California advocacy - Research Paper Example

Legalizing marijuana would free up law-enforcement funds and manpower so they are free to tackle more urgent social issues such as gangs and violent criminals. There is precedent in other countries such as the Netherlands where, although not fully legal, use of marijuana is openly tolerated. It can be legally purchased and consumed in Amsterdam at specially licensed ‘coffee houses’ without undue risk to the general public. This fact proves that opponents claims of rampant anarchy should the drug be made legal are baseless.

Available evidence in California and elsewhere proves that legalizing marijuana within the state would be beneficial to society, contribute to the welfare of the state and improve quality of life for many. A movement to make the drug legal was voted down last November in the form of Proposition 19 but was revived last month in the form of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform 2012. Proposition 19 "would have allowed adults to grow and possess marijuana and authorized cities and counties to legalize and tax sales" (Hoeffel, 2011).

Proposition 19 failed by a vote of 46-54 percent last November, but may win in 2012 with larger voter turn-out due to the Presidential election and with some adjustments to the bill. Because Cannabis Policy Reform is based on the same arguments brought forward in Proposition 19, it is appropriate to examine some of the issues that were addressed by Prop 19 in examining the topic. It is important to remember in this discussion that possession of marijuana in quantities of less than an ounce is merely a civil infraction within the state rather than a criminal misdemeanor as it is in many other states after the enactment of SB 1449, signed by Gov.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in October of 2010. In addition, medical marijuana use and growers are also legal under state, but not federal law, following enactment of Proposition 215 in 1996 (Gieringer, 2011). This is because marijuana has proven more effective in relieving numerous health issues than prescription drugs as is attested to by a cancer patient and former police commissioner. In addition to relieving his nausea, Jo Daly said he was “able to drastically reduce my dependence on more powerful prescription drugs that I was prescribed for pain and nausea.

With the help of medical marijuana, which I ingest only occasionally and in small amounts, I no longer need the Compazine, Lorazepam, Ativan and Halcion. No combination of these medications provided adequate relief. They also caused serious side effects that I never experienced with marijuana” (1997). Proposition 19 was designed to extend the benefits of marijuana to the state and the average citizen without the need to go through the farce of obtaining a medical prescription. The provisions given under Proposition 19 would have changed things very little from where they already are today on an individual level but could have given the state numerous benefits.

Individuals over the age of 21 would be allowed to possess and consume the drug in quantities of less than one ounce at a time in non-public places and could grow marijuana plants in a private residence with at least 25 square feet of personal space (Legislative Analyst's Office, 2009). The only difference here would be that those growing and using the drug already wouldn't need to fear being caught and