Marijuana Policy

A radio ad against Proposition 19 paid for by the California Chamber of Commerce's Business PAC depicts a stoned California work force. But, the chamber's claims contradict rules on marijuana in the workplace upheld by the California Supreme Court and federal law. The chamber's warnings of companies being defenseless against stoned workers – and in danger of losing millions of dollars in federal drug-free workplace grants – don't square with a landmark 2008 state Supreme Court decision.

California voters decide today whether to make their state the first to legalize recreational marijuana, drawing worldwide attention atop the 160 ballot measures in 37 states that also included divisive proposals to slash taxes and ban abortion.

California's proposition 19 -- or Prop 19 as most refer to it -- has been in the spotlight this election day 2010, bringing particular attention to marijuana and California. It's not just Californians who are talking, either, as the whole nation seems to have an opinion on the controversial measure that would make the possession and cultivation of marijuana legal in the state. If passed, Prop 19 would also authorize cities and counties to regulate and tax commercial marijuana production and sales.

The Los Angeles Times talks to voters about Proposition 19.

One of the biggest terms being tweeted today is the phrase "Prop 19." Apparrently Twitter is abuzz with the possibility of California legalizing marijuana.

Proposition 19 would allow local governments to tax and regulate its commercial production, distribution and sale. At stake is the potential for "hundreds of millions of dollars annually" in new revenue, according to the ballot language posted on the California Secretary of State’s website. San Jose, the center of Silicon Valley, and at least 10 more cities have measures on their ballots today proposing taxes on pot crops and sales if Proposition 19 passes. Californians consume about 1 million pounds of pot annually, according to the state’s tax administrator, the Board of Equalization.

VoicesAudrey Yeboah is a 52-year-old accountant who lives in the West Adams neighborhood of L.A. She voted "yes" on Proposition 19 and said "I think if they legalize it, then it won't be as appealing to kids...And in the meantime we get paid tax dollars on it."

Age is a major indicator of support for the measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use, according to the first wave of exit polling conducted for The Sacramento Bee and other media outlets by Edison Research.

Proposition 19 would make California the first state to legalize marijuana, and plenty of celebrities have voiced their support.

Lee, the pot entrepreneur behind Oaksterdam University -- and the driving fiscal force behind Proposition 19 -- was decidedly noncommittal when queried about electoral success. "We did a side-by-side robo poll vs. a live one. And the robo showed it winning and the live didn't," he said.