social cost of being looked down upon, and not able to get a decent job once you have a criminal record for something benign, I bet that will not be part of the social cost that the speak of. Will they speak about the violence that they commit to the common man who just wants to be left alone. If you want to get rid of the Mexican cartels then allow our local governments to regulate and run it. After all who do you trust more with your safety, a Mexican cartel or the police (kinda like who do you trust protecting a steak a wild dog or a local fox).
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Comment #1 posted by James Crosby on March 23, 2010 at 19:42:36 PT:
OCTA
Feels like so much bullshit... Just legalize.. Prohibitionists have had their chance for 70 years, and failed. It's time to try our strategy, and legalize it.
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