Pro: Prop 19 draws mixed views about drugs and deficits in California

Lail Stockfish / Roundup

The time has come to release this country, this state, and every day citizens from the burden that was created when marijuana was criminalized.

Passing Proposition 19 on Nov. 2 is the best thing for everyone.

Since the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, marijuana (cannabis) became recognized as a schedule 1 drug, which puts it in the same category as Heroine and MDMA.

According to the Controlled Substances Act, a schedule I drug is defined as a drug or other substance that has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

Clearly, this is no longer true.

If reason alone cannot deduct that this once legal and still most commonly used drug doesn’t belong in this classification, then the studies that have been unable to find any long-term adverse effects of cannabis but many positive short-term uses should do the job.

Billions of dollars have been wasted on the misguided attempt to control the consumption and availability of marijuana in the United States, where roughly 100 million people (roughly one-third of the population) admit to having used cannabis and 15 million of them did so in the past month according to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

The most common rebuttal to the legalization of marijuana is the safety of the nation's youth.

According to the Monitoring the Future Survey—an annual survey of attitudes and drug use among the nation's high school students showed that 32.8 percent of high school teens have come in contact with drug dealers and people classified as criminals.

If marijuana is legalized, it would make it just as difficult for minors to buy as alcohol and cigarettes. Neither of those substances, which are arguably worse than marijuana, are currently being sold on a black market or by drug dealers. Instead, they are being sold in convenience stores and the likes where it is cheaper and easier for the government to regulate.

While denying our government potential billions in tax revenues, marijuana’s illegal status also supports drug cartels. It is reported that over 60 percent of their revenue is generated from the sale of marijuana in the U.S. Market.

Proposition 19 will make it legal in the state of California for anyone over the age of 21 to posses, transport, and share no more than an ounce for individual consumption.

In addition, it will allow cultivation of marijuana on private property, reserve the rights of businesses to prohibit marijuana use for employees during work hours, and will prohibit smoking in public, while driving, and in the presence of minors.

This means law enforcement will have more time and resources to focus on solving violent crimes instead of targeting, trying, convicting, and imprisoning non-violent citizens.

According to the Board of Equalization, proposition 19 would yield an extra $1.9 billion in tax revenue, money that can be used to fund education, transportation, public safety and more.

Over the past 7 years the state's debt has nearly tripled. State Treasurer Bill Lockyer reported that the state now has $77.8 billion in outstanding general obligation bonds, and an additional $42.8 billion in authorized but unissued bonds.

To compensate, budget cuts have been flying left and right, and taxes seem to be increasing on a regular basis.

On top of that, more than 400 California small businesses (medical marijuana dispensaries) have been forced to shut down just in this past year.

All of this comes during arguably the deepest recession to ever hit the nation, with a rising state unemployment rate that is currently at 12.8 percent.

Studies show that public opinion on marijuana has been shifting; we’ve been leaning towards legalization for over a decade.

As a leader of the progressive states it's time for California to accept the future, set an example, and help itself.

It’s time to open the door and make room for the real issues. With the current burdens this state and its citizens face, there’s no place for petty laws and restrictions that create burdens on everyone.

Vote yes on Prop 19 along with the United States Surgeon General, Los Angeles Police Department, and the District Attorney, (just to name a few supporters), and let this problem be a thing of the past.