It was the first big attempt at a sea change in national drug policy, and it was a failed one. After leading the way on medical marijuana and running into all kinds of trouble with the federal government, it’s no wonder that California was a little bit wary of being the first state in the nation to decriminalize marijuana. I’d imagine fear of federal complications was one of many reasons why California voted down Proposition 19, The Regulate, Control, And Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. Even with high-profile support, it’s not surprising that the campaign went up in smoke.
“It’s still a historic moment in this very long struggle to end decades of failed marijuana prohibition,” said Stephen Gutwillig, California director for the Drug Policy Project. “Unquestionably, because of Proposition 19, marijuana legalization initiatives will be on the ballot in a number of states in 2012, and California is in the mix.” The legalization law was opposed by several divergent groups, including the Obama White House, California’s governor, and medical marijuana dispensaries who feared that they niche they carved out would become co-opted.
Tags: California, Proposition 19, Prop 19, legalizing marijuana, Proposition 19 fails to pass, voting, election results, Stephen Gutwillig, Drug Policy Project, Prop 19 fails in California, legalized marijuana voted down, the war on drugs, state laws, ballot initiatives