Pubdate: Fri, 27 Mar 2015
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/0n4cG7L1
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376

ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS ON LEGALIZING POT

Newsom Learned Lesson of Prop. 47

A blue ribbon commission led by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom deserves a pat 
on the back for taking a thoughtful approach to a likely 2016 
initiative to legalize marijuana in California.

In its first major progress report, the panel called Thursday for 
detailed study on issues such as how to tax marijuana in a fair way 
that eliminates the black market, how to determine driving under the 
influence of marijuana, and how to protect children and teenagers.

That last priority is a central concern, the panel said in its 
18-page report, because it's clear that non-medical marijuana, while 
technically illegal even for adults, is easily available to young 
people. It cites the 2014 survey by the National Institute on Drug 
Abuse, which found that 34 percent of 10th-graders and 44 percent of 
12th-graders had used marijuana.

Weighing potential pitfalls while crafting a ballot measure is far 
preferable to trying to fix them after it passes. Exhibit A is 
Proposition 47, the initiative passed by voters in November to divert 
nonviolent offenders from prisons. It has caused all manner of 
unintended consequences, including DNA samples not being collected 
and drug-treatment courts being undermined.

Newsom, who backed Prop. 47, told a member of The Sacramento Bee's 
editorial board that it reinforces for him the need to explore tough 
questions now and not ask "what the heck just happened" later. Of 
course, it's also in the self-interest of legalization proponents to 
make sure their ballot measure is as airtight as possible.

Critics pointed out all sorts of flaws in Proposition 19, the 
legalization measure in 2010, before voters rejected it. And problems 
have been documented in Colorado and Washington since those states 
legalized marijuana in 2012.

Meanwhile, the likelihood of a 2016 ballot measure doesn't take the 
Legislature off the hook for California's medical marijuana mess. 
More than 18 years after voters approved Proposition 215, there are 
still inadequate statewide regulations. A potential compromise failed 
last year, leaving in place a muddle of local rules, putting 
consumers and workers at risk and allowing marijuana far beyond 
"compassionate use."

Thursday's report starts the public phase of the blue ribbon panel, 
which was convened by the American Civil Liberties Union of 
California in October 2013 and includes well-known legal and academic 
experts. It's essential that in its fact-finding, the commission also 
hear from law enforcement officials and business leaders who oppose 
legalization. Newsom pledges that will happen.

The panel plans to hold public forums in Los Angeles in April, San 
Francisco in May, Fresno in June, and probably in Humboldt County 
next month. It is scheduled to issue recommendations by August. 
Newsom says he expects some of them to be specific, including the 
legal age and the kind of tax, but other issues to be left for 
further deliberation.

Newsom, who has already kicked off his 2018 campaign for governor, is 
the highest-ranking state official to come out in favor of legal 
marijuana. It's probably smart, politically. A Public Policy 
Institute of California poll released Wednesday found the highest 
backing for legalization  53 percent of residents - since it started 
asking the question in 2010.

But Newsom says he won't support "just anything" that polls well, and 
won't settle for an initiative that doesn't improve California's 
status quo on marijuana.

He is absolutely right to say that legalization has to be done right 
and that voters should have a full picture of the repercussions 
before casting their ballots. By raising key issues now, the blue 
ribbon panel is playing a useful role.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom