Will tax-generating marijuana tolerate the drought?

Marijuana field

Although I must admit that we are losing the war against drugs I see that there are three + Initiatives underway in CA to “legalize, regulate and tax” Marijuana which raises the following questions.

Are we acknowledging that Marijuana is not a “health and safety” issue and are throwing in the towel?

Update: Just a few years ago there was  a  major bust of 20,000 plants behind Mayor Frank Ury’s gated Stonegate community.

Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeAEncJ9N7E
Are these three + initiatives being promoted solely to raise sales tax revenue in CA?

As we suffer from droughts almost every year is the cannabis plant “drought tolerant?
Confusion? Look at the current Initiative 
 Statute titles:

 09-0022  Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana. 

09-0024  Changes California Law to Legalize Marijuana and Allow It to Be Regulated and Taxed.

09-0025  Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana.

While the above listed summaries are different, how can the first and third Initiatives carry the exact same title text?

1374 (09-0022) and 1378 (09-0025). Only in CA could this occur.

Following are the official summaries of these three efforts:

1374  (09-0022)

Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana. Initiative Statute.
Summary Date: 09/08/09 Circulation Deadline: 02/05/10 Signatures Required: 433,971
Proponent: Joe Rogoway, Omar Figueroa, and James J. Clark (415) 946-5591Repeals state laws that make it a crime for people 21 years old or older to use, possess, sell, cultivate, or transport marijuana or industrial hemp, except laws that make it a crime to drive while impaired or to contribute to the delinquency of a minor. Expunges state convictions based on the repealed marijuana-related laws. Requires state and local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana. Requires taxes to be spent on education, healthcare, environmental programs, public works, and state parks. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Savings in the several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major new excise, income, and sales tax revenues related to the production and sale of
 marijuana products. (09-0022).

1377. (09-0024. Amdt. #1S)

Changes California Law to Legalize Marijuana and Allow It to Be Regulated and Taxed. Initiative Statute.

Summary Date: 09/21/09 Circulation Deadline: 02/18/10 Signatures Required: 433,971
Proponents: Richard Seib Lee and Jeffrey Wayne Jones (510) 208-4554Allows people 21 years old or older to possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana for personal use. Permits local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana to people 21 years old or older. Prohibits people from possessing marijuana on school grounds, using it in public, smoking it while minors are present, or providing it to anyone under 21 years old. Maintains current prohibitions against driving while impaired. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Savings of up to several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major tax, fee, and benefit assessment revenues to state and local government related to the production and sale of marijuana products. (09-0024).
 
1378. (09-0025)
 
Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana. Initiative Statute.

Summary Date: 09/21/09 Circulation Deadline: 02/18/10 Signatures Required: 433,971
Proponent: John DonohueRepeals state laws that make it a crime for people to use, possess, sell, cultivate, or transport marijuana. Requires the Legislature to adopt laws regulating and taxing marijuana within one year of passage. Allows local governments to also tax the manufacture, sale, and use of marijuana. Bars state and local governments from spending money to enforce laws prohibiting the use, possession, sale, cultivation, or transportation of marijuana. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Savings in the several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major new excise, income, and sales tax revenues related to the manufacture and sale of marijuana products. (09-0025).

Note: There is also another submission by Jack Herer (09-0044) that was received by the Attorney Generals office on Sept 29th that is awaiting “Title and Summary.”
The “cannabis hemp initiative.”

As goes California so goes the nation. This is truly a slippery slope.

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