Countless Americans have languished in the criminal justice system over marijuana possession. The result: overcrowded prisons with nonviolent offenders and a thriving illegal marijuana market that extends beyond the United States borders and into marginalized communities.
But Californians finally have a chance to change this status quo.
The board endorses Proposition 64, which would make it legal for adults 21 years and up to own, sell and grow marijuana in private property, because of the injustices and unnecessary costs criminalization of the drug has brought about.
It is no secret that marijuana is among the many illegal drugs in the California black market. Even for those who aren’t daring enough to break the law so flagrantly and buy off the black market, it is quite easy to get a medical recommendation – for a supposed ‘legitimate’ medical reason, of course – and legally obtain marijuana from local dispensaries. In fact, there are several such dispensaries located in Westwood, which students utilize often. As such, it is quite useless to criminalize a substance that is so easily found.
Proposition 64 would allow the state government to better regulate the unmeasured flow of marijuana in California, potentially adding more than $1 billion in tax revenue that would go toward things like youth drug education programs and programs to reduce driving under the influence of marijuana.
Opponents of Proposition 64, however, argue legalizing marijuana would increase deaths caused by car accidents and harm children. Though highway fatalities may increase with marijuana use, there is little evidence that marijuana is any bigger of a culprit in unsafe driving than alcohol.
On top of that, the funding coming from taxing marijuana will be used to renew and strengthen efforts to prevent and reduce drug usage, thereby attacking the problem of excessive drug usage while backing away from the dark traces of the war on drugs and excessive drug criminalization.
While Proposition 64 will not change how much access people have to marijuana, passing it would generate billions in tax revenue, instead of creating a system of fear and criminalization that ruins many lives.
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