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Prop 19 Hits 52% in Poll -- California Legalizing Marijuana?

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #652)
Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy

Proposition 19, California's "tax and regulate" marijuana legalization initiative, is winning, according to the latest poll results. A Public Policy Institute of California poll released Thursday had support for Prop 19 at 52%, with 41% opposed and 7% undecided.

Prop 19 would legalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and the cultivation of up to 25 square feet of marijuana by adults over 21. It would also allow counties or municipalities the local option of allowing a taxed and regulated marijuana commerce. It would not affect California's medical marijuana law.

The survey question asked: "Proposition 19 is called the 'Legalizes Marijuana Under California but Not Federal Law. Permits Local Governments to Regulate and Tax Commercial Production, Distribution, and Sale of Marijuana. Initiative Statute.' If the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Proposition 19?"

The survey was conducted by telephone (both land lines and cell phones) with 2,004 adult California residents in English or Spanish. It has a margin of error of +/-3%.

The poll is in line with most recent polls, which show the initiative leading by a few points. It is also noteworthy for showing support levels above 50%, something Prop 19 has had trouble doing in most other polls.

The poll suggests a strong correlation between political affiliation and support or opposition to the initiative. Strong majorities of Democrats (63%) and independents (65%) support the measure, while a strong majority of Republicans (62%) oppose it.

While that correlation has been fairly consistent among recent polls, this poll found a high level of support for Prop 19 among Hispanics (63%) than the other polls, most of which had Hispanic support at under 50%. The poll had support among whites at 50% and didn't ask about blacks, who make up only 6% of the California electorate.

As in other recent polls, majorities in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles area support Prop 19, while a majority in the Central Valley does not. Young adults (70%) support Prop 19, while those over 35 are split.

California may legalize marijuana on November 2. But the vote is going to be close, so if you're a Californian please get to California's polls, and tell everyone you know in California who might support this to do so too.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

April Keith (not verified)

i think that marajuana should be lealized everywhere in the united states... it may be considered a drug by some but i personally know people that have smoked and it has helped them like people with dyslexia it slows down people down enough so they can concentrate on what they are reading and doing it should be legal everywhere

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 5:41pm Permalink
kickback (not verified)

In reply to by April Keith (not verified)

Once the votes are in and counted, prop 19 will pass with 64% of the vote. Watch and see.

Fri, 10/01/2010 - 10:23pm Permalink
Potisgood (not verified)

In reply to by kickback (not verified)

Are you Donnie Darko? 28 days 6 hours 20 minutes

Sun, 10/03/2010 - 2:41pm Permalink
TJLambert (not verified)

In reply to by kickback (not verified)

I'm crossing 100% of my fingers.

Thu, 10/07/2010 - 10:23pm Permalink
no more BS (not verified)

In reply to by kickback (not verified)

its about time, its our right to do whatever we want. who's gonna tell me what i can and cant do with my own body

Tue, 10/12/2010 - 7:28pm Permalink
Ryan (not verified)

In reply to by kickback (not verified)

Marijuana should not be legalized. From what I've read, if it do get legalized, the Federal government will cut future funding to any state that violate its laws. This will pose two perceivable problems. 1.) The Feds will cut funding towards CA for ignoring it's laws. 2.) The current Obama Administration is not moving forward with regulating pot laws but when his administration is over, who is to say that his successors will adhere to the same views as Obama, this will in turn run the chance of DEA agents going full force on pot smokers and giving them a record.

Lastly, if pot were to be legalized and then un-legalized, how will the CA government make up for the loss revenues that they have been receiving from pot smokers? The lost revenues will have to come from somewhere and our system is already broken.

It's true that legalizing will indeed create jobs, both in the private sector and in the government sector but it's like putting money into one hand and giving it out on the other. Tax revenues will go towards more regulations, more policing, more administrating, more paper pushers to monitor the ins and out of this policy. Where do you thing the money comes from to regulate these "pot regulations"?

The system is broken and we should focus on fixing the problem and not just throw money at it. If government wish to fix a problem by just taxing its citizen, who is to say that when new and upcoming problems comes along, the government will not try to tax their citizen again on something that we all currently enjoy freely? Today is taxing marijuana, tomorrow you might be taxed for driving your car because it emits carbon dioxide (CO2) and have to pay a carbon tax. You might say that my argument is a slippy slop but just take into consideration that although history doesn't repeats itself, one must remember that it often rhymes.

There are MANY more arguments that I can give for the cons of this bill but the arguments will be too many and the time to writing down will be too vast. Please vote no on prop 19 and demand a BETTER BILL "FOR THE PEOPLE". NO TAX.
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 10:47pm Permalink
Alfredo Parra (not verified)

In reply to by Ryan (not verified)

I belive the opinion of this person is similar to the opinion of many people that know nothing at all of this plant, they only repeat what the media states on the war on drugs, worse this people really belive this plant is bad for the regular people, THEY ARE WRONG, this plant is wonderful and has many medicine effects that make it one of the best plnats in th world, there are so many benefits that people dont know, I belive it should be legal in the world and more it should be protected from this chicken head politicians. Please say YES to prop 19 and you will do a big good for many many people, also there is a lot of people living a true hell in the country jails just because they were smoking pot, they are together with all kind of criminals, this should stop, I don't want my son to go to jail just because he was smoking weed with some friends and end up in jail. I dont want the establishment to take people property and destroy families just because they had a weed plant in their garden. This acts are extremely bag and is the empire of unjustice. The politicians that made this laws against pot should go to jail because they gave a lot of pain to many people. Please Legalize it.

Wed, 10/20/2010 - 5:25pm Permalink
Ryan (not verified)

In reply to by Alfredo Parra (not verified)

To "Alfredo Parra". Let me clean up your argument and structure it without all of the bullsh*ts and unbacked opinions.

------------------------------------------------------------

Alfredo Parra: "this plant is wonderful and has many medicine effects that make it one of the best plnats in th world, there are so many benefits that people dont know,"

Counter argument: How is this plant wonderful? What are the medicinal benefits? I bet you don't even know why it's good because you don't use it for medicinal purposes. Have you even read any of the scientific literatures for and against marijuana? Looks like you're the one talking out of your @ss.

------------------------------------------------------------

Alfredo Parra: "I don't want my son to go to jail just because he was smoking weed with some friends and end up in jail."

Counter argument: Correction. Your son will not go to jail. He will only get a fine for possession; that's what happed to me, The only way your son will be arrested is when he is caught with holding an ounce or more of marijuana, which is the average amount a person would have if he were to engage in resale. Note: this dose not apply to people with "medicinal marijuana" papers from their doctor.

------------------------------------------------------------
Alfredo Parra:"I dont want the establishment to take people property and destroy families just because they had a weed plant in their garden."

Counter argument: Whether the federal government engage in asset forfeiture is beyond prop 19. Passing prop 19 does not protect the people from federal government seizing your property . However, I do understand what point you're trying to make. True... if prop 19 passes, you can grow your own weed for recreational use and whether or not this is right or wrong is a matter of opinion. But again, passing prop 19 dose not preclude you from asset forfeiture.

------------------------------------------------------------

Alfredo Parra: "This acts are extremely bag and is the empire of unjustice. The politicians that made this laws against pot should go to jail because they gave a lot of pain to many people."

Counter argument: Correction. Prop 19 is a true injustice for medical marijuana users. It place taxes on everyone that purchase marijuana, even people that use it for medicinal purposes.

------------------------------------------------------------

Calling me a "chicken head" and then listing empty words along with unfounded opinions will not get you anywhere, it only makes people see you to be a total retard that knows nothing about anything. Where do you get your news from??? Fox? Do you even try to get your news from different sources and then compare the conflicting facts and then do the necessary research to find the truth or does the sh*t you're typing comes out of your mind naturally? You retarded fcuk.

I've been smoking weed for 12 years so don't tell me I don't know weed. Prop 19 is a bad deal. It needs to be RE-written for the people and not for big business.

Fri, 10/22/2010 - 4:48am Permalink
Dr. Feel Goods wife (not verified)

In reply to by TJLambert (not verified)

We couldn't do it 30 years ago. This is our time we make the choices now. For our future and our kids future. EVERY vote counts on this one. Please go out and vote... So i can smoke tree in VA... We really need it over here!!!! PUFF PUFF PASS

Tue, 11/02/2010 - 12:57pm Permalink
Unenforced (not verified)

California can't even properly regulate medical marijuana let alone regulate state-wide legal marijuana.

You know what will happen if Prop 19 is passed?

Either a lot of money is spent on regulation or none will be regulated.

It will end up like the Shopping Cart Law where it is in the books however not enforced.

1. Hundreds  of Thousands of pot users will possess more than 1 ounce (28 g) of marijuana for personal consumption. What will you do to these people? The police has no time to enforce this?

2. Pot users will use marijuana in public places including their cars while driving.

3. Thousands of pot users will grow marijuana at a private residence in a space of more than 25 square feet. The police has no time to enforce this unless a neighbor complains.

4. Pot trafficking from CA state to other states will increase.

5. Thousands of irresponsible Pot smokers are going to smoke in front of their children and the children will inhale the pot smoke. Hundreds of pot smokers will even give marijuana to their children because their minds are altered and doped.

6. Reckless Endangerment due to pot use will hit the roof.

And many more.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 5:51pm Permalink
Michael4200 (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

People get drunk and hit their spouses in front of their children too.  People smoke cigarettes in the presence of children.  What's the difference?  Yes, a lot of people are irresponsible, and if you give them a joint or a beer, they are going to use it in a ill-advised fashion.  I smoke marijuana daily, as I have a doctor's recommendation to do so for my insomnia, and I am still a very responsible and contributing member of society.  I do not smoke marijuana when I operate a vehicle, nor do I smoke it when I am at work or at school.  I only use it when I need to go to sleep, or to enjoy a good movie and relax a bit. 

When it comes to regulation, what do you really mean?  I don't understand when you say that people may have more than one ounce for personal use.  Okay, so some people may have 29 or god forbid 30 grams, 2 whole grams more than an ounce.  They might have 2 or 3 ounces in their possession.  So what?  Does that mean something?  Are they going to be somewhat negatively affected by being in possession of more than one ounce?  You said that they will have more than an ounce on their person for PERSONAL USE.  What's wrong with that if it's personal.  That means that they aren't selling it.  I understand that there may be some unregulated sales of marijuana, but that holds true for alcohol, tobacco, and firearms sales as well.  Go to a gun show, and even if you have a criminal record they will sell you a gun because they DON"T REGULATE SALES.  I don't see you running to control the use of firearms in this country.  Some things just cannot be enforced.  At least the bad elements will be almost completely eliminated from the picture though.  The Mexican cartels won't be able to sell grass to us anymore because it would no longer be economically sound to do so.  So there will be less cartel related violence related to marijuana... 

Okay, so all pot sales won't be taxed.  Not all music downloads are legal.  There is always a criminal element.  There is more criminal element when something is criminalized.  Then it is controlled 100% by the CRIMINALS (Those are bad people who only want to hurt you).  Why don't we let the government control marijuana instead of the cartels.  Then we can study its effects in a controlled environment, we can monitor how many people are actually using marijuana and how often, and what real effects it has on society.  Then we can make more informed judgements instead of spewing hot air into the already overheated atmosphere!

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 6:48pm Permalink
blakeeeeeeee (not verified)

In reply to by Michael4200 (not verified)

you are spot on.

weed isnt going to destroy society... its GAY MARRIAGE THAT WILL RIP THE FABRIC OF EXISTENCE AND DESTROY ALL LIFE ON THE PLANET.

 

there's always an enemy that frightened people need to fight against.  

Tue, 10/05/2010 - 1:55pm Permalink
TJLambert (not verified)

In reply to by blakeeeeeeee (not verified)

Every cult needs their "Great Satan."

And these are people who see enemies everywhere.

Thu, 10/07/2010 - 10:13pm Permalink
not to mention (not verified)

In reply to by Michael4200 (not verified)

And not to mention that the police are already doing that... wasting their time on things they don't have time for... in case you weren't aware of it its illegal to posses UNDER on ounce let alone OVER, and people already grow much more than 25 square feet in their residents... i know people who have entire houses devoted to it... so it may not alleviate the problem but it will help put our resources more where they are needed and not on non-violent pot heads, wasting millions a year!!!!!

Thu, 10/07/2010 - 12:01am Permalink
pothead (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

I can tell you've never smoked. I'm glad you were so quick to pass judgement though because keeping the access to marijuana in the hands of the black market (mafias, thugs, growers that use chemicals) is much safer than regulating the access to it like we do with alcohol. You know when happens to people when you screw around with making alcohol? They die. You sir, are an uneducated fool that's sponged up way too much propaganda that's been spoon fed to you by the media. Have a nice day.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 7:30pm Permalink
Duncan20903 (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

Unenforced, you are seriously misinformed, or purposefully posting bald faced lies to support your agenda. So which is it? Are you stupid or a fraud? No, Californians won't be able to consume cannabis while driving, or after if they're impaired. Prop 19 does not authorize driving while impaired on cannabis. But did you know that highway safety has improved significantly since 1996, right? Of course you ddn't because it's obvious that the truth is not a welcome guest in your home. The menace of cannabis on the highways was one of the know nothings favorite pieces of hysterical rhetoric back in 1996. 14 years later the highways are nothing but safer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your claim that California can't regulate whatever is specious as well as irrelevant. Prop 19 assigns regulation to the cities and counties. How about the idea that it was certain officials in various jurisdictions that **won't** sit down and write reasonable regulations. Oakland and San Francisco worked with the medical cannabis community to come up with fair regulations that have kept those 2 cities from the problems encountered in LA because the Council had its head stuck up its butt for over 2 years. Oakland is increasing its dispensaries by 50%.and setting up huge megagrows to keep patients supplied. The jurisdictions that didn't try to use trickery and deciept to sabotage Prop 215 managed pretty darn well. The jurisdictions run by the Dumanises and Cooleys of the world have had some whoppers.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---"Hundreds  of Thousands of pot users will possess more than 1 ounce (28 g) of marijuana for personal consumption. What will you do to these people?"---

I'll mind my own business and let them mind theirs is what I'll 'do to' them. Why do you care if someone wants to discreetly do whatever in their own homes? Who the hell are you to micromanage the lives of others? Who the hell are you to come into my home and dictate how I should live my life? How about if  I come over to your house and force you to smoke pot?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---"Thousands of pot users will grow marijuana at a private residence in a space of more than 25 square feet. The police has no time to enforce this unless a neighbor complains." ---

Umm, so fucking what? The laws against cannabis are idiotic and wrong. But guess what Clyde, there are already thousands of cannabis growers in California working well over 25 sq feet. Not to mention that Prop 215 will still be the law of the land in California. People who want to grow more than 25 sq feet can already get a Prop 215/SB420 exemption from the idiotic prohibition of cannabis.. Again, I'll mind my business is what I'll do.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---"Pot trafficking from CA state to other states will increase."----

Do you have any basis for that piece of speculation? Of course you don't. I could tell by the smell that you pulled that piece of nonsense out of your ***.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---"Thusands of irresponsible Pot smokers are going to smoke in front of their children and the children will inhale the pot smoke. Hundreds of pot smokers will even give marijuana to their children because their minds are altered and doped"---

Wow, so do you think that people like that are obeying the cannabis laws today? Prop 19 specifically forbids using around children. But what would a piece of hysterical rhetoric from a know nothing be without a 'what about the cheeeel-drens' fallacy. Would that be argumentum ad juvenus?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---"Reckless Endangerment due to pot use will hit the roof."---

It really is annoying that people who have no clue on a subject will post their idiotic opinions as if they knew what they were addressing. Another annoying thing about the know nothings is they seem to be deluded and unaware that there is plenty of pot available right now, on demand. But please, how is it that repealing a fine of $100 will cause all of the know nothing hysteria you claim, while leading to the fall of our civilization?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seriously. You do not have a clue on this subject and are simply gibberring. . Why in the world would you think public policy based on a platform of bald faced lies, half truths, and hysterical rhetoric is a good idea?

Anyway, maybe you ought to consider moving to China or North Korea where you'd be happy. Your days of dictating to others in the US are numbered. You can only fool all of the people some of the time.

Not that I expect the truth to matter a bit to a guy like you, but here's a list of some of the things that are actually part  of Prop 19:

  • 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.

One other thing. We're not going away, and we're not going to quit consuming cannabis. Your only choices are to assign the production, distribution, and quality control to criminal syndicates or licensed, regulated businesses. You don't have the option of cannabis going away.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 8:36pm Permalink
Mr Baldy (not verified)

In reply to by Duncan20903 (not verified)

Amen to everything you write, except I believe it is "BOLD" faced lies. Not "Bald". I have seen you write this 99 times. A bold faced lie is when an idiot is 100% self-deluded (like the no-19 morons) and will stare right at you with a bold and unflinching look on their face as they state the lie, because in their deluded state they truly believe the lie.

Tue, 10/05/2010 - 1:31am Permalink
Rod Flash (not verified)

In reply to by ljm01 (not verified)

In this case I think it's balled face lies. ;-)

Thu, 10/07/2010 - 5:51pm Permalink
Rev. Unruh (not verified)

In reply to by Mr Baldy (not verified)

Like bald eagle, in this case bald means white. 

 

ORIGIN Middle English : probably from a base meaning [white patch,]whence the archaic sense [marked or streaked with white.]

 

I believe it is a comment on a culture that combines two distinct and remarkable features, white skin and lying.

 

If you read Native American literature you will see a lot of commentary on the subject of white people and lying, so I'd guess it is a reference based on our natives experience of our invaders. Funny you missed it.

 

We are still here.

Sun, 10/31/2010 - 6:29am Permalink
The Truth! (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

Listen, what do you think happened when alcohol was taken out of prohibition? People made their own alcohol, sold it, trafficked it, everything takes time. Even with cigarettes, one might argue that "people will grow their own tobacco and sell it, will smoke in public" yet most don't.

Growing a successful marijuana plant takes time and care, so most people won't grow their own, and who cares honestly if they possess more than an ounce or 25 sq feet? You think that we have enough time and money to enforce our CURRENT pot laws?

The facts need to get straight about marijuana and its true effects. Here are some links to articles that should make you think differently about marijuana than what our recent generations have been told about it: http://inventorspot.com/articles/can_pot_cure_cancer_9721

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729_pf.html

Honestly, just google marijuana and you will realize the truth, and why plenty of your arguments are so cliche and untrue.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 9:27pm Permalink
TJLambert (not verified)

In reply to by The Truth! (not verified)

People still run distillery operations, back in the woods, up in the hills. Just like back in prohibition days. It's still illegal to do so. It's still pursued by federal agents. People are still convicted for it. But you never hear about it in the news. You know why? Because it makes really boring news.

More importantly, and almost never mentioned in the debate, is that immediately following the repeal of prohibition, the murder rate sank like a stone.

Sadly, many of the 'anti-' people aren't going to be swayed by the facts or the truth. They, in the words of Nelson Munce, "just like hittin' people in the head."

Thu, 10/07/2010 - 6:43pm Permalink
darkcycle (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

So how is it the police have time to chase people for possession and cultivation now? People drink and drive and drug and drive right now, today, and both are illegal under a separate statute, how will prop 19 change this fact? Every concern you raise is either specious or simply comical. Think B4 you type. 

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 10:56pm Permalink
Anonymous122100 (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

Have you ever taken the time to understand why pot became illegal in the first place?  Well in a nut shell Mr. William Hurst led a propaganda campaign demonizing pot in retaliation to his land being seized by the Mexican Government. These "radical" articles were then used to pass legislation in the Senate.

Pot became an illegal narcotic because of a grudge of a very rich man.

 

Man what could I do if I had that much money?

Fri, 10/01/2010 - 1:38am Permalink
miggz925 (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

your an idiot. you obviously have no knowledge of what marijuana is and how it affects the human body. wake up this is the year 2010.  reefer madness is what millions of people base there beliefs on marijuana about. do some research. you obviously have internet so do some research

Fri, 10/01/2010 - 8:31pm Permalink
luis25 (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

you are so ignorant.  to be honest there has never been a case where marijuana has caused any danger any death or serious actions.  just cause someone smokes pot it doesnt make them stupid! what is the difference from a parent giving there kids weed after prop 19, then parents giving them weed now before prop 19.  i hope parents are smart enough to not do such thing, but honey in reality i doubt there would be much change.  just cause the prop 19 passes doesnt mean that people who now dont smoke will start smoking.  nor will it mean that people that smoke now will smoke more, you still have to pay for it.  and now that it will be taxed you will have to pay more.  just because you dont smoke and are confused about why even weed became illegal in the first place doesnt mean you got to have your panties in a bunch and ruin it for everyone else who has worked so hard on this issue when i doesnt even affect you one bit, you know people will still smoke or not.  i believe that after it becomes legal people will smoke less, cause its not illegal anymore wheres the fun in that.  it would be like oh should i smoke camels or newports oh maybe a joint so i wont have to inhale all the chemicals and rat poison found in most cigarrettes.  what should be illegal is alcohol, now you prob wont agree with that cause you prob a drunk. how bout all the cases of drinking and driving, children die more from a drunk driver than a pot smoker, in fact i dont think ive ever heard of people dying in a car accident because the person was pot smoking.  maybe if you had a family member who really needed medical marijuana you wouldnt think this way.  dont be a hater on an issue that doesnt relate to you how bout you educate yourself in the important issues of marijuana and keep your head out of our kool-aid you dont even know the flavor.
 

Sun, 10/03/2010 - 11:44am Permalink
LokieMcScot (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

"Hundreds of pot smokers will even give marijuana to their children because their minds are altered and doped

 '''''''"""""    """"""""""            ][welll alcohols is legal yet you dont get many posioned children rushed to hospital and if you did it would be due to the parents being incompitent. If someone is stabed, the police don't arrest the knife!! Do they? just another fear mongerer doing there best to control and force

        But no you'r right you should get the police to track down those evil cannabis smokers(!), Its not like some consider the arrest of thives, vioent criminas, sex offenders and murders (unfortunatly to name a few) to be of FAR more importance 

         My advice to you is, to go back and hide in your repubican cave with Goerge W. cause the word is a big scary place with people in it who may want to do things really evil like make responsible decitions, make informed choices and more importantly not agree with you

Sun, 10/10/2010 - 8:16pm Permalink
James Melvin (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

yea,

1: yes there may be a large amount of people who own an oz of pot, and there are some people growing over 25 feet of pot, but police will not have to look for and persicute all the people who are growing and therefore have much more time to spend on other things

2: this will save lives in mexico (20,00 die every year due to drug trafficking, and extremely reduce the amount the govt. spends on reducing drug trafficing (about 61 billon/year)

Tue, 10/12/2010 - 2:50am Permalink
Hollywood Anonymous (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

Yes it will change traffic across state lines. Like cleaner cars.

We are a head of the Nation. Taxes will pay or needed services and regulation overhead will be off set by the savings of cops not having to budget for current laws. Movies, Music, Wine, Cheese and California Kush and Chronic. God I love California.

Replace the need for trees to be cut down with hemp. Hemp grocery bags. Hemp milk containers, hemp water boxes. People will relocate here for good reason.

Wed, 10/13/2010 - 4:26pm Permalink
Rev. Unruh (not verified)

In reply to by Hollywood Anonymous (not verified)

You are right.

 

I was feeling guilty yesterday serving myself some ice cream out of a plastic bucket, when it occurred to me that after we legalize pot, we can start making biodegradable recyclable packaging plastics out of it.

 

We can have plastic products AND save our environment.

 

That was a cherry thought.

Sun, 10/31/2010 - 7:03am Permalink
Anonymous-non … (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

Where do you get these facts from?  I think they are political opinions!  Have you ever heard of someone smoking marijuana and getting in a car and causing an accident and killing some one.  I have not!  Yet every year allot of people die in car accidents because some fool was drunk.  My mom smoked pot when I was young and she never offered it to me "because she was doped up."  You sir or maam are just not informed.   Those are all your own opinion or the opinion of some political machine.  I don't smoke pot but I am going to vote for this prop to be passed because I recognize the millions if not billions of dollars it could bring to california and get this state out of the hole it is currently in.

Thu, 10/14/2010 - 1:45pm Permalink
Anonymous-non … (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

Where do you get these facts from?  I think they are political opinions!  Have you ever heard of someone smoking marijuana and getting in a car and causing an accident and killing some one.  I have not!  Yet every year allot of people die in car accidents because some fool was drunk.  My mom smoked pot when I was young and she never offered it to me "because she was doped up."  You sir or maam are just not informed.   Those are all your own opinion or the opinion of some political machine.  I don't smoke pot but I am going to vote for this prop to be passed because I recognize the millions if not billions of dollars it could bring to california and get this state out of the hole it is currently in.

Thu, 10/14/2010 - 1:46pm Permalink
Ryan (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

I don't know if pot is a gateway drug, but for me, it sure was a primer. I totally agree on the area where you wrote that parents will "smoke" in front of their children and thus introducing them to drugs at a very young age. The logic goes "from a child's perspective" If mom and dad does it, why shouldn't I? Of course as children gets older, they know that their previous logic is faulty but by then it will be too late.

Fri, 10/15/2010 - 9:32pm Permalink
m2036 (not verified)

In reply to by Unenforced (not verified)

#1. So what??????

#2. Less than the amount that drink and drive.....With less risk....See National Hwy  report.....

#3. Absolutely true!!!

#4. They do now...So what???

#5. If you can smoke cigarettes in front of children, what is the evil???I wouldn't concern myself with other peoples children...

#6. A statement similar to....."If the Gays are allowed to marry in Massachusetts,it will destroy Heterosexual marriage."......No evidence just a fear....

Fri, 10/29/2010 - 1:35pm Permalink
Dean (not verified)

Marijuana should have always been legal.  Ridiculous that we play this cat n mouse game with a drug that clearly has medical benefits and is simple victim to mislabeling in its history.  About time we come to reality and make pot legal once and for all.
 

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 5:55pm Permalink
Rev. Unruh (not verified)

In reply to by Dean (not verified)

I found a really insidious reason for it to be illegal. The CIA likes to create split personalities to do their dirty work for them.

 

They create these damaged people by sexually assaulting and otherwise torturing small children, like under the age of three. I heard the only drug not allowed to these child programmed sex slave prostitute drug dealers is pot. Now why is that?

 

And why do so many people who were sexually abused use pot? It is almost like a marker for spotting them.

 

Well I'm guessing the CIA doesn't want pot to be legal because it is so emotionally healing, and for the CIA to do what they do, folks must be seriously traumatized. If pot were legal, mothers at the end of their rope (dealing with a raped child perhaps) might give them some pot to help them cope when they wake up hysterically screaming night after night.

 

It works for adults, but that would interfere with the CIA programming. 

 

Just a thought ...

Sun, 10/31/2010 - 7:26am Permalink

I never thought I'd see the day. The news keeps getting better and better. I am a little worried about the feds though. I hope they don't step on prop 19 if it passes. If this is the will of the people they should honor that. If it passes I guess we will find out just how free we really are in America.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 7:01pm Permalink
AlansK (not verified)

This is good news but for those of use that support legalization we have to continue to point out the flaws in the arguments against it and encourage supporters to actually vote.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 7:32pm Permalink
will (not verified)

Im so excited, finally some good news to be happy about. Hopefully the 7% undecided will vote yes that would bring the YES vote to 59-60% to 40-41% NO

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 9:39pm Permalink
harry canyon (not verified)

i think alot of people are disillussioned about the issue the cartel would set up shop in california and ship east, with many others!  so now we will end up having alot more activity along ca, arz, nev.    as far as the gov. regulating and taxing , i do not believe the taxes will make a  difference  it doesnt matter what you tax if the problem is still there.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 9:43pm Permalink
Duncan20903 (not verified)

In reply to by harry canyon (not verified)

I've got some bad news for you sunshine, the cartels are already producing in California's forest. Back in June CAMP busted 165,000 plants in less than a week which were basically 2 grows. I'd really like to buttonhole the guy that did the 99,000 plant grow. Why the heck did you think you could plant that many plants in one general vicinity? What I really want to know is if they've harvested any of these and actually sold the cannabis. The scale of today's outdoor grows is mind boggling and really is beyond my ken. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---"it doesnt matter what you tax if the problem is still there."---

I get from your post that you believe that if things were different, they'd still be exactly the same. the same. Absurd.

What you don't get is it's the idiotic laws that are the problem, and the proximate cause of all the negatives the know nothings like to blame oln cannabis.. Do you realize that the USA never had a 'drug' problem until after it was criminalized? If you thought is to answer that they must have had a problem or at least some compelling evidence to pass these laws you just need to go back to history class.

C'mon, be real. Do you think the cartels are scared of a $100 fine? Do you harbor some fantasy that the cartels are going to expand their business that brings in billions of dollars 25 square feet at a time? Why in the world would a city or county in California grant a business license to a foreign criminal syndicate when there are tons and tons of talented growers that were born in and live in California.

The entire war on (some) drugs is a complete fraud as well as being a demonstable, epic failure of public policy which has stripped the country of trillions with a T of assets with nothing to show for it except that the cost of todays MADs are lower than when the DEA was created. Adjusted for inflation of course. Now these more economical drugs that we have in this country also have had a significant boost in the average potency. So we have cheaper, more potent drugs. Oh my I almost forgot. These cheaper more potent drugs are also much more available, and available on demand in almost precinct in the country. So cheaper, more potent, more widely available. The government couldn't have fucked this up much worse if fucking everything up was their plan.

Another thing I alost forgot is that the country didn't actually have any money to pay for this boondoggle. Since the DEA was founded this country has never been anywhere remotely close to out of debt, so we're still paying interest on money that was squandered decades ago. Thanks to George W Bush the US isn't going to be out of debt for a long, long time. So we'll still be paying interest on money squandered decades ago for a number of decades into the future.  A baby born on the day the DEA opened and living to a ripe old age will very likely never see a nickle of the principal on this debt created by the prohibitionists folly.

One other thing...let's not forget to thank the idiotic prohibition laws for giving birth to  the bastard progeny of the war on (some) drugs, crack cocaine and crystal meth.  We sure couldn't have lived our lives without those two blessings to mankind. It does help to keep the evening news exciting.

Wow, your guys are doing a heckuva job. A heckuva job.

Thu, 09/30/2010 - 11:30pm Permalink

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