The cannabis bill, SB 1301, has been in committee since January and has yet to be voted out of committee. It is interesting how the cannabis industry operates. Those who are against the legislation do not want it legalized, period. They are afraid that it will be used by teenagers as a way to get high. I suppose there is some truth to this, although I don’t think it is intentional. The state of California already has a problem with marijuana use among teens, and it is a real and growing problem there as well.
So, perhaps the legislature should take more time before passing a bill that makes it legal to smoke marijuana. I would hope that we could have an all inclusive, comprehensive marijuana bill which would include an adequate amount of regulated, well lit shops, taxation, and maybe licensing of sellers as well. If we can get a really comprehensive bill that includes everything, perhaps by the end of this year, we will see a different outlook on the issue. It appears that the California legislature may be able to move forward sooner rather than later.
I’ve heard rumors that the California legislature might legalize marijuana possession. This could come about because the California State Legislature convenes in January. One can only imagine what will happen after they convene. I would not be surprised if the Assembly and the Senate begin to talk about regulating marijuana again. Whether or not the bill becomes law, the idea is not to legalize it, regulate it or make it available for those under 21 to smoke. That is a slippery slope that we don’t need to tread on and we are already doing a bad job of it.
At this point, California has House, Senate, and now even committees starting to study the cannabis initiative. There is no doubt that many bills will be introduced this calendar year. Many will die in committee, never make it to the House or the Senate floor. Some will be killed in committees, never get out of committee and then die at the state Capitol. This is how things work in the California State Legislature.
white widow auto What has me extremely interested in watching this unfold is the fact that all the marijuana-related bills have been killed or submitted to the Senate and House Ways and Means Committee without ever having a hearing. The California State Legislature has become so politically polarized that all efforts to do what they can to save money for the citizens of California are frozen. This is a big concern because without the tax revenues the state will struggle to keep up their programs that they have put in place. If the initiatives are killed or passed with such little fanfare, it will be another wakeup call to our representatives to really try to find some revenue to help relieve the financial dilemma.
If you vote no on the above cannabis initiative, it doesn’t mean you’re against marijuana use by any means. My stance is that the only way we will get legalization of cannabis in California is if the voters pass a measure to legalize it. That means a change in the law that no other jurisdiction has done. I would submit to you that a change that has the potential to save California money and protect California’s unique culture should be passed. Please consider all this and think on it.