California Dreaming about Legal Hemp

Some may not have heard that now California has four pending Propositions to the public with Jack Herer's (CHI) Cannibis Hemp Initiative link.


The other three groups have filed proposed initiatives with the California Secretary of State for ballot measures that would legalize and impose a tax on marijuana:


Joe Rogoway, Omar Figueroa and James J. Clark filed the language for 09-0022 on July 15, 2009. They refer to their measure as The Tax, Regulate, and Control Cannabis Act of 2010. (TRC)

Richard Sieb Lee and Jeffrey Wayne Jones filed the language for 09-0024 on July 27, 2009. They refer to their measure as the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. (RCT)

John Donohue of "Californians for Common Sense" filed the language for 09-0025 on August 4, 2009. He refers to his measure as the Common Sense Act of 2010. (CCS)


And if that wasnt enough Hempen news from the Golden State, there is also the February Assembly Bill 390 and the associated public effort to get that idea through the legislative process during California's fiscal crisis.

Jack Herer and many others have been beating the drum for legalization for decades.

I always argued for libertarian decriminalization and associated taxation, and now that the state is hungry to (a) save money, and (b) generate revenues-- it does seem the day is indeed nigh for legalization.

Herer's bill creates a limit on total taxation at $10.00 per ounce.

From what I have gleaned no other of the three initiatives have created a cap on the potential taxation.

If there is not a counterpart Senate Bill (to AB 390), then the idea that the legislature can impact this popular movement is moot. If the congress can get past the current Schwarzen-annegans, and head the voter's off at the pass-- a reasonable decriminalization scheme can be implemented.

More likely with the estimated over half the nation, and over half the state of CA supporting decriminalization, some or all of these initiatives could (I) end up on the 2010 ballot, and (II) PASS!

At that point, it will take the legislatures active effort to reconcile the differing versions of legalization and the methodologies prescribed by the voters.

Assuming those two (I & II) possibilities-- it would be well for the CA Legislature to get out ahead of this issue once they agree to fix the water distribution scheme!