This November, California residents are set to make an important vote. The most populous state will finally decide if marijuana can be taken legally for recreational purposes.
According to an official statement from California's Secretary of State, the move to legalize use of recreational marijuana had received more than the needed 402,468 valid signatures to qualify for the General Election Ballot on November 8. Unless Donald Lyman and Michael Sutton, the proponents of the measure, decide to withdraw it, the election is officially underway.
The measure that will be under California vote would put state agencies in charge of regulating the marijuana industry. Excise tax would be charged on retail sales of marijuana which should be equal to 15 percent of the sales price while medical marijuana would be exempted from some taxes. The statute also maintains the prohibition of marketing and advertising of marijuana to minors.
According to NPR, the measure allows California residents who are aged 21 and above to own and buy an ounce of marijuana and grow one to six plants for recreational purposes. Because of the loosening of marijuana-related laws, California would have an annual $100 million excess budget, and production and sales of marijuana can reach over a billion dollars. The money would be allocated for education, prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
As per Kaiser Health News, California doctors, hospitals and health advocates are divided over the issue. Rachel Barry from the University of California says that the measure does not focus on prevention strategies and the marijuana industry would prioritize increasing sales in order to make money. Meanwhile, supporters of the measure claim the success of marijuana legalization in other states, saying that millions are earned in taxes for state and local governments.
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