As California struggles to find cash, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday it's time to study whether to legalize and tax marijuana for recreational use.
The Republican governor did not support legalization – and the federal government still bans marijuana use – but advocates hailed the fact that Schwarzenegger endorsed studying a once-taboo political subject.
"Well, I think it's not time for (legalization), but I think it's time for a debate," Schwarzenegger said. "I think all of those ideas of creating extra revenues, I'm always for an open debate on it. And I think we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs, what effect did it have on those countries?"
Schwarzenegger was at a fire safety event in Davis when he answered a question about a recent Field Poll showing 56 percent of registered voters support legalizing and taxing marijuana to raise revenue for cash-strapped California. Voters in 1996 authorized marijuana for medical purposes.
Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, has written legislation to allow the legal sale of marijuana to adults 21 years and older for recreational use. His Assembly Bill 390 would charge cannibis wholesalers initial and annual flat fees, while retailers would pay $50 per ounce to the state.
The proposal would ban cannibis near schools and prohibit smoking marijuana in public places.
marijuana legalization would raise an estimated $1.34 billion annually in tax revenue, according to a February estimate by the Board of Equalization. That amount could be offset by a reduction in cigarette or alcohol sales if consumers use marijuana as a substitute.
Besides raising additional tax revenue, the state could save money on law enforcement costs, Ammiano believes. But he shelved the bill until next year because it remains controversial in the Capitol, according to his spokesman, Quintin Mecke.
"We're certainly in full agreement with the governor," Mecke said. "I think it's a great opportunity. I think he's also being very realistic about understanding sort of the overall context, not only economically but otherwise."
Schwarzenegger previously has shown a casual attitude toward marijuana. He was filmed smoking a joint in the 1977 film, "Pumping Iron." And he told the British version of GQ in 2007, "That is not a drug. It's a leaf." Spokesman Aaron McLear downplayed the governor's comment as a joke at the time.
Even if California were to legalize marijuana, the state would hit a roadblock with the federal government, which prohibits its use. Ammiano hopes for a shift in federal policy, but President Barack Obama said in March he doesn't think legalization is a good strategy.
Any study would find plenty of arguments, judging by responses Tuesday.
Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, said he's open to a study, but he remains opposed to legalization. He warned that society could bear significant burdens. He downplayed enforcement and incarceration savings because he believes drug courts are already effective in removing low-level offenders from the system.
"Studies have shown there is impairment with marijuana use," DeVore said. "People can get paranoid, can lose some of their initiative to work, and we don't live in some idealized libertarian society where every person is responsible completely to himself. We live in a society where the cost of your poor decisions are borne by your fellow taxpayers."
But Bruce Mirken of the marijuana Policy Project said studies show alcohol has worse effects on users than marijuana in terms of addiction and long-term effects. His group believes marijuana should be regulated and taxed just like alcoholic beverages.
"There are reams of scientific data that show marijuana is less harmful than alcohol," Mirken said. "Just look at the brain of an alcoholic. In an autopsy, you wouldn't need a microscope to see the damage. marijuana doesn't do anything like that."
Schwarzenegger said he would like to see results from Europe as part of a study.
The Austrian parliament last year authorized cultivation of medical marijuana. But Schwarzenegger talked with a police officer in his hometown of Graz and found the liberalization was not fully supported, McLear said.
"It could very well be that everyone is happy with that decision and then we could move to that," Schwarzenegger said. "If not, we shouldn't do it. But just because of raising revenues … we have to be careful not to make mistakes at the same time."

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I'll keep my money, my freedom, and my guns and you can keep the "Change"

its getting better slowly

great information, thank you for sharing!

If all politicians were as open as he is...im not saying just legalize. Im saying open to the suggestion...a lot more people would be ok with not having legal access...At the moment it seems like the govt say fuck you to us when we ask for legalization...He said ill look at the facts and let you know. We all know if they look at REAL facts it will be legalized..good job Arnold!

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My Journal - 400w Multi-Strain
---Prot3us1`

Who would have thought I might have to move to the states for political asylum.
Topsy turvey i tells ya.

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My "Journal" When do I harvest? a no bullshit approach.

i think arnold is really in favor of legalizing - but, he can't just say 'give the people the air' and expect everyone to agree right away.. he wants a fair debate where the truth can come out and make people reconsider if they have believed the lies.. then we can publicly support AB390 without it being so controversial and maybe have legal pot in 2011..

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I bet you Arnold smokes!!

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"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power" P. J. O'Rourke

yea arnold is the man i just hope other politicians take notes and maybe they will all realize that legalization would really help out our country in these tough times

I was just about to post this same story. I think this is great. We just all need to get together and convince the rest of society that marijuana should be legal, and that it's not like all the other "drugs" out there. It should be treated just as e treat alchohol! Alchohol is far more harmful than weed will ever be! The only problem I think is going to convince the Feds. THey REALLY look down on marijuana and DO NOT approve what-so-ever. That is what I trip out so much on. I have been smoking MJ for about 4 years now and I never thought it would be legal. Recently a couple of my buddies got there CA medical MJ cards and told me how to get one, so I did. I always knoew there were these "clinics" but never gave it too much thought. and its a fuckin TRIP!! I mean theres literally marijuana shops/clinics/caregivers on like every corner. You walk in, buy your meds and walk out..Like its nothing! and its 100% legal. Not to mention some of the clubs where you walk in and everyones just chillin cheefin'. Especially the one in Venice, it's pretty dope! right on the beach.. It tripped me out at first. But anyways I just dont see how even medical marijuana can be legal in california when federally its not. but hey...whatever!

So yea, If California legalized mj completely that would be awesome. But in order to do so I think twe have to convince the feds as well. I dont know...guess we'll see what happens. They just need to legalize it nationally already. everybody smokes anyways and it would save a lot of money "busting" marijuana users and open a lot of spots in prisons for people who really deserve it.

Treat it like alchohol!

On another note, I never thought we'd have a black president but we do.. hell, maybe legal marijuana could be in the near future.. I think we should make a sheet of paper that has marijuana facts good and bad, and pass them out!!