California State University East Bay

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California State University East Bay

The Pioneer

California State University East Bay

The Pioneer

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California Can Legalize Marijuana By Owning It

I know how California can legalize marijuana—we could have state owned marijuana dispensaries stocked by local growers.

Though Prop 19 fell short by 4% of the vote, marijuana has moved from a joke to a serious issue. A survey of voters who voted against Prop 19 found that “31% said they believe marijuana should be legalized or penalties reduced, but they objected to the some specifics of the initiative,” the LA Times reported.

Many people lacked a full understanding of how the law would work, often-believing myth and rumor. Without much money to support it, a largely silent media and the lack of any real public debate, Prop 19 was inevitably doomed.

The current question is not if we should legalize, but how.

All dispensaries could be non-profit, with their revenue going towards education and communities. The state and local governments could invest the revenue to open new dispensaries.

The state could raise additional revenue by placing an extraction tax on oil companies, since California is the only state out of 22 others that do not have one. At the 25% rate Sarah Palin had as governor, California could generate anywhere from $4-$8 billion dollars, which would be more than sufficient.

As a public company, people could decide how they would want to organize and run their dispensaries. The products could be locally grown with employees receiving high pay and medical benefits, much like current dispensary workers.

State and local government could equally divide the revenue, with half going to public education, and the other half going towards the maintenance of the local community. The state government’s share would go into a fund that directly and solely finances public education any every level, while the local governments use the additional revenue towards their communal needs.

By just legalizing marijuana, California opens itself to corporate industry, particularly the cigarette industry, which can easily squeeze out local farmers and buy out local businesses. The revenue that could be used to rebuild California would fall into the hands of corporations forcing the state to tax.

If the State and local communities work in conjugation, there’s no need to tax because you already receive the revenue. On retail sales alone marijuana will net between $3-$5 billion based on estimates from the non-profit and marijuana law reform group NORML.

Though people have little faith in the State and government in general, the measure would set a system where the state has responsibility rather than power. The state would regulate marijuana in the same way it inspects food and currently does medical marijuana, (to make sure no one puts acid in marijuana and people start doing cartwheels off their rooftops).

At the same time, the state finances the development of local businesses and industry. I can only imagine how tourism is going to skyrocket.

Another reason that is overlooked is that marijuana faces a barrage of court cases trailing all the way up to the Supreme Court. State involvement provides a huge legal protection and a deterrent to legal challenges. Plus, I just like the sound of California v. United States.

Like the lottery, many people are more likely to support legalization of marijuana if the revenue is directed towards education. At the same time, people would have control over the sale of marijuana in their neighborhoods, rather than corporations or the state government.

The way to legalize marijuana is to ensure that people and communities have control over how marijuana is sold and where the money goes. If you think it is impossible, just ask the Green Bay Packers, who is owned by 112,015 shareholders, why their players command some of the highest salaries in football.

Think about how nice it would feel if every time you smoked a joint you were supporting public education and your local community?

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California Can Legalize Marijuana By Owning It