Yet another campaign has submitted signatures for validation for this year’s November ballot. This time, it was the campaign petitioning for the Adult Use of Cannabis Act. At the start of the year, ReformCA and a campaign ran by Sean Parker came together to fight for legalization under one proposition, which, if passed, would make it legal for adults over the age of 21 to possess, transport, and consume marijuana.
It would legalize possession of one ounce and the home cultivation of up to six plants as well as create a licensed market for retail sales in a similar fashion to other states that have already taken this step. However, one thing that those running the campaign are proud of is also including possibly the strictest regulations in the nation aimed at keeping cannabis out of the hands of children.
This week they have officially turned in 600,000 signatures – of which they only need 365,880 to be considered valid in order to make the ballot. Already certain that they have submitted more than enough signatures they have already scheduled an event to celebrate their announcement for this Wednesday in downtown San Francisco. This event will also be their way of kicking off their voter approval campaign that will hopefully help sway some of those on the fence voters.
“I’m excited to be a part of one of the largest coalitions of cannabis and non-cannabis organizations to come together to push this initiative forward,” said Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Assn.
Of course, not everyone can agree with this proposition and the group that formed in 2010 to stop legalization has already begun their spreading of lies, half-truths, and age old propaganda in only the way prohibitionists can. The Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana managed to defeat legalization in 2010 with a 53% vote against the proposition – but recent polls are showing that this time, around 55% of voters are in favor of full legalization.
With endorsements like the Drug Policy Alliance, the Marijuana Policy Project, the California Cannabis Industry Association, the NAACP, NORML and especially the California Medical Association; it is hard to think that this initiative wouldn’t receive a lot of positive attention. They have done well to ensure they’ve covered all sorts of boundaries, created after watching and learning from other states who have already legalized.
One of the biggest fears for some is the fact that when California voted in medical marijuana back in 1996 it was a widely unregulated market. However, with the most recent addition of the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation they appear on the right track to satisfy even the pickiest of voters. Now all that’s left is making sure the voters see all the steps and precautions they have taken, and remind them why and how prohibition has failed and offer the right examples and statistics from other legal marijuana states.
