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Propositions

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PROP
19

LEGALIZES MARIJUANA UNDER CALIFORNIA BUT NOT FEDERAL LAW. PERMITS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO REGULATE AND TAX COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND SALE OF MARIJUANA. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 19

PROPOSITION 19: COMMON SENSE CONTROL OF MARIJUANA

Today, hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are spent enforcing the failed prohibition of marijuana (also known as “cannabis”).

Currently, marijuana is easier for kids to get than alcohol, because dealers don't require ID.

Prohibition has created a violent criminal market run by international drug cartels.

Police waste millions of taxpayer dollars targeting non-violent marijuana consumers, while thousands of violent crimes go unsolved.

And there is $14 billion in marijuana sales every year in California, but our debt–ridden state gets nothing from it.

Marijuana prohibition has failed.

WE NEED A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO CONTROL AND TAX MARIJUANA LIKE ALCOHOL.

Proposition 19 was carefully written to get marijuana under control.

Under Proposition 19, only adults 21 and over can possess up to one ounce of marijuana, to be consumed at home or licensed establishments. Medical marijuana patients' rights are preserved.

If we can control and tax alcohol, we can control and tax marijuana.

PUT STRICT SAFETY CONTROLS ON MARIJUANA

Proposition 19 maintains strict criminal penalties for driving under the influence, increases penalties for providing marijuana to minors, and bans smoking it in public, on school grounds, and around minors.

Proposition 19 keeps workplaces safe, by preserving the right of employers to maintain a drug–free workplace.

PUT POLICE PRIORITIES WHERE THEY BELONG

According to the FBI, in 2008 over 61,000 Californians were arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession, while 60,000 violent crimes went unsolved. By ending arrests of non–violent marijuana consumers, police will save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars a year, and be able to focus on the real threat: violent crime.

Police, Sheriffs, and Judges support Proposition 19.

HELP FIGHT THE DRUG CARTELS

Marijuana prohibition has created vicious drug cartels across our border. In 2008 alone, cartels murdered 6,290 civilians in Mexico—more than all U.S. troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

60 percent of drug cartel revenue comes from the illegal U.S. marijuana market.

By controlling marijuana, Proposition 19 will help cut off funding to the cartels.

GENERATE BILLIONS IN REVENUE TO FUND WHAT MATTERS

California faces historic deficits, which, if state government doesn't balance the budget, could lead to higher taxes and fees for the public, and more cuts to vital services. Meanwhile, there is $14 billion in marijuana transactions every year in California, but we see none of the revenue that would come from taxing it.

Proposition 19 enables state and local governments to tax marijuana, so we can preserve vital services.

The State's tax collector, the Board of Equalization, says taxing marijuana would generate $1.4 billion in annual revenue, which could fund jobs, healthcare, public safety, parks, roads, transportation, and more.

LET'S REFORM CALIFORNIA'S MARIJUANA LAWS

Outlawing marijuana hasn't stopped 100 million Americans from trying it. But we can control it, make it harder for kids to get, weaken the cartels, focus police resources on violent crime, and generate billions in revenue and savings.

We need a common sense approach to control marijuana.

YES on 19.

www.taxcannabis.org

JOSEPH D. McNAMARA, San Jose Police Chief (Ret.)
JAMES P. GRAY, Orange County Superior Court Judge (Ret.)
STEPHEN DOWNING, Deputy Chief (Ret.)
Los Angeles Police Department



REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 19

As California public safety leaders, we agree that Proposition 19 is flawed public policy and would compromise the safety of our roadways, workplaces, and communities. Before voting on this proposition, please take a few minutes to read it.

Proponents claim, “Proposition 19 maintains strict criminal penalties for driving under the influence.” That statement is false. In fact, Proposition 19 gives drivers the “right” to use marijuana right up to the point when they climb behind the wheel, but unlike as with drunk driving, Proposition 19 fails to provide the Highway Patrol with any tests or objective standards for determining what constitutes “driving under the influence.” That's why Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) strongly opposes Proposition 19.

Proponents claim Proposition 19 is “preserving the right of employers to maintain a drug-free workplace.” This is also false. According to the California Chamber of Commerce, the facts are that Proposition 19 creates special rights for employees to possess marijuana on the job, and that means no company in California can meet federal drug–free workplace standards, or qualify for federal contracts. The California State Firefighters Association warns this one drafting mistake alone could cost thousands of Californians to lose their jobs.

Again, contrary to what proponents say, the statewide organizations representing police, sheriffs and drug court judges are all urging you to vote “No” on Proposition 19. Passage of Proposition 19 seriously compromises the safety of our communities, roadways, and workplaces.

STEVE COOLEY, District Attorney
Los Angeles County
KAMALA HARRIS, District Attorney
San Francisco County
KEVIN NIDA, President
California State Firefighters Association

ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 19

Even if you support legalization of recreational marijuana, you should vote “No” on Proposition 19.

Why? Because the authors made several huge mistakes in writing this initiative which will have severe, unintended consequences.

For example, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) strongly opposes Proposition 19 because it will prevent bus and trucking companies from requiring their drivers to be drug–free. Companies won't be able to take action against a “stoned” driver until after he or she has a wreck, not before.

School districts may currently require school bus drivers to be drug–free, but if Proposition 19 passes, their hands will be tied—until after tragedy strikes. A school bus driver would be forbidden to smoke marijuana on schools grounds or while actually behind the wheel, but could arrive for work with marijuana in his or her system.

Public school superintendent John Snavely, Ed.D. warns that Proposition 19 could cost our K–12 schools as much as $9.4 billion in lost federal funding. Another error could potentially cost schools hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants for our colleges and universities. Our schools have already experienced severe budget cuts due to the state budget crisis.

The California Chamber of Commerce found that “if passed, this initiative could result in employers losing public contracts and grants because they could no longer effectively enforce the drug–free workplace requirements outlined by the federal government.”

Employers who permit employees to sell cosmetics or school candy bars to co–workers in the office, may now also be required to allow any employee with a “license” to sell marijuana in the office.

Under current law, if a worker shows up smelling of alcohol or marijuana, an employer may remove the employee from a dangerous or sensitive job, such as running medical lab tests in a hospital, or operating heavy equipment. But if Proposition 19 passes, the worker with marijuana in his or her system may not be removed from the job until after an accident occurs.

The California Police Chiefs Association opposes Proposition 19 because proponents “forgot” to include a standard for what constitutes “driving under the influence.” Under Proposition 19, a driver may legally drive even if a blood test shows they have marijuana in their system.

Gubernatorial candidates Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown have both studied Proposition 19 and are urging all Californians to vote “No,” as are Democratic and Republican candidates for Attorney General, Kamala Harris and Steve Cooley.

Don't be fooled. The proponents are hoping you will think Proposition 19 is about “medical” marijuana. It is not. Proposition 19 makes no changes either way in the medical marijuana laws.

Proposition 19 is simply a jumbled legal nightmare that will make our highways, our workplaces and our communities less safe. We strongly urge you to vote “No” on Prop. 19.

DIANNE FEINSTEIN, United States Senator
LAURA DEAN-MOONEY, National President
Mothers Against Drunk Driving

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 19

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR: REAL CONTROL OF MARIJUANA, OR MORE OF THE SAME

Let's be honest. Our marijuana laws have failed. Rather than accepting things as they are, we can control marijuana.

Like the prohibition of alcohol in the past, outlawing marijuana hasn't worked. It's created a criminal market run by violent drug cartels, wasted police resources, and drained our state and local budgets. Proposition 19 is a more honest policy, and a common sense solution to these problems. Proposition 19 will control marijuana like alcohol, making it available only to adults, enforce strong driving and workplace safety laws, put police priorities where they belong, and generate billions in needed revenue.

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR: REAL CONTROL OF MARIJUANA, OR MORE OF THE SAME

We can make it harder for kids to get marijuana, or we can accept the status quo, where marijuana is easier for kids to get than alcohol.

We can let police prevent violent crime, or we can accept the status quo, and keep wasting resources sending tens of thousands of non–violent marijuana consumers—a disproportionate number who are minorities—to jail.

We can control marijuana to weaken the drug cartels, or we can accept the status quo, and continue to fund violent gangs with illegal marijuana sales in California.

We can tax marijuana to generate billions for vital services, or we can accept the status quo, and turn our backs on this needed revenue.

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR

Vote Yes on 19.

JOYCELYN ELDERS, United States Surgeon General (Ret.)
ALICE A. HUFFMAN, President
California NAACP
DAVID DODDRIDGE, Narcotics Detective (Ret.)
Los Angeles Police Department

Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.

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