Endorsement: Yes on L.A. County Measure C for regulated cannabis sales and use
As of today, voters have approved California’s first measure to regulate marijuana, with Proposition 64 and Measure C, two separate initiatives to take effect that would impose stricter regulations on the sale of and possession and use of cannabis.
The measure would create a system with licenses, limits on packaging, and more stringent background checks. The goal of Measure C was to create a framework that would allow the state to use tax revenues and create jobs, all while reducing the black market.
However, it was a vote against Measure C that gave cannabis advocates a big win on Election Day, as Prop. 64 and Measure C both passed, and that gives voters now the opportunity to weigh in on both measures.
Support in Proposition 64 and Measure C
The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) will now weigh in with their analysis, which will be released as part of a final report from their Office of Cannabis Research.
If the report indicates increased revenue for the state due to Prop. 64, that would lead to increased tax revenue. This revenue would then help to provide services and programs for underserved communities in California, including affordable housing, schools, public safety, and employment, as well as the development of social and medical infrastructure. It also would help to ensure more effective law enforcement in enforcement of any illegal activity, as well as provide for the development of infrastructure for the cultivation of the plant and the eventual creation of new jobs, through the creation of new cannabis farms.
If the report indicates a loss of revenue due to Prop. 64, that would cause the state to see a drop in tax revenue and would also help to create opportunities for the state to invest its savings in other areas of the state.
There are other ways that Prop. 64 would reduce the black market and increase the use of legal cannabis, through the licensing and regulation of cannabis products.
The Prop. 64 legalization initiative would require all licensed dispensaries, cultivation facilities, and manufacturing facilities to be registered with the state prior to opening the doors. That would ensure that cannabis products are traceable, and that the products are not in violation of the state’s labeling and packaging laws.
As a result of Prop. 64, cannabis dispensaries