California Initiative to Legalize Cannabis Officially Placed on November Ballot
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla has announced that the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) has officially qualified for this November’s ballot. California now joins Maine, Nevada and Arizona as states that will vote for legalization this November (Massachusetts is also likely to have legalization on their ballot)
“Today marks a fresh start for California, as we prepare to replace the costly, harmful and ineffective system of prohibition with a safe, legal and responsible adult-use marijuana system that gets it right and completely pays for itself,” says Jason Kinney, Spokesperson for AUMA. “A growing majority of Californians support a smarter approach to marijuana and we’re gratified that voters will finally have the opportunity in November to pass comprehensive, common-sense policy that protects children, local control, public health and public safety, saves state and local taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, funds critical local programs, and serves as a model for the rest of the nation.”
Similar to laws in Oregon and Colorado, AUMA would legalize the possession and personal cultivation of cannabis, in addition to legalizing state-licensed cannabis retail outlets.
Below is a list of groups and individuals that have endorsed AUMA.
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom
U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach)
U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance)
U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael)
California Medical Association
California Council of Land Trusts
California Cannabis Industry Association
California NAACP
Drug Policy Alliance
Marijuana Policy Project
National NORML
ACLU of California
California Democratic Party
California Young Democrats
Los Angeles County Democratic Party
San Francisco Democratic Party
Los Angeles Community Health Project
Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce
Blacks in Law Enforcement of America
National Latino Officers Association
William C. Velasquez Institute
According to polling released last month, 60% of California voters support legalizing cannabis.
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US Senator Bernie Sanders has also endorsed the measure.