recreational legalization is coming

Gavin Newsom will be putting an initiative on the ballot for 2016 legalizing recreational use in California. With his support, this is guaranteed to pass. Recreational legalization is coming to Cali in 2016!

http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_24332588/marijuana-legalization-lt-gov-gavin-newsom-chair-aclu

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom will head the American Civil Liberties Union's new panel studying marijuana legalization in California, with an eye toward drafting a measure for 2016's presidential-year ballot.
"Enough's enough. I can't sit back and support the status quo any longer," Newsom said in a telephone interview Thursday, citing the high prison and police costs associated with marijuana enforcement that disproportionately affects minority communities. "I don't want to be the guy giving the speeches after I'm gone about what we should've and could've done."
Voters in Washington state and Colorado approved legalization measures last year, though California voters rejected one three years ago. The ACLU panel over
Marijuana for sale at the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Clinic, 2010. (Eric Risberg / AP)


the next 18 to 24 months will monitor how Washington and Colorado implement their laws, producing research papers and holding forums across the state for the public and policymakers.Newsom, who said he doesn't smoke marijuana, added that he's unconcerned about any political fallout from taking a stand on the issue.
"To me, it's like smoking anything else -- I want a regulatory regime that doesn't advertise to kids, that doesn't allow public use and secondhand smoke," he said.
Proposition 19, California's legalization measure, was defeated in November 2010 with a 53.5 percent "no" vote. But the ACLU on Thursday rolled out new polling data showing that 65 percent of Californians likely to vote in 2016 support legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana for adults. Among political affiliations, 74 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of independents support such a measure, while Republicans are split -- 47 percent in support, 50 percent opposed.
Majorities across every region of the state support it, from 73 percent in the Bay Area to 58 percent in the more conservative Inland Empire region of Southern California. Support spans ethnic lines as well: Legalization is supported by 74 percent of African-Americans, 69 percent of whites and 53 percent of Latinos. Majorities of both genders and all age groups support it as well.
The poll of 1,200 likely voters was conducted Sept. 26 through Oct. 6 by Tulchin Research. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Newsom said the poll asked about a legalization scheme that included a statewide regulation and taxation, which Proposition 19 lacked. "We owe it to the public to be able to answer as many of those questions as we can before we pass something," he said.
Waiting until 2016, he said, allows time to study the issues while capitalizing on a presidential election's high voter turnout.
One proposed marijuana legalization ballot measure already is circulating for signatures to put it on the November 2014 ballot. And another now awaits its official title and summary before it can start circulating.
Besides Newsom, members of the ACLU panel include Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith; UC Irvine School of Law Dean Erwin Chermerinsky; Alison Holcomb, who managed Washington state's successful legalization ballot measure in 2012; Denver University law professor Sam Kamin, who serves on a task force implementing Colorado's successful 2012 legalization measure; Keith Humphreys, a former senior policy adviser to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy who is now at Stanford University; attorneys from drug-policy reform groups; and two past presidents of the California Society of Addiction Medicine.

I doubt it. Its already been said on many levels that this will ruin is political career.

adower said:

I doubt it. Its already been said on many levels that this will ruin is political career.

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There is no way he'd come out and say he was doing this if he didn't have a plan. It won't ruin his political career at all. Legalization is growing in popularity in all the polls. It's coming. He wants to take credit for it. Once legalization arrives and the world doesn't end, it it almost immediately gain widespread acceptance.

Am I the only one that is against the legalization? I've been reading a ton of articles and trying to follow the Colorado movement. They've been saying taxes up to 51% on marijuana. Why would anyone want that?

The problem they will have with taxing cannabis compared to alcohol and tobacco is that there is already a thriving underground distribution system set up right now. Really, I could go set up a still in the woods and sell alcohol or grow tobacco and sell cigarettes but its pretty likely no one is going to buy them. But if weed prices get ridiculous because of the taxes people will just go back to buying from dealers. If the government was smart about it they would set up loooow tax rates on cannabis and offer fair prices, then as time goes on and it becomes common to buy from a dispensary and it would seem weird to buy from some guy growing in his basement they could start raising up the taxes to make their money off of it

Ain't gonna happen in California. Most likely a way for that dumb fuck to pad his pockets with money that will come his way from starting this. We all know how this works. Every one is already saying fuck this guy. Fucking crooks...

adower said:

Am I the only one that is against the legalization? I've been reading a ton of articles and trying to follow the Colorado movement. They've been saying taxes up to 51% on marijuana. Why would anyone want that?

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Well you can legally grow your own then if that's the case.

Everyone should support legalization. Do it for our people in prison and the ones who will go to prison if we don't get it.

Yes there will be taxes but it's a small price to pay for being a step closer to ending the drug war.

a mongo frog said:

Ain't gonna happen in California. Most likely a way for that dumb fuck to pad his pockets with money that will come his way from starting this. We all know how this works. Every one is already saying fuck this guy. Fucking crooks...

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It won't pad his pockets. It will pad his resume. Newsom is doing this because he knows legalization is inevitable and he's trying to take the credit for something that is going to happen soon enough anyways.

Newsom is a future presidential prospect. He will run for governor soon. Guys like that don't back ballot initiatives unless they are certain they will pass. It's going to happen, bank on it.

I want a place in life where pissing dirty for weed won't end a career . I don't want to go to jail for growing depending if the cop that day feels like taking me.

I hope it's sooner them 2016 .

B.B.V.C. said:

The problem they will have with taxing cannabis compared to alcohol and tobacco is that there is already a thriving underground distribution system set up right now.

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There was one for alcohol during prohibition too. Most people now buy their alcohol in stores though.

But if weed prices get ridiculous because of the taxes people will just go back to buying from dealers.

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Which should become easier for dealers and growers if we have legalization. "I smell marijuana" will no longer be probable cause to perform police searches so even dealing and black market growing will be easier

If the government was smart about it they would set up loooow tax rates on cannabis and offer fair prices, then as time goes on and it becomes common to buy from a dispensary and it would seem weird to buy from some guy growing in his basement they could start raising up the taxes to make their money off of it

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Our politicians are elected by the American people. In a democracy you get the government you deserve. That's why our politicians are stupid. And they probably will overtax it at least at first. Eventually growers will form real lobbyist groups and have enough power to lower those tax rates, but that will take time.

Legalization is NOT all good. It's not perfect. It'll fuck over some people and make others rich. But it'll also bring us more freedom and public acceptance. It'll stop people from going to prison for growing a plant. IMO that should trump all other factors.

I commend Dan for backing it as many along the same lines won't.

TWS said:

I hope it's sooner them 2016 .

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Maybe, but generally they run ballot initiatives like this only during presidential elections. More liberals vote during presidential elections than off year elections. I think running a legalization initiative during a mid term election is a bad idea. Losing these ballot initiatives makes it more difficult to put together a successful one during the next election. With Newsom backing this one it's almost a sure thing. I'd rather wait 2 years for a sure thing rather than gamble on a 50/50 chance sooner.

But it did read there is one in circulation now for 2014 ? how do you stop that. I could wait or pray that nothing goes wrong before 2016 if it was to be a sure thing. We might not need dudes approval this time around. The growers have to want to legalize or how much of the vote do you think they make up ?

TWS said:

I commend Dan for backing it as many along the same lines won't.

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I always back legalization efforts no matter what. Prop 19 would have likely fucked me over if it had passed, but I supported it anyways. I will support this one too even though no details are available yet.

Sometimes the biggest enemy of legalization are people in our community. Voting against legalization because someone thinks it will make their garage grow less profitable is unconscionable IMO. Real people's lives are ruined by prohibition. I will support any step that brings us closer to ending that.

TWS said:

But it did read there is one in circulation now for 2014 ? how do you stop that. I could wait or pray that nothing goes wrong before 2016 if it was to be a sure thing. We might not need dudes approval this time around. The growers have to want to legalize or how much of the vote do you think they make up ?

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Certainly not a majority. The one in circulation now is not well funded, it will not succeed. I think it's unlikely to get on the ballot. Gavin Newsom will bring the full weight of the California democratic party behind his amendment. I think that is necessary for success.

Richard Lee actually had some money behind his ballot initiative. If he couldn't do it, I doubt the people behind the Jack Herer initiative will.

If they do manage to pull it off I will support it, but I think it's unwise to make that attempt.

Nov 2016 is 3 years away ?

TWS said:

Nov 2016 is 3 years away ?

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3 years and 10 days by my count.

in Washington they are using the legalization of recreational marijuana to get rid of the medical marijuana dispensaries....stating it undermines the taxes and sales....better to eliminate the competition...Don't tax our medicines...don't worry we wont ...its no longer medicine anyone over 21 can get some