Arnold Schwarzenegger just signed a new CA cannabis proposal into law. The bill only makes cannabis slightly less illegal. The possession of small amounts of marijuana has slightly less stiff penalties. Under the new regulation, everyone caught with a certain amount of marijuana without a prescription will pay a small fine. The penalty used to also contain court appearances.
Schwarzenegger working the marijuana reform angle
Governor Schwarzenegger signed a recent bill, titled SB 1449. The penalty of carrying less than an ounce of marijuana around went down with SB 1449. Currently, it is a misdemeanor that needs a court appearance, and up to a $100 fine. The Los Angeles explains that the penalty will now only be a fine as of January 1, 2011. It would be lawful to use cannabis for recreational purposes with a brand new bill. This one is called Proposition 19. Gov. Schwarzenegger opposes Prop 19, but he signed SB 1449 for practical reasons. It is a huge burden to courts to have too many cases in there. Also, it was a burden to regulation officials. CA has super relaxed laws on medical marijuana. It has one of the most relaxed laws within the whole country.
Several dispute proposal is insufficient
The arguments concerning marijuana use and its relative “evils” are flawed. Alcohol and tobacco are gateway drugs just as marijuana is. Anyone that is determined to use drugs will use them anyway, regardless of whether that person first uses marijuana. The drug being illegal is odd to begin with thinking about the history of the criminalization of marijuana. One of the reasons Nixon launched the “Drug War” was to give police force greater powers to crack down on political dissenters.
Few advantages
History teaches us that individuals will find a way to do what they want, regardless of the law. Within the early 20th century, alcohol became prohibited. Of course more crime only happened with this. Cannabis being illegal does the very same thing. It opens the door to a police state. Any person who testifies to that probably lived with the K.G.B. or the Stasi looking over their shoulder constantly. Nobody enjoys marijuana being illegal. It doesn’t benefit anyone.
Articles cited
LA Times
latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/10/schwarzenegger-signs-bill-reducing-offense-for-marijuana-possession.html
