Legalization of marijuana in California to be up for voters to decide for first time ever in November (state, federal)
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"This November, days after the 40th anniversary of one of the most bizarre prohibitions in US history, California voters will have the opportunity to decriminalize once and for all the possession and recreational usage of what we now know to be a perfectly harmless, naturally-occurring crop. And right as many are to champion this measure finally making its way to a ballot, there is no cause yet to celebrate. A message war is about to heat up, much as it did in the same state in 2008 over same sex marriage. Hopefully, advocates will have learned two truths by now from last time around: the right will lie unabashedly, and elected Democrats will be largely silent and unhelpful.
Why has smoking something in private been judged a criminal activity? And does pot truly meet the requirements of a Schedule I drug?"
"Of the 1.8 million drug arrests made last year, 750,000 were for nothing more than possession of a small amount of marijuana. That represents more than 40% of all drug arrests.
Most of those arrested aren't immediately handed a lengthy sentence. But they are handcuffed, taken to jail, put into databases of criminal offenders, and often end up spending days, weeks, months and in some cases years behind bars. These arrests produce permanent criminal records that can disqualify people for jobs, housing, schooling and student loans. Those 750,000, I should note, don't include the untold thousands of people on parole and probation for other minor offenses who land in jail because they fail a drug test for marijuana or are caught with a joint."
"Then the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 made possession or transfer of Cannabis illegal in the U.S. except for certain medical and industrial uses, which were heavily taxed. The legislation began a long process of making Cannabis use illegal altogether. Many historians have examined this sorry chapter in American legislative history, and the dubious evidence for Cannabisaddiction and violent behavior used to secure the bill's passage. "Under the Influence: The Disinformation Guide to Drugs" by Preston Peet makes a persuasive case that the Act's real purpose was to quash the hemp industry, making synthetic fibers more valuable for industrialists who owned the patents."
California: Where same-sex marriage is not condoned, but getting high is.
Just a fact. Use it as you wish.
I think the polls were skewed by general apathy from most people who figured that Prop 8 was too ridiculous to pass, and increased voting from church-goers at the insistence from their leaders. If put up to a second vote I'm sure it would be crushed.
Marijuana is exactly like alcohol. Nobody cares if you indulge or not, just don't be DUI.
LOL this is one of my concerns, not you but a bunch of potheads running to Ca. and sucking the economy even drier than it already is. If it passes a new drug test must be developed for the weed so a person can be tested for DUI and on the job testing, current tests will not work.
if weed is legal can you grow it? wheres the tax base on that? How would anyone know your buying it from a legal source or not?
Will the Federal Government just drop it's laws agianst weed for Ca.?
Will you be able to smoke in public? Around children?
Theres a lot of things to be concidered it's just not all good.
Six weeks to go and the government is going into "scare tactic" mode. They continue to lie and distort the truths about marijuana so they can keep making a ton of money at the public's expense. the only people that will come out with the truth about marijuana who worked in the legal system are those who are retired and don't stand to profit from the continued failed war on drugs.
The sad thing is that many uneducated folks fall for these horribly slanted studies and refuse to look at the real research that is being conducted that proves what many know: Marijuana is a non toxic plant that you can't overdose on, has about zero physical addiction issues, is not a gateway drug, and can treat many common ailments with it's usage. It's safer than alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, prescribed medications, and over the counter meds like aspirin. This is coming from a person who does not smoke marijuana.
I'm tired of my tax dollars being used on non violent marijuana users and even more tired of people's lives being ruined so a certain segment can make a ton of cash from it. I hope California voters come out and pass this. I'll be pretty disgusted if it doesn't pass.
"The California Beer & Beverage Distributors is spending money in the state to oppose a marijuana legalization proposition on the ballot in November, according to records filed with the California Secretary of State. The beer sellers are the first competitors of marijuana to officially enter the debate; backers of the initiative are closely watching liquor and wine dealers and the pharmaceutical industry to see if they enter the debate in the remaining weeks. "
"A ballot measure that would legalize marijuana in California won the support Tuesday of the largest union in the state.
Revenue raised by legalizing marijuana could help the state preserve jobs and avoid cuts to health care, home care, education and other services, he added.
Proposition 19 calls for allowing adults to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Local governments could tax its sales."
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