The question of whether to pass California Proposition 19 — and effectively legalize marijuana use, cultivation and transport within the state — is steadily coming to a front as Nov. 2 draws near.
The state proposition would allow anyone over the age of 21 to possess up to one ounce of marijuana for personal use, consume marijuana in a non-public area and grow up to 25 square feet of cannabis in a residential space. Known as the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, the proposition would also enable local governments to institute taxes and fees — as well as authorize criminal and civil penalties — related to marijuana use in their principalities.
Currently, medical marijuana cultivation, use and transportation are legal in the state under Proposition 215, passed in 1996. More recently, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed SB 1449 on Oct. 1 this year, which renders the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana a civil — not criminal — infraction starting Jan. 1.
However, under federal law marijuana is a Schedule I banned substance.
Acclaimed as one of the nation’s foremost experts in issues of medical marijuana, drug abuse and prevention, Dr. David Bearman in Goleta has over 40 years of professional experience as an advocate for responsible marijuana use.
According to Dr. Bearman, Prop 19 broaches a nearly century-long conflict between corporate interest, unfounded medical assumptions and marijuana allies.
“It’s certainly not a perfect proposition,” he said. “What’s going to happen [should it pass], is this is going to put an enormous amount of pressure onto the federal government to correctly interpret the 4th and 10th amendment of the constitution.”
Proponents of Prop 19 extol the fiscal benefits that would come from taxing marijuana and the progress it would make toward alleviating the state’s jammed penal system. Moreover, some recent polls have shown that close to 70 percent of youths ages 18 to 34 would support its passage.
“There hasn’t been a better time for the legalization of marijuana,” Kathryn Frazer, a second year sociology and religious studies major said. “It could help stimulate the economy … the government could better control usage.”
Furthermore, Bearman said, health risks associated with marijuana usage are insignificant.
“The American Medical Association testified [in the 1950s], saying that they had found no adverse effects of cannabis on health,” Bearman said. “The main health effects of using marijuana would be cough and increased sputum production — but that’s only if you smoke it.”
Antagonists of legalized pot have voiced fears that Prop 19’s legal wording allows for loopholes and uncertainties. The No on Prop 19 campaign professes, “It’s a Jumbled, Legal Nightmare!” as its slogan.
Additionally, many caution that Prop 19 may usher in health and safety concerns. Deborah Fleming, associate dean of Students, Community Life & Special Programs at UCSB, said marijuana has a reputation as a gateway drug, besides already being widespread.
“My concern would be that we’ve already got a lot of use of marijuana in Isla Vista — something like 39 percent of UCSB students have reported use in the last 30 days. It’s higher than the national average. We’re significantly higher than the rest of the nation,” Fleming said.
While bullets fly into El Paso and bodies pile up in the streets of Juarez, and thugs with gold-plated AK-47s and albino tiger pens are beheading federal officials and dissolving their torsos in vats of acid, here are some facts concerning the situation in Holland. –Please save a copy and use it as a reference when debating prohibitionists who claim the exact opposite concerning reality as presented here below: Cannabis-coffee-shops are not only restricted to the Capital of Holland, Amsterdam. They can be found in more than 50 cities and towns across the country. At present, only the retail sale… Read more »
Jesus said, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. (Matthew 7:12).
I know I would not want my child sent to jail with the sexual predators, or my aging parents to have their house confiscated and sold by the police, over a little marijuana.
Change the world. Get registered and vote.
Just Google your state name and the phrase, voter registration. In many states, you can simply print off the form and mail it in, but do it today! Registration deadlines are upon us!
i agree vote november 2nd and change the minds of the conservitive world that legaization is the awnser.
Vote YES on Prop 19 and vote in favor of liberty! If you really want the government out of our lives, legalize marijuana and help out millions of people who have been denied that option for decades
if mj was a gateway drug wouldn’t we all be using cocaine and heroin right now? what some 80% of people have tried marijuana in their lives?
If in fact cannabis is a gateway drug, logic would lead us to conclude that there must be a much higher number of heroin,coke/crack,meth addicts at UCSB that anywhere else in the country no? With 39% of students using every month, they must have an incredibly high crime and overdose rate… What they have is a “happier and healthier than the National average” population of students. I would be VERY interested to see if the actual rates of abuse of alcohol by these students isn’t actually LOWER than the National average. Human beings, by nature seek some alternative to their… Read more »
The government has lied about marijuana since 1937, and cannot be believed. YES ON 19.
Re-Legalize it, time to recognize it!
Vote no on prop 19!
Unless you want a bunch of pot heads driving cars and killing people since its untraceable, unlike alcohol. And all those tax dollars that you think were getting from it are all going to be wasted in legal fees. Really this is what we want? Trust me there is a reason why Amsterdam is seeing to make it illegal again.
Keep it medicinal!
Theree’s also a reason why Amsterdam has a much lower per capita consumption of cannabis than we do.
You’re a flat out liar. Most people in The Netherlands want a more liberal drug policy, where the supply side is also decriminalized.
Google “Amsterdam Psychiatrist Blasts US Drug Czars for Distortions, Fear-Mongering” to get a real idea of the dutch experience.
Are you stupid? Untraceable? It’s even MORE traceable than alcohol, because it stays in one’s system for much longer, first and foremost. Secondly, the actual accidents caused by stoned driving vs. drunk driving don’t even compare. Drunk driving kills. Stoned driving keeps IHOP and Denny’s in business.
The next time you decide to speak, try actually checking your facts. That is unless you were TRYING to look like a moron ;)
If I can grow a cannabis plant in 25 square feet of earth on private property per prop 19, one plant yields well over an ounce of marijuana . Once harvested and dried for smoking wont I be in violation of breaking the law for possession of more than an ounce subject to felony arrest?
Good arguement Erik, I actually made the same arguement in a forum elsewhere for those against legalization even though I am for it. The truth is that people that already smoke already pose the same risk, legalizing it wont change that fact. There are also oral tests that can detect the presence of marijuana for 2 weeks to a month after using, coupled with other evidence like improper lane usage and the smell of marijuana in a vehicle as well as red glossy eyes, there is no real problem enforcing driving under the influence of marijuana. Also, your statement about… Read more »
Search news.google.com for “marijuana accident”
and you will find pages and pages of accidents with people who have marijuana in their system.
Search news.google.com for “alcohol accident” and you will find pages and PAGES of accidents with people who have alcohol in their system…. Alcohol is legal… it’s all about responsibility.
Marijuana smoke is not medicine. FDA has not approved marijuana smoke as treatment for any medical disorder. Medical marijuana is a SHAM. Medical marijuana is LEGALIZED marijuana under the disguise of medicine. Anyone including teens can get a medical marijuana card. Search Google for medical marijuana card and you can get your own. All you need is a fake chronic pain or insomnia, some money and a quack doctor.
Vote no on 19, then repeal all medical marijuana laws. Do it right and have it all start from the Federal Government.
Cannabis has been used as medicine in every civilization on every continent for at least 4,700 years. And was used in numerous patent medicines and sold over the counter in America until 1937. So, yes, it was treated as medicine by millions of people for thousands of years, and was viewed as medicine by US in the very recent past. But if you want to close your ears to history and experience, no one can stop you.
and codine is a medicine…you people are stupid. seriously.
Vote No.
19 won’t help the state budget. If I could grow plants in a 25 sq ft area, there would be no need to buy weed elsewhere. Thus, there will be no tax profit generated. Just thousands upon thousands of small cannabis farms. And thousands of new dealers. Silly.
if it were legalized who would bother buying it?… such a easy plant to grow!… help global warming by growing…
Are you serious? What do you actually know of the subject?? If its legalized why would you think there would be an increase in dealers? Do you have any idea the amount of revenue that it can bring in? Do you know that Mexico is in a drug war? This would obviously help diminish mexican drug trafficking and violence. It also would save the state millions in useless arrests and housing of inmates. Mateo, educate yourself before you vote. Amsterdam has had a decrease in crime as well as death overdoses due to the fact of legalization. Its a plant… Read more »