$1.8 million. The polls have been tight since early August, with 44 percent supporting and 47 percent opposing.
Support:
“Marijuana prohibition has been an abject failure both here in Arizona and across the country, [and] is well passed time to end that failed policy,“ said Barrett Marson, a spokesperson for The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Arizona. “By doing so, we can heavily tax and regulate marijuana sales, keep it out of the hands of teenagers, and help our school with substantial tax revenue. We obviously want to end prohibition, but we also want to take money out of the hands of these violent drug cartels. By ending prohibition, you take away a significant part of the black market, which will reduce violence and sales to teenagers.”
Opposition:
“We’re opposed to Prop 205,” said Greg Vigdor, president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. “We have really focused in on the public health aspect of it, and simply put, we just think it’s antithetical to our mission to build better health care. We just think it’s premature to go down this road. Let’s let this experiment play out in other states that have already done it, rather than bringing it to a state that already has a substance abuse problem.”
California
If passed, Proposition 64 (the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative), will allow adults aged 21 and older to possess and use marijuana recreationally. The measure would also establish two new taxes designed to collect funds — one from cultivation and the other from retail purchases.
The tax revenue would be used for drug research, treatment, enforcement, health and safety grants addressing marijuana, youth programs, and preventing environmental damage from illegal marijuana production.
As of October 14, 2016, more than $18 million has been raised in support and more than $2 million has been raised in opposition.
Support:
“NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) since its founding in 1970 has had one goal in mind, and that is to end the practice of treating responsible marijuana smokers like criminals,” said Keith Stroup, founder of NORML. “We want to end marijuana prohibition and put in place a system of regulations where… (continue reading)
Author: Cesar Gamboa
Cesar Gamboa is a staff reporter and editor for Addiction Now covering topics ranging from legislation to scientific studies. He was previously a general assignment reporter for the Orange County Register. SoCal raised, lover of books, and avid mountain biker (when he wants to be). He can be reached at cesarg@addictionnow.com.
