Question of the week: Given that Mexico is discussing legalizing marijuana, should California follow Colorado and Washington states and legalize the drug?
- n David Cohen: Yes. Legalize it. Regulate it. Tax it.
- Jeff Smith: No. That would be a big mistake. We don’t need more drug addicted individuals high on pot driving on our roads, working in our society, dealing with our children, etc. We’re pushing to ban trans fats, soda pop, and anything else that’s not good for you, but trying to promote marijuana? Really? We know that pot use in some people leads to the heavier drugs and an affiliated criminal lifestyle. Our state already has enough problems. Why would we want to create more???
- Hank Miller: Yes. Legalized marijuana use seems to be no more a threat to society than legalized alcohol use. I haven’t heard of any dire consequences from Washington or Oregon since marijuana became legal there. Legalizing marijuana could/should also mitigate the criminal element in illegal drug trafficking as it did after alcohol prohibition was repealed.
- Dennis Kennedy: Yes! But with tight regulations and restrictions on its production, sales and use.
- Chris Bryant: Yes, just like tobacco and alcohol. Legalize, regulate and tax it to eliminate the dangerous illegal grow operations on public lands and allow enforcement to concentrate on serious drugs.
- Julian Mancias: Yes. It will create an additional tax revenue, it will reduce the California prison population, it will reduce gang activity, and it will reduce crime.
- Karen Anderson: Yes, as a trial run. Our foot is in the door anyway with the medical marijuana law. It is likely no worse than alcohol and, hopefully, by severely reducing the price, it will bring down the drug lords and gangs.
- Dave Appling: Maybe. I see our eradication and interdiction programs as only marginally effective, and the cost/benefit ratio far too high. It may be better to regulate and tax this controlled substance, which is not IMO benign, but is certainly miscast as a Schedule I drug. More study needed: “everybody else is doing it” is not an adequate reason.
- Lisa Pampuch: Yes, but California should legalize marijuana regardless of what Mexico does. It’s a matter of liberty and of ending a policy that wastes money and ruins lives.
- Rene Spring: Yes to some degree, and for adults only. I do support decriminalization for possession of a small amount of marijuana for recreational use under strict conditions. There should be a legal limit on THC blood levels for driving, and traders/growers should require a permit (license), and we should tax any sales.
