Saturday, September 25, 2010

Legalization of Marijuana



As some may have heard, Proposition 19 is on the ballot for the next general election on November 2nd for the state of California. For those of you who do not know what Prop. 19 entails, I will give an explanation here. Some top California analysts have described the effects that Proposition 19 will have if it happens to pass the vote:


Legalization of personal marijuana-related activities

Persons age 21 and older:
  • May possess up to 1 ounce (28 g) of marijuana for personal consumption.
  • May use marijuana in a non-public place such as a residence or a public establishment licensed for on site marijuana consumption.
  • May grow marijuana at a private residence in a space of up to 25 square feet (2.3 m2) for personal use.

Local government regulation of commercial production and sale

  • Local government may authorize the retail sale of up to 1 ounce of marijuana per transaction, and regulate the hours and location of the business.
  • Local government may authorize larger amounts of marijuana for personal possession and cultivation, or for commercial cultivation, transportation, and sale.
  • Allows for the transportation of marijuana from a licensed premises in one city or county to a licensed premises in another city or county, without regard to local laws of intermediate localities to the contrary.

Imposition and collection of taxes and fees

  • Allows the collection of taxes specifically to allow local governments to raise revenue or to offset any costs associated with marijuana regulation.
Authorization of criminal and civil penalties
  • Maintains existing laws against selling drugs to a minor and driving under the influence.
  • Maintains an employer's right to address consumption of marijuana that affects an employee's job performance.
  • Maintain existing laws against interstate or international transportation of marijuana.
  • Every person 18 years of age or older who hires, employs, or uses a minor in transporting, carrying, selling, giving away marijuana, or knowingly sells or gives away marijuana to someone under the age of 14, shall be imprisoned in state prison for a period of three, five, or seven years.
  • Every person 18 years of age or older who knowingly sells or gives away marijuana to someone older than the age of 14 but younger than 18, shall be imprisoned in the state prison for a period of three, four, or five years.
  • Every person 21 years of age or over who knowingly sells or gives away marijuana to someone older than the age of 18 but younger than 21, shall be imprisoned in county jail for up to six months and fined up to $1,000 per offense.
  • Any person who is licensed, permitted, or authorized to sell marijuana, who knowingly sells or gives away marijuana to someone under the age of 21 results in them being banned from owning, operating, or being employed by a licensed marijuana establishment for one year.
I know this is a real hot-button issue for most. As a resident of California, I personally support this Proposition 100%, as it is extremely easy to obtain medicinal marijuana right now anyway. I see it this way; the government has lost the war on marijuana, and there is absolutely no way they will ever win. They are using police resources inefficiently by targeting a harmless drug, and persecuting harmless users. The police could be better used to target serious offenses such as violent crime. The potential to help the state receive serious amounts of tax revenue from this is astounding as well. I honestly believe that this will really stimulate the economy of California, thus creating a chain reaction throughout the other states and setting a precedent on the legality of marijuana being used as a form of recreation.


Should Cannabis be legalized? Why/why not?
Should it only be legal for medical purposes?
I'd like to know your thoughts on this. 

27 comments:

  1. I will simply put, that the legalization of marijuana is a great thing for California considering the fact that California will make some major profit from all the smokers out there.

    California is taking advantage of the little things obviously.

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  2. Why waste so many resources in stopping the traffic of marijuana when you can actually profit from it?
    Also, it would stop a lot of shady dealing, competing sellers, and gang activity

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  3. I think the legalization of marijuana looks good on paper, but when practiced will fail; I mean America is so used to it being illegal meaning when it is legalized it will be overused causing a whole population of stoners, which of course is bad.

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  4. legalize it and get it over with. (coming from someone who has only smoked it once in his life.)

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  5. I am impressed by your blog

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  6. legalize it because roughly every 30 seconds someone in the U.S. is arrested for possession. It takes about 49,000 to house a prisoner for a year, whereas it takes 15,000 to fund a student in the UC system. Stop putting people in jail and more money to put kids into school so they dont' end up in jail.

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  7. Totally agree. I love the chart that I once saw, it was deaths caused by tobacco and alcohol PER YEAR, and then right next to it, deaths caused by marijuana ever = 0!

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  8. It's gonna be legalized. It's just a matter of time.

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  9. I don't think it will pass, but I smoke on occasion, so I'm still rooting for it.

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  10. Eventually people will come to their senses on this issue.

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  11. Very cool post bro !

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  12. Interesting article I do agree that marijuana should be legalized.

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  13. Keeping weed illegal is a waste of goddamn money, and has put a lot of people in jail who shouldn't be.

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  14. I Dont think it will pass but it would be great if it did.

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  15. followin you, great post, love marijuana

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  16. Amazing post! I was just talking about Prop 19 today to my class.

    +Followed.

    Return the love? :)

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  17. Two main points.

    1. No government should be able to dictate what a person puts in their body, whether it be oral, anal, dermal, nasal, whatever!

    2. If it grows, how in the world could it be legislated?

    If someone wants to put a corn cob up their butt while they smoke a tomato and eat a quiche, should any government interfere with these choices?

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  18. What an awesome blog! I'm going to start following you.

    Thanks!

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  19. woah, good on you cali

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  20. when a government tries to protect individuals from themselves, it becomes a tyranny

    i remember ron paul saying that.

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