7 June 2016
Anybody who’s been following the California process for the last 24 months will know that nothing is a forgone conclusion even if Sean Parker, his money and connections are behind the AUMA proposals
Here’s an abstract for the article and we recommend that everybody link through to read this piece in full as it’s becoming increasingly obvious that where California goes so does the rest of the nation and we’d imagine will be the kick that other jurisdictions around the world will need to embrace the legalisation process
ABSTRACT
Early Secretary of State reports show the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which is backed by Silicon Valley billionaire Sean Parker, submitted more than the needed 365,880 signatures just in Southern California. And more than three quarters of the signatures sampled from counties that have completed the verification process – 15 out of 58 in the state – have been deemed valid. In all, some 600,000 petition signatures were submitted earlier this month.
The act continues to gather a range of political support, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Medical Association and U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, who recently acknowledged his own use of topical medical marijuana to treat arthritis.
Lynne Lyman – state director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for drug law reform and has donated $750,000 – said she expects they will raise between $10 million and $20 million by Nov. 8.
What would the California marijuana legalization initiative do?
The Adult Use of Marijuana Act would allow Californians 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, up to 8 grams of concentrated cannabis and up to six plants.
The act also establishes a 15 percent sales tax, plus a tax by weight for growers. The Legislative Analyst’s Office anticipates revenues could top $1 billion annually.
Who’s supporting the effort?
The Adult Use of Marijuana Act has raised more than $3.5 million from five sources:
• $1 million from Sean Parker, who co-founded Napster and was Facebook’s first president
• $750,000 from The New Approach PAC, a legacy of Progressive insurance mogul Peter Lewis, that supported Oregon’s 2014 marijuana legalization
• $750,000 from Irvine-based Weedmaps, a Yelp-style service for cannabis retailers founded by Justin Hartfield
• $750,000 from Drug Policy Action, the advocacy arm of Drug Policy Alliance, which aims to end the War on Drugs
• $250,000 from Nicholas Pritzker, Hyatt Hotel heir and billionaire investor
Source: Secretary of State
Who’s opposing it?
The Coalition for Responsible Drug Policies, sponsored by the Public Safety Institute, has raised $60,000 from seven sources:
• $25,000 from California Teamsters, a union representing workers largely in the trucking and warehouse industries
• $10,000 from Sam Action, Inc., a nonprofit alliance of mental and public health professionals that oppose marijuana legalization
• $5,000 from California Correctional Supervisors Organization, a union representing managers who work for the state prison and hospital systems
• $5,000 from Riverside Sheriffs Association, the union representing Riverside County sheriff’s deputies
• $5,000 from Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs State PAC, the union representing L.A. County deputies
• $5,000 from Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents Los Angeles Police Department officers
• $5,000 from California Hospitals Committee on Issues, a public policy arm of the California Hospital Association
Source: Secretary of State
Full Article
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/use-717434-marijuana-signatures.html’
