Thursday, October 7, 2010

California cannabis regulation doesn't go far enough

There is a CA weed regulation that was just passed by Schwarzenegger. The bill isn’t really a full legalization. It is only a mild decriminalization. The penalty for possession has been lowered by the brand new law. Under the new law, everyone caught with a certain amount of cannabis without a prescription will pay a small fine. The penalty used to also include court appearances.

The cannabis reform by Schwarzenegger

Most recently, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill. The bill was called 1449. The penalty of carrying less than an ounce of marijuana around went down with SB 1449. Right now, an individual could be fined up to $100 and is needed to show up to court with a misdemeanor offence. The Los Angeles explains that the penalty will now only be a fine as of January 1, 2011. There is also another bill, Proposition 19, which would make marijuana use for recreational purposes entirely legal. Prop 19 isn’t something that Governor Schwarzenegger supports. Of course it was only practical that he sign in SB 1449. It is a huge burden to courts to have too many cases in there. Also, it was a burden to law officials. California has some of the most relaxed medical weed laws within the United States.

Insufficient bill

There is not much of an argument to state that weed is evil. Alcohol and tobacco are gateway drugs just as marijuana is. If someone wants to do drugs, they’ll get a hold of them effortlessly. Weed may not have even been their first drug. The drug being illegal is odd to begin with considering the history of the criminalization of marijuana. There was really only one reason why Nixon even stared the “Drug War.” This was so that political dissenters would be stopped in their tracks.

Hardly any advantages

The law won’t stop individuals from doing what they want, says history. Within the early 20th century, alcohol became prohibited. Of course more crime only happened with this. Prohibition of marijuana does the very same. It opens the door to a police state. Those who lived with the K.G.B. or Stasi looking over their shoulder have a thing or two to state. They testify to that experience completely. No one benefits from marijuana being illegal.

Data from

LA Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/10/schwarzenegger-signs-bill-reducing-offense-for-marijuana-possession.html



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