What would be allowed if pot became legal?
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- In November, Californians will head to the polls and decide whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 qualified for the ballot when backers turned in some 700,000 signatures.
Supporters say the proposal will tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. If passed, recreational use of marijuana would be allowed for people over the age of 21.
The initiative would allow those over 21 to "personally possess, process, share or transport not more than one ounce of cannabis, solely for that individual's personal consumption, and not for sale."
Adults could grow marijuana on private property in an area not more than 25 square feet per private residence.
The restrictions under the proposal?
Marijuana could not be used in public places, while operating a vehicle, boat or aircraft, or "consumption that impairs the operator."
Marijuana could also not be smoked in any place where minors are present, and could not be possessed on school grounds.
The initiative would allow cities and counties to tax the sale of marijuana and to regulate its sales. The measure would, if passed, "ensure that if a city decides not to tax and regulate the sale of cannabis, that buying and selling cannabis within that city's limits remain illegal, but that the city's citizens still have the right to possess and consume small amounts ..."
The initiative would further allow that if a city decides it does want to tax and regulate marijuana sales "... that a strictly controlled legal system is implemented to oversee and regulate cultivation, distribution, and sales, and that the city will have control over how and how much cannabis can be bought and sold ..."
Backers say taxing marijuana could bring in billions of dollars every year, which could be used to fund things like roads, schools and health care.
The supporters also say the state now "wastes millions of dollars" arresting and jailing people for marijuana-related offenses. They also say while marijuana is against the law, it accounts for some $15 billion in illegal transactions and fuels a sometimes violent criminal market.
Further, backers of the measure maintain it's not necessary to restrict marijuana use.
"Cannabis has fewer harmful effects than either alcohol or cigarettes, which are both legal for adult consumption," reads the initiative. "Cannabis is not physically addictive, does not have long term toxic effects on the body, and does not cause its consumers to become violent."
But, opposition groups already argue against the proposal.
"Marijuana is not a harmless drug as the pro-drug lobby would have you believe," reads a statement from Calvina Fay, executive director of Save our Society From Drugs and Drug Free America Foundation. The statement asserts nearly half the adolescent treatment admissions in California are linked to marijuana abuse.
These groups also maintain the income from taxing marijuana would not offset what they believe the impacts would be. They say that's the finding on tax funds and expenses related to alcohol and tobacco.
But, supporters of the legalized marijuana initiative believe Californians will back the measure.
"An April 2009 Field Poll showed that 56 percent of California support taxing and regulating marijuana," reads a statement from the Marijuana Policy Project. "MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol."
The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 qualified for the ballot when backers turned in some 700,000 signatures.
Supporters say the proposal will tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. If passed, recreational use of marijuana would be allowed for people over the age of 21.
The initiative would allow those over 21 to "personally possess, process, share or transport not more than one ounce of cannabis, solely for that individual's personal consumption, and not for sale."
Adults could grow marijuana on private property in an area not more than 25 square feet per private residence.
The restrictions under the proposal?
Marijuana could not be used in public places, while operating a vehicle, boat or aircraft, or "consumption that impairs the operator."
Marijuana could also not be smoked in any place where minors are present, and could not be possessed on school grounds.
The initiative would allow cities and counties to tax the sale of marijuana and to regulate its sales. The measure would, if passed, "ensure that if a city decides not to tax and regulate the sale of cannabis, that buying and selling cannabis within that city's limits remain illegal, but that the city's citizens still have the right to possess and consume small amounts ..."
The initiative would further allow that if a city decides it does want to tax and regulate marijuana sales "... that a strictly controlled legal system is implemented to oversee and regulate cultivation, distribution, and sales, and that the city will have control over how and how much cannabis can be bought and sold ..."
Backers say taxing marijuana could bring in billions of dollars every year, which could be used to fund things like roads, schools and health care.
The supporters also say the state now "wastes millions of dollars" arresting and jailing people for marijuana-related offenses. They also say while marijuana is against the law, it accounts for some $15 billion in illegal transactions and fuels a sometimes violent criminal market.
Further, backers of the measure maintain it's not necessary to restrict marijuana use.
"Cannabis has fewer harmful effects than either alcohol or cigarettes, which are both legal for adult consumption," reads the initiative. "Cannabis is not physically addictive, does not have long term toxic effects on the body, and does not cause its consumers to become violent."
But, opposition groups already argue against the proposal.
"Marijuana is not a harmless drug as the pro-drug lobby would have you believe," reads a statement from Calvina Fay, executive director of Save our Society From Drugs and Drug Free America Foundation. The statement asserts nearly half the adolescent treatment admissions in California are linked to marijuana abuse.
These groups also maintain the income from taxing marijuana would not offset what they believe the impacts would be. They say that's the finding on tax funds and expenses related to alcohol and tobacco.
But, supporters of the legalized marijuana initiative believe Californians will back the measure.
"An April 2009 Field Poll showed that 56 percent of California support taxing and regulating marijuana," reads a statement from the Marijuana Policy Project. "MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol."
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