Assembly committee OKs bill to legalize marijuana

A proposal to legalize and tax marijuana in California was approved by a key committee of the Assembly this morning, over the dire warnings of police chiefs and prosecutors.

The Public Safety Committee voted 4-3 to approve AB 390 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), who said the bill would provide tax revenue to the state and regulation of the drug. The new law includes a requirement that users be at least 21 years old.

The measure next goes to the Health Committee, but proponents worried it would not be acted on by that panel by Friday's deadline, which would require the proposal to be reintroduced to be heard this year by the full Assembly.

"The way it exists now is harming our youth,'' Ammiano said. "Drug dealers do not ask for ID. We need to regulate something that has gone chaotic, has resulted in carnage. I understand it's not everybody's cup of tea.''

Assemblyman Danny Gilmore (R-Hanford), a former CHP commander, said the $50 tax on each ounce of marijuana sold to pay for drug education and treatment is not worth the grief that will be caused by legalization.

"We're going to legalize marijuana, we're going to tax it and then we're going to educate our kids about the harm of drugs. You've got to be kidding me,'' Gilmore said. "What's next? Are we going to legalize methamphetamines, cocaine?''

The measure was opposed in testimony today by several police chiefs and law enforcement officials including Bob Cooke, former president of the California Narcotics Officers Assn., who predicted it would lead to an increase in crime. "The mere consideration of an attempt to trade human misery for tax dollars smacks of the cynical throwing away of countless human beings,'' Cooke told the committee.

It is estimated that the bill would generate $1.3 billion a year in taxes and marijuana cultivation fees.

--Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento

Comments

[bobby]

"We're going to legalize marijuana, we're going to tax it and then we're going to educate our kids about the harm of drugs. You've got to be kidding me,'' Gilmore said. "What's next? Are we going to legalize methamphetamines, cocaine?''

Yes Gilmore, just like tobacco and alcohol. Two drugs that are proven, hands down, to be more dangerous.

[James Crosby]

Great deal! California needs to act on this, or their citizens will. Just like the lady said in the discussion. This is a very positive step towards securing a better future for everyone, and I support this completely. Please legalize cannabis, and better the world for us all! Oh, and use hemp for it's over 30,000 uses, please. Save the world, legalize cannabis / hemp. Give us back our freedom.

[DidITweetThat]

"We're going to legalize marijuana, we're going to tax it and then we're going to educate our kids about the harm of drugs. You've got to be kidding me,'' Gilmore said. "What's next? Are we going to legalize methamphetamines, cocaine?''

I sure hope so, because the current system is doing such a stellar job.

I've got an idea, let's teach Personal Responsibility. That may go so much further in society, than the current system of treating everyone like idiots, and then being disappointed when they live up to our expectations.

Whoever is afraid of the big nasty world of illegal drugs, should live in the prisons, and let the rest of the "loonies" have the rest of the world, because, currently, we're not that far from that reality.

But, then again, maybe a little more research is needed. SHEESH!

[Cindy]

"The mere consideration of an attempt to trade human misery for tax dollars smacks of the cynical throwing away of countless human beings,''

Are these guys that are only protecting their War on Drugs funding serious about this line? I mean how many more children and others alike have had their lives ruined because of the laws against marijuana! Prohibition may fatten those guys wallets and egos, but it is doing far more harm than good, there are thousands killed in Mexico each year because of the profit prohibition creates, and hes says this?????????????????????????? How man people have died from Marijuana use? ZERO How many people have died because of prohibition? MILLIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steven]

Regulation is the only real solution to all matters relating to both medical and recreational use of drugs. For too long our country has viewed prohibition as the way to go but the funny thing about prohibition is that its already been proven that it doesn't work

[Hermso]

this is opening the posssibility for CA to fix the budget.

plus it brings in businesses and jobs.

look at companies like Cannabis Science (CBIS), Commerce On line (CMIB) or Medical Marijuana Inc. (MJNA), and even start-ups like Health and Sciences (HESG)

they are trading at higher prices than just 2 weeks ago, and it looks like anyone invested in them is going to be rich.

[James Stacy]

What is funny is the fact that the Police chief has it backwards, When you legalize marijuana crime will go down.
But his budget will follow as they will no longer be able to arrest so many people and put them in jail. Boy, all those corps that built so many prisons will be crying soon as well. We need to get the bill passed ASAP so we can release people from prison and then have a big party for the end of Mexican drug cartels.

[Cindy]

Money means more to these cops than human life, they keep fighting for their War on Drugs funding while thousands die because of prohibition, our kids end up with greater access and criminal records, our streets become violent drug trading grounds because prohibition has turned a worthless plant into gold.

WAKE UP PEOPLE, the cops are addicted to the WAR ON DRUGS FUNDING!!!

IF THEY CARED about kids, they would be up in arms over the legal substances that DO kill, alcohol and tobacco!!!!!!

[BINGO SANCHEZ]

VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOOYA

[Relax]

Legalize it!!!!!!

[Seamus Piper]

It would cause an increase in CRIME? Trading "human misery for tax dollars"? When I stop laughing I need to check my watch and see if its still the 21st century or if we've gone through a time warp to the 1950s. If you consider the volume of crime involved in the sale and use of illegal marijuana, what imaginary crimes could be caused by decriminalization that could remotely approximate that? As for human misery, I've seen countless miserable drunks in my life and not one miserable pot-head. When it passes, opponents of this can just go drown their sorrows at the local bar. Then drive home, hopefully not causing any "human misery" on their way.

[Manny]

I think it's funny that Gilmore said "The mere consideration of an attempt to trade human misery for tax dollars smacks of the cynical throwing away of countless human beings" when there were people saying that they should put cigarettes in vending machines. Irony at its best.

[Lano]

And who supported it? How about a balanced reporting of the news?

[Bobb]

"We're going to legalize marijuana, we're going to tax it and then we're going to educate our kids about the harm of drugs. You've got to be kidding me,'' Gilmore said. "What's next? Are we going to legalize methamphetamines, cocaine?''

Ok, outside of the ineffectual "snowball effect" argument - what exactly is the argument against marijuana? How can you legitimately say that alcohol should be legal but not marijuana?

[Dave]

"The mere consideration of an attempt to trade human misery for tax dollars smacks of the cynical throwing away of countless human beings,''

So throwing people in prison for drug related crimes isn't creating misery?

[Cody]

Throwing away of countless human beings? Is Bob Cooke talking about legalization or prohibition?? He's thrown away the lives of countless human beings already just for choosing to use a HARMLESS PLANT! Even if this measure were to lead to wasted lives (it will not) it would be nothing compared to the hundreds and hundreds of thousands who have already had their lives, careers, families and futures ripped from them by this pointless and ridiculous hatred of a plant.

“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?” -Willie Nelson

[Gabriel]

While I believe weed is bad for society, so is alcohol, which is a major part of our culture and humanity's culture for centuries.

If people want to smoke marijuana they will, whether or not it is illegal and regardless of what their parents or teachers told them when they were in school. Legalizing it will effectively cut off major funds that gangs and drug cartels receive from shipping the drug. It will create new jobs and an industry that can help the economy. As far as I am concerned, weed is not any worse than alcohol, yet I'm sure politicians and law enforcement officers have no problem indulging in that all the time.

[August]

It should never have been illegal in the first place. The lawmakers are personally responsible for DESTROYING millions of people's live due to this wonderful plant being made illegal!

Stop the INSANITY and LEGALIZE IT!

The only plants that should be illegal are Poison Oak & Poison Ivy!

[Adam]

What about all the money spend imprisoning people for weed convictions? If legalized it would do wonders for the California tax payers. The fact is, just because it is legalized does not mean more people are going to start smoking it. Just like booze, either you drink or you dont. Even if legalized, do you really think people are going to stop selling it on the streets? Weed dealers/smokers dont want to pay anymore taxes than the police/officals do.

[AC]

Someone should tell Bob Cooke that the slippery slope works both ways. What's next? Are they going to criminalize beer and junk food?

[Calimann]

What they always forget, is that alcohol is a drug, a very dangerous drug that kills lots of people, yet never gets mentioned by the police in talks about drugs, drug education, dangers of drugs, etc. Marijuana is benign by comparison but they act like it will destroy civilization.

[captainkona]

Well done, LA.

[billbo]

The smartest thing Cali has done in 50 years! The opponents to this bill are only protecting themselves, careers, etc. Yes, what would the police do with all that free time? Maybe enforce real drig laws! And Gilmore's comment about legalizing coke, etc is simply mindless. Alcohol is legal!

Vote the dopes out and the dope in.

[Charles Manchester]

"What's next? Are we going to legalize methamphetamines, cocaine?'' I'm guessing mental intelligence isn't this guys strong suit. To even conceivably compare those two drugs to marijuana is on the borderline of having a mental defect.

[Jackson]

The fact that it is being compatred to meth or any other drug is ridiclulous. Marijuana is the most harmless this you can put in your body. Compare it to alcohol and tabacco. No one kills anybody while smoking pot.. there are deaths related to alcohol and drugs everyday... drugs like meth and cocaine...