George Skelton doesn't like Prop 19

[alp227]

The same LA Times columnist who wrote "I voted against Prop. 8...But I think the will of the majority should be supported by the state." is now taking an anti-Prop 19 stance in his latest column:

It was tempting here to write again about the Capitol's broken governing system that resulted in another bumbling, bleary-eyed, all-night legislative session needed to pass a 100-day-late budget Friday.

But there's little left to say about this never-ending clown act. Besides, the adopted budget wasn't all that important. The hard decisions were left for the next governor and Legislature.

Prop. 19 is more interesting and would have a greater long-term impact on California.

The ballot initiative, bankrolled primarily by a prospering entrepreneur of the pot industry, would permit local governments to regulate and tax commercial cultivation and retail sales of marijuana. And it would permit all Californians at least 21 to grow and possess their own weed for personal use.

Such activity, however, still would violate federal law.

In California, selling marijuana for non-medicinal use is a felony. But possessing less than one ounce — about a sandwich baggie-full — is a low misdemeanor punishable by a fine.

And who exactly is that entrepreneur?

That would be primarily Richard Lee of Oakland, founder of "Oaksterdam University," the nation's first marijuana trade school. Lee says his medical marijuana dispensary, nursery and other pot-related merchandising generate up to $7 million a year, according to a Times article by reporter John Hoeffel.

Lee is in a good position to make a bundle off marijuana legalization. So far, he has spent $1.5 million to qualify Prop. 19 for the ballot and pitch it to voters.

The pitch basically is this: Cops currently waste many millions chasing down nonviolent pot smokers. There's a $14-billion industry that could be taxed to help the debt-ridden state. And marijuana "prohibition" has created killer drug cartels.

Opponents counter that relatively little, in fact, is spent nabbing or prosecuting marijuana users. "There's nobody in jail for possessing less than one ounce of marijuana," says Fontana Police Chief Rod Jones.

State prison data show that fewer than 1% of inmates have been sentenced for marijuana crimes of any kind.

However, Skelton ignored the fact that Prop 19 will NOT allow minors to use marijuana and quotes a psychiatrist and CEO of a rehab facility stating that marijuana "interferes with brain development, particularly in adolescents" and "legalization will create a societal validation that marijuana is not harmful."

Skelton concludes: "Prop. 19 is a crackpot idea. Therefore, California voters just might pass it." (Oh yeah, Prop 8 was a religious right-funded crackpot idea that passed too - and is now gagged by federal court!)

Oh yeah, the LA Times also opposes Prop 19.

[mike_c]

1. crackpot californian here...

...who wishes he could vote for Prop 19 over and over. Talk about not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good....

Stop the war on drugs. Just stop it.

[bemildred]

2. Fear, uncertainty, doubt. nt

[amiga de la gente]

3. prop 19 will not keep people from going to prison for it, just make money for the rich

Prop 19 Cronyism at it's worst
Prop 19 is NOT legalization nor decriminalization, it doesn't decriminalize any misdemeanors or felonies now except one ( that is growing in a 5'x5' space - which is patently ridiculous because if you look at who is going to prison for pot growing almost none of the people that have gone to prison for pot went for growing in such a small space) Also those who do choose to take advantage of the 5x5 space will almost all do it indoors since 5x5 space isn't big enough for an outdoor garden, one plant gets much larger than that, so the effect will be more pollution and huge polluting indoor grows are already being planned by the authors of this bill in Oakland. . It will still be a felony crime to sell a joint on the street or even to buy one, you will be required to buy from a licensed dispensary and the tax money from that is ear-marked in the bill to enforce against unlicensed growers and dealers. This bill will make it's authors richer and some corporations too, but it will not free marijuana from high prices or high prison rates. They are simply lying about what this bill does. VOTE NO.

In support of real legalization and REAL DECRIMINALIZATION - not prop 19 cronyism.