It's On! :)

[boaz]

California Initiative to Control and Tax Cannabis Qualifies for November Ballot

March 24, 2010

Law Enforcement Leaders Announce Support

Sacramento, CA â?? The California Secretary of State today announced that the Initiative to Control and Tax cannabis has qualified for the November ballot. Reflecting the Initiativeâ??s broad and diverse support, the Secretary of State revealed that vastly more than enough signatures were submitted from voters from across the state in near-record time.

The news was hailed by a number of veteran law enforcement officials across California. â??As a retired Orange County Judge, I've been on the front lines of the drug war for three decades, and I know from experience that the current approach is simply not working,â?� said Retired Superior Court Judge James P. Gray. â??Controlling marijuana with regulations similar to those currently in place for alcohol will put street drug dealers and organized crime out of business.â?�

â??The Control and Tax Initiative is a welcome change for law enforcement in California,â?� said Kyle Kazan, a retired Torrance Police Officer. â??It will allow police to get back to work fighting violent crime.â?�

Jeffrey Studdard, a former Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff, emphasized the significant controls created by the Control and Tax Initiative to safely and responsibly regulate cannabis. â??The initiative will toughen penalties for providing marijuana to minors, ban possession at schools and prohibit public consumption,â?� Studdard said.

(For more on the public safety benefits of the Initiative, please see Tax Cannabis 2010)

Similar to the current regulation of alcohol and tobacco, the Initiative will give local governments the ability to control and tax the sale of small amounts of cannabis to adults age 21 and older. The Initiative includes significant safeguards and controls: it will increase the penalty for providing marijuana to a minor, expressly prohibit the consumption of marijuana in public, forbid smoking marijuana while minors are present, and ban possession on school grounds.

http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/ini...4_amdt_1-s.pdf

Studies by the Board of Equalization and the Legislative Analyst Office show that the Initiative will generate billions of dollars in revenue to fund schools and public safety. Several recent polls have shown the Initiative has the support of a majority of California voters.

Californiaâ??s tax regulator, the Board of Equalization, which currently collects alcohol and tobacco taxes, estimates that cannabis taxes could generate $1.4 billion in revenue each year, available to fund schools, law enforcement, and other critical needs.

www.boe.ca.gov/legdiv/pdf/ab0390-1dw.pdf

The California Legislative Analyst's Office, which provides nonpartisan fiscal and policy advice, states that in addition to generating new tax revenue, the Initiative would allow correctional and law enforcement resources to be redirected to more pressing needs. The LAO says that in addition to generating â??a few hundred millions of dollars annuallyâ?� it could also save â??several tens of millions of dollars annuallyâ?� and permit the â??redirection of court and law enforcement resources.â?�

2009 Initiative Analysis: The Tax, Regulate, and Control Cannabis Act of 2010

(For more on the fiscal benefits of the Initiative, please see:
Tax Cannabis 2010)

Multiple polls show that a majority of California voters support controlling and taxing cannabis. Californiaâ??s widely-respected Field Poll revealed that 56% of voters support the Initiative.

http://field.com/fieldpollonline/sub...rs/Rls2306.pdf

Private research conducted by the campaign has confirmed the Field Pollâ??s data showing majority support for the Initiative. Additionally, the campaignâ??s research revealed that 80% of voters believe Californiaâ??s current laws criminalizing cannabis have failed, 69% of voters were more likely to support the Initiative when they learned that it â??will not allow cannabis to be sold to minors or near schools,â?� and 68% are more likely to support it when they hear that it will â??take business away from street dealers, breaking their hold on our neighborhoods.â?�

boaz Reviewed by boaz on 03-25-2010. It's On! :) California Initiative to Control and Tax Cannabis Qualifies for November Ballot March 24, 2010 Law Enforcement Leaders Announce Support Sacramento, CA â?? The California Secretary of State today announced that the Initiative to Control and Tax cannabis has qualified for the November ballot. Reflecting the Initiativeâ??s broad and diverse support, the Secretary of State revealed that vastly more than enough signatures were submitted from voters from across the state in near-record Rating: 5

[stra8outtaWeed]

finally...some common sense! great post Boaz!:thumbsup:

[killerweed420]

It will be interesting to see how big of a mess government will make out of this. I'd rather see complete legalization.

[moody420]

It will be interesting to see how big of a mess government will make out of this. I'd rather see complete legalization.

I totally feel you on that one! Anytime our govt. gets involved things get fucked up. But if this is what we have to do in order to have less worries, then i am ok with it. It will be a HUGE step for California and the United States. Many other states will follow in our footsteps if we make this happen. It is very exciting for someone like me who has smoked pot some some 15+....also being a med patient. To take it from "kind of legal" for MMJ to actually being able to smoke with friends who aren't MMJ patients and not fear being arrested....well, that sounds good to me!

Imagine that....pot being legal! let's all cross our fingers! :jointsmile:

[boaz]

It will be interesting to see how big of a mess government will make out of this. ...

no doubt. :jointsmile: but at least it will be local gov't and not sac.

[leadmagnet]

Personally I think it is all bullshit. It's my opinion that it is a violation of our civil rights for ANY government entity to prohibit us from using cannabis or any other drug for that matter.