Marijuana has blazed its way onto this fall’s California ballot once again, and this time it may pull through.
According to the state Legislative Analyst’s office, marijuana legalization could solve a lot of problems Californian’s face today. Strict regulation of recreational plants and an abundance of tax money for the counties. It sounds too good to be true, and Butte County residents are highly opinionated on the matter.
“I don’t know why we haven’t legalized this shit yet,” said Eric Price, a marijuana farmer who lives in Orland. Price has been growing for years and takes pride in his greenery.
“I don’t care if they limit a few of my plants,” he said. “That’s not the point. The point is that we’ve been worrying this to much, for too long. Marijuana is medication, even if it’s also being used recreationally.”
Proposition 64 is going to be known as the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (“the Adult Use of Marijuana Act”). If voters approve it in November, adults 21+ in California will be able to purchase and cultivate small amounts of marijuana.
In 1996 Proposition 215 was the first proposed pot legalization to appear on the ballot in California. It legalized the purchase of marijuana prescribed by a physician for medical reasons. It was approved 55.58 to 44.42 percent.
Today, the plant is currently legal for medical reasons but illegal to use recreationally. Although people under the age of 18 are easily able to buy the drug on the black market but unregulated. This also means that our state is currently missing out on millions of tax dollars. Under the proposed ballot measure, the state government plans to use these millions of dollars to cover the costs of administering this new law and follow through with necessary training to execute the legislation.
Some of the expected tax revenue will be used to protect. Schools would be alloted tax dollars to ensure that students are getting updated resources to educate them on drug abuse. The act would also not prohibit marijuana businesses from being located within 600 feet of schools and other areas where children congregate. And it mandates that marijuana and marijuana products cannot be advertised or marketed towards children.
It would also set mandatory and strict packaging and labeling requirements for marijuana and marijuana products. And it mandates that marijuana and marijuana products cannot be advertised or marketed towards children.
McCall Smith, 22, is a recent graduate of Chico State. She plans to continue her teaching career in Chico and is an advocate of the Adult of Use of Marijuana Act.
“As a smoker, pot smoker, and a teacher of young children, I understand the concern of kids wanting to smoke at a young age. That’s why we need these programs,” she said.
Smith said she believes high school programs need to accept that teenagers are going to have an urge to smoke weed, if it’s illegal or not. She said strong reform in the drug education system will be needed if marijuana becomes legal in the state. California will have restricted designated areas where no marijuana use will be allowed near K-12 schools.
Prop 64 would also require minors who commit unlawful marijuana related crimes will be required to go through a drug reform class and do community service.
What will happen to the medical marijuana?
On the opposing side, some organizations believe that Prop 64 will ruin medical marijuana patients’ rights.
An anti-legalization group, the Weedly Times, believes that it is going to be much harder to get a medical marijuana card than it is now under Prop 215. They argue that marijuana should be used for medical purposes only and that it is pointless to legalize another drug when there is already so much drug use in the state.
“It’s… shameful,” writes Vivian McPeak, patient advocate and executive director of Seattle Hempfest, “especially when our nation… is in the midst of a deadly opioid drug overdose epidemic. These… senseless, money-grab policies will cost lives and cause suffering.”
If the act passes, patients who have been growing their own weed for years will be forced to purchase slightly higher taxed plants. This could possibly hinder the health of patients who have been dependent on cannabis.
Journalist Casey Jaywork compares this situation to that of Washington’s recent legalization of recreational cannabis.
“Washington state’s vote to legalize recreational marijuana… was also the beginning of the end of the state’s medical-marijuana culture," he wrote. "Prop 64 would does not protect patients. In fact, evidence suggests that it will put the state’s most vulnerable patients at risk.”
Green ballots
The proposition needs a 60 percent yes to pass. Many state leaders believe that higher taxed marijuana could force buyers to go back to the black market. Others believe that we shouldn’t allow weed to be a “major cash cow of California.” But according to California journalist Robin Abcarian, the pro-pot voters are taking the lead.
“The latest polls show that more than 60 percent of likely voters favor legalization,” says Abacarian of the Los Angeles Times. “And according to government filings, pro-Prop 64 interests have contributed $6.5 million to passing the measure; opponents have raised $185,870. Yeah, I know. Probably safe to start firing up those old bongs.”