Bid to legalize pot is counter to U.S. trend

[alp227]

Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle

With Californians likely to vote in November on whether to legalize marijuana, some key swing voters - Democratic and independent women - are expressing a surprising reason why they would support the initiative.

The suburban "soccer moms" who are likely voters have told pollsters that the measure, which would give local governments the authority to tax and regulate the sale of cannabis to adults 21 or older, would provide a safer way for their adult children to buy pot.

"One of the scary things to some people is that their kids may be buying it from someone dangerous," said Ruth Bernstein, a pollster with EMC Research, an Oakland firm that has been doing polling and focus groups on behalf of the measure's proponents.

California already boasts some of the nation's most pot-friendly laws. Possession of an ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor, and those who obtain approval from a physician can grow or possess cannabis under the state's voter-approved 1996 medical marijuana law.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/05/MN951B8IE1.DTL

[Laura902]

1. Wow

It is less dangerous than ciggs so why not make the law 18 as a legal adult and change the ciggarette law to 21? Not sure if that would make a dent in the amount of people who become addicted to smoking though.

[rd_kent]

3. I agree but I think its because pot would be considered an intoxicant and treated like booze.

Personally, I think the drinking age should be 18.

[Laura902]

2. Just because I'm sure there is a larger number of

18-20 yr olds who could be prosecuted than there are people older than that who smoke marijuana as well.

[Gman2]

4. Idiots, Dont make law, according to profit. Do the right thing. No matter.

[kerrywins]

5. Drug Lords Will Not Let Marijuana Be Legalized

they make too much money off of it.

[Xicano]

6. I have to correct an error in that article.

"Possession of an ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor"

This is not a correct statement. The law here in California for an ounce or less of marijuana is not a misdemeanor, its only an infraction.


Nevertheless alp227, good post. Thanks.



Peace,
Xicano