November 8th will prove to be very important to the United States and not only in the White House. Legislation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana is on the ballot for this month. The rumors have it that the bill will pass in favor of cannabis. Last month, a poll was taken by the Field Research Corporation and the Public Policy Institute of California. Both institutions were showing in favor of the ballot. As of last month, only 38% of those polled oppose the proposition.
The Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, have both endorsed Prop 64. The California Democratic Party has also endorsed the proposition. Advocates for legalization have raised over 18.1 million dollars in contributions to date. One of the factors behind the proposition is to end the black market sales of illegal cannabis. If the ballot passes, the legal recreational use of marijuana will start in January of 2018. Below is a list of what Proposition 64 will accomplish:
-
Cannabis use for anyone 21 or older is legal. Non-medical use of cannabis will carry a tax of up to $9.25 an ounce.
-
There will be regulation in the industry, holding cultivators and sellers accountable to state laws.
-
Strict rules will be put in place to prevent products from being sold and marketed to children.
-
Users will be able to legally carry up to 1 ounce of weed.
-
Counties will have the authority to ban the sales of cannabis, by not allowing businesses in certain areas.
-
Any adult can grow up to 6 pot plants for their own use.
-
Exempts all medical cannabis from some taxation.
-
If you are under 18 and are caught with marijuana, you will have to attend drug education and counseling.
California is not the only state considering the recreational use of cannabis. Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, and Nevada are also holding cannabis initiatives this month. Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Washington D.C. are places where one can already legally consume an edible. All in all, there are 25 states where legal use of marijuana is already in place.
Proposition 64 would allow for over $1 billion dollars a year in cannabis sales. Colorado has a recorded $996 million dollars in 2014 sold revenue. The cannabis industry has skyrocketed to a multi-billion dollar business. It stands to reason that states would want to share in that revenue.
