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New Poll Shows California Marijuana Initiative With 52% Support
Prop. 19 Polling Better Than Any Candidate or Initiative on California's Ballot
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or tom [at] YesOn19.com
SACRAMENTO, CA -- A new poll released Thursday by the Public Policy Institute of California shows Proposition 19, the statewide initiative to control and tax cannabis (marijuana) leading 52-41, with just 7 percent of likely voters still undecided.
"Controlling and taxing cannabis is polling higher than anything else on California's ballot, including the gubernatorial and Senate candidates, as well as all the other initiatives," said Richard Lee, a proponent of Prop. 19. "If anyone needed more proof that the voters are way ahead of the politicians on this issue, they just got it. This should serve as a real wake up call to those politicians who still think they can somehow score political points by supporting continued prohibition."
The PPIC poll comes on the heels of a September 25 California Field Poll showing Prop. 19 leading 49-42 and a September 22 Survey USA poll showing Prop. 19 up 47-42. According to PPIC, 80 percent of likely voters feel the outcome of the vote on Prop. 19 is "very important" or "somewhat important." The full results of the PPIC poll can be found at: http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=959.
Prop. 19 has continued to rack up endorsements from groups like the National Black Police Association, the California NAACP, the California Council of Churches IMPACT and SEIU of California, as well as many individual law enforcers, doctors, Latino community leaders, faith leaders, labor, business leaders, elected officials, political parties and more. For a full list of endorsements, please visit: http://www.YesOn19.com/endorsements.
Similar to current alcohol and tobacco laws, Prop. 19 will give state and local governments the ability to control and tax the sale of small amounts of cannabis to adults age 21 and older. As the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), which provides non-partisan fiscal and policy advice, confirms, Prop. 19 includes significant safeguards and controls: It maintains strict criminal penalties for driving under the influence of marijuana, increases the penalty for providing marijuana to a minor, expressly prohibits the consumption of marijuana in public, forbids smoking marijuana while minors are present and bans possession on school grounds. http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/initiatives/pdfs/i821_initiative_09-0024_amdt_1-s.pdf
http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/19_11_2010.pdf (Page 3)
California’s tax collector, the Board of Equalization (BOE), which currently collects alcohol and tobacco taxes, estimates that marijuana taxes could generate $1.4 billion in revenue each year, available to fund law enforcement, healthcare and other critical needs. http://www.boe.ca.gov/legdiv/pdf/ab0390-1dw.pdf
The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) also says Prop. 19 would enable California to put our police priorities where they belong, in that it “could result in savings to the state and local governments by reducing the number of marijuana offenders incarcerated in state prisons and county jails, as well as the number placed under county probation or state parole supervision. These savings could reach several tens of millions of dollars annually. The county jail savings would be offset to the extent that jail beds no longer needed for marijuana offenders were used for other criminals who are now being released early because of a lack of jail space." http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/19_11_2010.pdf (Page 6)
More information about Prop. 19 can be found at: http://www.YesOn19.com
SACRAMENTO, CA -- A new poll released Thursday by the Public Policy Institute of California shows Proposition 19, the statewide initiative to control and tax cannabis (marijuana) leading 52-41, with just 7 percent of likely voters still undecided.
"Controlling and taxing cannabis is polling higher than anything else on California's ballot, including the gubernatorial and Senate candidates, as well as all the other initiatives," said Richard Lee, a proponent of Prop. 19. "If anyone needed more proof that the voters are way ahead of the politicians on this issue, they just got it. This should serve as a real wake up call to those politicians who still think they can somehow score political points by supporting continued prohibition."
The PPIC poll comes on the heels of a September 25 California Field Poll showing Prop. 19 leading 49-42 and a September 22 Survey USA poll showing Prop. 19 up 47-42. According to PPIC, 80 percent of likely voters feel the outcome of the vote on Prop. 19 is "very important" or "somewhat important." The full results of the PPIC poll can be found at: http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=959.
Prop. 19 has continued to rack up endorsements from groups like the National Black Police Association, the California NAACP, the California Council of Churches IMPACT and SEIU of California, as well as many individual law enforcers, doctors, Latino community leaders, faith leaders, labor, business leaders, elected officials, political parties and more. For a full list of endorsements, please visit: http://www.YesOn19.com/endorsements.
Similar to current alcohol and tobacco laws, Prop. 19 will give state and local governments the ability to control and tax the sale of small amounts of cannabis to adults age 21 and older. As the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), which provides non-partisan fiscal and policy advice, confirms, Prop. 19 includes significant safeguards and controls: It maintains strict criminal penalties for driving under the influence of marijuana, increases the penalty for providing marijuana to a minor, expressly prohibits the consumption of marijuana in public, forbids smoking marijuana while minors are present and bans possession on school grounds. http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/initiatives/pdfs/i821_initiative_09-0024_amdt_1-s.pdf
http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/19_11_2010.pdf (Page 3)
California’s tax collector, the Board of Equalization (BOE), which currently collects alcohol and tobacco taxes, estimates that marijuana taxes could generate $1.4 billion in revenue each year, available to fund law enforcement, healthcare and other critical needs. http://www.boe.ca.gov/legdiv/pdf/ab0390-1dw.pdf
The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) also says Prop. 19 would enable California to put our police priorities where they belong, in that it “could result in savings to the state and local governments by reducing the number of marijuana offenders incarcerated in state prisons and county jails, as well as the number placed under county probation or state parole supervision. These savings could reach several tens of millions of dollars annually. The county jail savings would be offset to the extent that jail beds no longer needed for marijuana offenders were used for other criminals who are now being released early because of a lack of jail space." http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/19_11_2010.pdf (Page 6)
More information about Prop. 19 can be found at: http://www.YesOn19.com
For more information:
http://www.YesOn19.com
Add Your Comments
Comments
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The three groups most opposed to Prop. 19 and who stand to lose the most are the alcohol beverages industry and the correctional officers in the prison-industrial complex. Of course the drug cartels who profit from prohibition also will lose out if Prop. 19 passes.
Between their partners in correctional officers unions and the illegal drug cartel leaders, their combined fear is the legalization of cannabis in CA. Both groups would stand to lose significant profits once cannabis becomes legalized.
Check out the HBO historical drama "Boardwalk Empire" to understand the relationships between alcohol Prohibition advocates and the bootleggers (organized criminal gangs) who then profitted from the increased prices they could charge by selling alcohol illegally in their "speakeasy" clubs.
Those today who advocate continued prohibition policies on cannabis are playing direxctly into the hands of the drug cartels who will continue to profit from the illegal status of cannabis. Once Prop. 19 passes and CA residents can grow their own cannabis legally, the flow of money to the illegal drug cartels will slow to a trickle, and this scares them more than any army of DEA agents ever will!!
Fortunately Prop. 19 recieves bipartisan support from clear thinkers from both sides of the political aisle;
From former (Republican) New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson;
"Mexican drug cartels make at least 60 percent of their revenue from selling marijuana in the United States, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The FBI estimates that the cartels now control distribution in more than 230 American cities, from the Southwest to New England.
How are they able to do this? Because America's policy for nearly 70 years has been to keep marijuana -- arguably no more harmful than alcohol and used by 15 million Americans every month -- confined to the illicit market, meaning we've given criminals a virtual monopoly on something that U.S. researcher Jon Gettman estimates is a $36 billion a year industry, greater than corn and wheat combined. We have implemented laws that are not enforceable, which has thereby created a thriving black market. By denying reality and not regulating and taxing marijuana, we are fueling not only this massive illicit economy, but a war that we are clearly losing."
entire article here;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-johnson/legalize-marijuana-to-sto_b_696430.html
Likewise the CA Correctional Officer's Union is only trying to protect their (taxpayer subsidized) salaried jobs of full time correctional officers who benefit from prison overcrowding in the so-called "war on drugs". Once the prisons are getting less inmates following passage of Prop. 19, there will be eventual lay-offs of uneeded excess correctional officers. As a union group, the C.O. jobs are their top priority, NOT logical policy for saving taxpayer dollars!!
Some opposition groups;
"On the other side are the usual suspects: The California Narcotics Officers' Association, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, the California Police Chiefs Association, the California Correctional Supervisors Organization, the California Peace Officers Association, the California District Attorney Association, and local police associations. They are joined by all federal drug czars past and present, past and present DEA administrators, both California US senators and most of the congressional delegation, most newspaper editorial boards, the California Chamber of Commerce, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the California Beer and Beverage Distributors (who chipped in $10,000 to Public Safety First, a political action committee created to oppose Prop 19), Californians for a Drug-Free Youth, DARE America, and other anti-drug organizations."
entire article here;
http://stopthedrugwar.org/2010/oct/07/prop_19s_battle_lines_whos_whos
In fairness it should be stated that not all law enforcement is against Prop. 19, in fact many are certain their jobs are not in jeopardy and ending cannabis prohibition will be an improvement for everyone;
From LEAP;
"Founded on March 16, 2002, LEAP is made up of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who are speaking out about the failures of our existing drug policies. Those policies have failed, and continue to fail, to effectively address the problems of drug abuse, especially the problems of juvenile drug use, the problems of addiction, and the problems of crime caused by the existence of a criminal black market in drugs.
Although those who speak publicly for LEAP are people from the law enforcement and criminal justice communities, a large number of our supporting members do not have such experience. You don't have to have law enforcement experience to join us.
By continuing to fight the so-called "War on Drugs", the US government has worsened these problems of society instead of alleviating them. A system of regulation and control of these substances (by the government, replacing the current system of control by the black market) would be a less harmful, less costly, more ethical and more effective public policy.
Please consider joining us and helping us to achieve our goals: 1) to educate the public, the media and policy makers about the failure of current policies, and 2) to restore the public's respect for police, which respect has been greatly diminished by law enforcement's involvement in enforcing drug prohibition."
article here;
http://leap.cc/About/about.php
or;
http://www.copssaylegalizedrugs.com/
Check out the HBO historical drama "Boardwalk Empire" to understand the relationships between alcohol Prohibition advocates and the bootleggers (organized criminal gangs) who then profitted from the increased prices they could charge by selling alcohol illegally in their "speakeasy" clubs.
Those today who advocate continued prohibition policies on cannabis are playing direxctly into the hands of the drug cartels who will continue to profit from the illegal status of cannabis. Once Prop. 19 passes and CA residents can grow their own cannabis legally, the flow of money to the illegal drug cartels will slow to a trickle, and this scares them more than any army of DEA agents ever will!!
Fortunately Prop. 19 recieves bipartisan support from clear thinkers from both sides of the political aisle;
From former (Republican) New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson;
"Mexican drug cartels make at least 60 percent of their revenue from selling marijuana in the United States, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The FBI estimates that the cartels now control distribution in more than 230 American cities, from the Southwest to New England.
How are they able to do this? Because America's policy for nearly 70 years has been to keep marijuana -- arguably no more harmful than alcohol and used by 15 million Americans every month -- confined to the illicit market, meaning we've given criminals a virtual monopoly on something that U.S. researcher Jon Gettman estimates is a $36 billion a year industry, greater than corn and wheat combined. We have implemented laws that are not enforceable, which has thereby created a thriving black market. By denying reality and not regulating and taxing marijuana, we are fueling not only this massive illicit economy, but a war that we are clearly losing."
entire article here;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-johnson/legalize-marijuana-to-sto_b_696430.html
Likewise the CA Correctional Officer's Union is only trying to protect their (taxpayer subsidized) salaried jobs of full time correctional officers who benefit from prison overcrowding in the so-called "war on drugs". Once the prisons are getting less inmates following passage of Prop. 19, there will be eventual lay-offs of uneeded excess correctional officers. As a union group, the C.O. jobs are their top priority, NOT logical policy for saving taxpayer dollars!!
Some opposition groups;
"On the other side are the usual suspects: The California Narcotics Officers' Association, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, the California Police Chiefs Association, the California Correctional Supervisors Organization, the California Peace Officers Association, the California District Attorney Association, and local police associations. They are joined by all federal drug czars past and present, past and present DEA administrators, both California US senators and most of the congressional delegation, most newspaper editorial boards, the California Chamber of Commerce, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the California Beer and Beverage Distributors (who chipped in $10,000 to Public Safety First, a political action committee created to oppose Prop 19), Californians for a Drug-Free Youth, DARE America, and other anti-drug organizations."
entire article here;
http://stopthedrugwar.org/2010/oct/07/prop_19s_battle_lines_whos_whos
In fairness it should be stated that not all law enforcement is against Prop. 19, in fact many are certain their jobs are not in jeopardy and ending cannabis prohibition will be an improvement for everyone;
From LEAP;
"Founded on March 16, 2002, LEAP is made up of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who are speaking out about the failures of our existing drug policies. Those policies have failed, and continue to fail, to effectively address the problems of drug abuse, especially the problems of juvenile drug use, the problems of addiction, and the problems of crime caused by the existence of a criminal black market in drugs.
Although those who speak publicly for LEAP are people from the law enforcement and criminal justice communities, a large number of our supporting members do not have such experience. You don't have to have law enforcement experience to join us.
By continuing to fight the so-called "War on Drugs", the US government has worsened these problems of society instead of alleviating them. A system of regulation and control of these substances (by the government, replacing the current system of control by the black market) would be a less harmful, less costly, more ethical and more effective public policy.
Please consider joining us and helping us to achieve our goals: 1) to educate the public, the media and policy makers about the failure of current policies, and 2) to restore the public's respect for police, which respect has been greatly diminished by law enforcement's involvement in enforcing drug prohibition."
article here;
http://leap.cc/About/about.php
or;
http://www.copssaylegalizedrugs.com/
A letter to president Obama
Mr. Obama Sir.
Given the fact that so many voters have shown that they support prop19 and the legalization
of a substance that has in many cases proven to be a safe alternative to alcohol,tobacco,
and a large list of "legal" pharmacy drugs, as proved by a lot of hollywood stars that have
died from abuse, we encourage you and the federal government to honor the United States
constitution and as "WE THE People" ask for our own personal rights to be accepted and
our right to not have to see a doctor if we choose not to,to have safe access to marijuana
and at least test the water to see if this product causes more harm than good.We don't
believe that there will be a big change from what is happening at this time in history and
every human being that lives and has to die, should be given every opportunity to have
a quality of life that they choose. We would appreciate your help at least for a certain
amount of time to have a somewhat relaxed attitude for California and to let us
"TEST THE WATER" to see if any major problems arise and give the people a chance.
Thank you very much and God bless you,America, and the state of California
Signed" WE THE PEOPLE
Mr. Obama Sir.
Given the fact that so many voters have shown that they support prop19 and the legalization
of a substance that has in many cases proven to be a safe alternative to alcohol,tobacco,
and a large list of "legal" pharmacy drugs, as proved by a lot of hollywood stars that have
died from abuse, we encourage you and the federal government to honor the United States
constitution and as "WE THE People" ask for our own personal rights to be accepted and
our right to not have to see a doctor if we choose not to,to have safe access to marijuana
and at least test the water to see if this product causes more harm than good.We don't
believe that there will be a big change from what is happening at this time in history and
every human being that lives and has to die, should be given every opportunity to have
a quality of life that they choose. We would appreciate your help at least for a certain
amount of time to have a somewhat relaxed attitude for California and to let us
"TEST THE WATER" to see if any major problems arise and give the people a chance.
Thank you very much and God bless you,America, and the state of California
Signed" WE THE PEOPLE
My college-age daughter and I both smoke cigarettes and marijuana. I would much rather us both quitting the cigarette habit than quitting smoking cannabis. Thank you, California, for showing the way for the rest of the country. I wish we had a similar initiative here in Maryland. I'm a single mom and my daughter and I have to work thankless and hard jobs just to pay for her education. It is much more positive for us to smoke a joint, laugh, and have a nice conversation than get drunk and curse each other out. I had enough of that growing up. I believe in peace, choice, and the right for people to get high in the privacy of their own homes. I love Indybay. PEACE NOW!
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