The Case for Marijuana Legalization in California
By Matthew Mills
As we draw near the November election, those living in California have a serious question to consider – whether or not to legalize marijuana for adult use. Almost six full years ago now in 2010, the same question was found on the ballot, but it was defeated in the final stretch of the campaign. However, six years difference and four states and D.C. having legalized recreational marijuana later, does the Adult Use of Marijuana Act have a better chance of passing now than it did back then?
Nate Bradley, co-founder of the California Cannabis Industry Association, says there is a big difference between the failed 2010 campaign and the one they are running now. For starters – the language of the initiative, which was scrutinized previously, has been rewritten much more carefully now that they have other states failures and successes as well to look to. He also noted that the previous attempt was run by a grass-roots undertaking whereas this measure is run by “experts” who have passed other initiatives.
The current initiative would allow adults 21 and older to possess, use and share up to an ounce of marijuana and it also allows for home cultivation of up to six plants – right in line with most the laws in states where it is currently legal. It would impose a defined 15% tax in addition to state and local tax and a cultivation tax among many other regulations that were not specified in the 2010 initiative that failed.
Democrat strategist Roger Salazar, who opposed the 2010 version because “It would have created a patchwork of regulations up and down the state that would have made enforcement very difficult and confusing,” is actually in approval of the changes made with the 2016 version. “They have been very straightforward about the measure and not put in too many bells and whistles to overly confuse it,” he said.
While you can make some people happy some of the time, you can’t make all the people happy all of the time – an age-old saying that never changes. While this initiative may be better received by many than its 2010 predecessor, it still has a long way to go with the opposition, namely the Coalition for Responsible Drug Policies, which has already raised thousands of dollars to defeat the initiative.
These groups tend to focus on potential dangers to children, which are actually more dangerous now- if a child eats a parent’s pot brownie while they aren’t looking, parents may neglect to go to the E.R. for fear of having their child taken away. Opposition groups also tend to fall back on the argument that if it wasn’t dangerous, the federal government wouldn’t keep it illegal. This time around, however, there are not as many loopholes in the initiative for them to make their case out of.
One of the things they have managed to pick out is a measure that would allow people with certain drug felony convictions to be eligible to apply for a marijuana business license. While I can understand not wanting a drug cartel leader running a cultivation facility or dispensary, this is a measure put in to help give back to those who were negatively affected by the war on drugs.
Another issue that has been brought to light by the opposition is the fact that one person can hold all different types of marijuana business licenses, from cultivation to distribution to retail. Of course, this was pointed out by the Teamsters, a group mostly made up of truckers and warehouse workers who would benefit from the cannabis industry following a system similar to the alcohol industry, where a third party distribution center is required.
In the end, no initiative is going to be perfect, as we’ve only had legal marijuana around in a couple of states for less than five years – but when you look at the laws passed by voters in those states, California’s Adult Use of Marijuana Act is right on par with the best laws currently in place. This initiative clearly shows that they took the time to study other states, learn from their mistakes, and hope to implement the most effectively regulated industry yet.
Thankfully, there’s more good news for those supporting the campaign in California- the most recent polls are showing Californians are 60% in favor of marijuana legalization – which is right in line with the national 63% number most recently reported by Gallup. Also, the new regulations put in place for California’s medical marijuana industry show that the state is ready to take the steps necessary to ensure for the safety of children, workers, and patients.
All of these points lead me to believe that the 2016 campaign to legalize marijuana in California has a strong chance of succeeding, but the road from here to November is still long. People involved in campaigning for AUMA need to exhaust all possible measures to ensure that voters can make an informed decision as to the direction of this state, and it’s my hope that those with an informed outlook on the situation will take part in ending cannabis prohibition, one state at a time.
Matthew Mills, President and Chief Operating Officer of Med-X, Inc.
Matthew Mills utilizes and implements his vast knowledge in product development, operations, business development, marketing and crowdfunding to position Med-X for long-term growth. Mr. Mills spent a number of years as a DotCom marketing industry executive as a Chief Operations Officer to a leading online jewelry outlet. Matt is also an Integrated Pest Management Strategist and holds a California License in Agriculture for Pest Management. Over the last few years, Matt has become skilled and proficient in cannabis cultivation as well as super-critical Co2 extraction. Mr. Mills’ and his achievements have been featured on CNN, KABC, CBS Radio, The Los Angeles Business Journal, The Wall Street Reporter, Popular Science, KCAL, KABC, FOX, Extra, and many others. Mr. Mills continues to be a community leader, both in and out of the boardroom.