Pubdate: Thu, 14 Oct 2010
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2010 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Cited: Proposition 19 http://yeson19.com/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/find?272 (Proposition 19)

NO ON PROPOSITION 19

Legalizing Marijuana's Inevitable, but This Is the Wrong Way

The state Board of Equalization estimates that 400,000 Californians 
smoke marijuana every day. More than 3 million use it at least once a 
year. Clearly, the war on drugs is a massive failure, at least regarding pot.

A well-crafted proposal to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults 
in California might well be a better approach, but Proposition 19 
isn't it. Voters should say "no" on Nov. 2.

In 1996, we supported Proposition 215, the landmark initiative 
legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, which some other states 
have imitated. We don't regret it. Pot can relieve pain and nausea 
for victims of cancer, AIDS and other diseases, in some cases saving 
lives. An initiative was the only way to make this humanitarian change.

But let's face it: Implementation has been a mess, rife with 
unintended consequences. The lesson is that any move to legalize 
marijuana for broader adult consumption needs to prescribe tight, 
clear regulation throughout the state.

Proposition 19 fails on that front. Instead of statewide rules, 
regulation is left to individual cities and counties. That's right. 
Every one of California's 478 cities and 58 counties would be 
allowed, but not required, to establish its own laws on how marijuana 
can be grown, sold, taxed and used. On some issues, local control 
makes sense, but this isn't one of them.

Hundreds of local marijuana ordinances would also confuse the 
inevitable federal challenges to Proposition 19. The Obama 
administration may not take up the fight, but someone is bound to in 
the years ahead. California safety net and other programs that rely 
heavily on federal dollars could be in jeopardy if the state is found 
to be out of compliance with federal law.

The most attractive element of the proposition is its potential to 
deliver a death blow to drug cartels -- but that is an unlikely 
outcome. A Rand Corp. study released this week found that only about 
3 percent of Mexican marijuana sales are in California. Since it's 
estimated to be a $20 billion industry, it's hard to imagine Prop. 19 
having much effect. Legalization in this country would have to be 
much broader than a county-by-county effort in one state.

Proponents of Prop. 19 say marijuana users now are crowding county 
jails at great public cost. But Santa Clara County law enforcement 
officials estimate that fewer than 3 percent of inmates are there 
because of pot use or sale.

Proposition 19 is not a referendum on whether California should 
legalize recreational use of marijuana. It's a vote on whether this 
particular initiative is an appropriate way to govern pot use. Voters 
should reject Proposition 19 on Nov. 2. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake