Legalization of Marijuana Will Be on California’s Ballot

Since the U.S. federal government announced it as an illegal drug in 1937, marijuana has been part of America’s mainstream and subculture, just like cigarettes and alcohol. During the '60s, while it was trendy for teenagers to rebel against the government, the authority and the system, marijuana also gained in popularity. According to some sociologists, 60 percent of today’s parents whose children are high school students have been using marijuana regularly since they were teenagers. In other words, a majority of the American population smokes marijuana.

Marijuana has also been a very controversial topic. “Sweet Smell of Success”, a classic film released in 1957, stars Burt Lancaster as an influential columnist in the New York entertainment and art scenes named J.J. Hunsecker (based on the powerful columnist Walter Winchell). Hunsecker spread false rumors that his sister’s boyfriend was a marijuana smoker in order to ruin their relationship. As smoking marijuana was a serious accusation back then, Hunsecker successfully causes the couple to break up. However, his plan also makes him lose his sister forever, as she said to him, “I know I should hate you. But I don't. I pity you.”

The debate over legalizing marijuana, which has remained unsettled between the U.S. government and the general public in the past few decades, may actually have a chance to move a step forward this year. As people all across America are preparing for the upcoming midterm elections, 400,000 signatures have been collected for Proposition 19, which successfully brings the measure to legalize marijuana on the ballot in the election on Nov. 2. The contents of the petition include: It will be legal for adults 21 or older to possess, grow and transport marijuana for personal use; it will also be legal to grow marijuana at a private residence or land in a space of up to 25 square feet; however, it shall not be sold at school, and it will be illegal to consume the substance in front of underage children or in public areas.

According to the latest public poll, people are optimistic about the future of Proposition 19, but yet not overly optimistic. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder stated that even if voters pass the legalization measure in California, the federal government would still punish and arrest users of marijuana according to federal laws. On top of that, both second-time Democratic candidate Jerry Brown and current Republican Senator Dianne Feinstein publicly showed opposition to the measure (Republicans are totally against the issue), which brings many uncertainties to the outcome. While a lot of the candidates were denouncing China during this year’s midterm election, senior politician Jerry Brown, who is very likely going to be the next governor, yelled out loud that, “We got to compete with China, and if everybody’s stoned, how the hell are we going to make it?”

California was the first state to pass Proposition 215 to legalize medical marijuana, and, since then, 14 more states and the District of Columbia followed the lead and allowed cancer and AIDS patients to purchase a set amount of marijuana from approved drugstores. Currently, there are more marijuana drugstores than vitamin shops (such as GNC) in areas that allow medical marijuana. Most physicians agree that marijuana is an effective pain reliever and is valuable in other medical usages; however, they are also worried that once marijuana is legalized, drug abuse will become a big problem, which can severely damage the user/patient’s health, both physically and mentally, and eventually ruin his or her functionality in society. Former drug addict Bishop Ron Allen is a conservative African-American who opposes Proposition 19. He now fights against drug abuse and says, “Marijuana is the source of all evils in our society;” he does not exaggerate.

The main originator of Proposition 19 is 47-year-old Richard Lee. His lower body was paralyzed 20 year ago in an accident, and he has been able to lessen the pain by using marijuana. He has raised $1.3 million and has collected 430,000 signatures for the campaign of Proposition 19. Since medical marijuana is already legal in California, rather than the campaign focusing on the medical benefit of marijuana, the campaign advertises its economic attributes. As the economy and employment rate have been terrible in California, the legalization of marijuana could bring the state $1.4 billion in taxes, which is more than the taxes from cigarette and alcohol sales. It would also create many job opportunities. Oakland, which is located next to San Francisco, has a deficit of $31 million and an unemployment rate of 17 percent (the average across the country is 9 to 10 percent). Regardless of the outcome of Proposition 19, the city council has already licensed four large-scale marijuana farms. They will produce about 70,000 pounds of marijuana and bring the city $38 million in taxes and fees each year. Oakland is on its way to becoming the “Silicon Valley of Cannabis.” Former movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger has not been performing well during his time in office as governor. He used to oppose legalization, but, now that the state is having a tough time financially, he has turned neutral. Opposition from the police department and law enforcers has been lessened, and unions who had been neutral are now supporting the proposition.

If people think marijuana is bad, how about cigarettes and alcohol? All three of them have been essential to America’s society. Whether you are at an outdoor music festival, a college campus, a park, a bar, a house party or even on the street, you can smell marijuana everywhere. To be honest, smoking marijuana has already been a national pastime and it is impossible and unnecessary to ban it. So why pretend to ban it? The American culture and society are full of denials and hypocrisy.