Governator Schwarzenegger said today that "it's time to debate" legalizing marijuana in California. The Sacramento Bee newspaper is trumpeting the story in its online "blast" email forum. You can see the article at:
http://www.sacbee.com/...
and vote on whether you support legalization or not. Right now the polling is running about 8-2 in favor. The article cites the recent poll that 56% of Californian favor legalizing marijuana and taxing it. More on what Schwarzenegger says below the fold.
Schwarzenegger says 'time for debate' on legal marijuana
Published: Tuesday, May. 5, 2009 - 2:06 pm
The Sac Bee reports that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says "it's time for California to study whether to legalize and tax marijuana for recreational use, though he's not yet advocating for such a change."
Someone asked Schwarzenegger about a recent Field Poll showing that 56 percent of registered voters support legalizing and taxing marijuana to raise revenues for the state. The Bee mentions again that Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, has proposed legislation to legalize marijuana for recreational use, rather than just medical purposes.
Quoth the Governator, "Well, I think it's not time for that, but I think it's time for a debate. I think all of those ideas of creating extra revenues, I'm always for an open debate on it. And I think we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs, what effect did it have on those countries?"
Schwarzenegger then stated the Austrian Parliament last year authorized cultivation of medical marijuana.
"It could very well be that everyone is happy with that decision and then we could move to that," Schwarzenegger said of other nations' legalization policies."
The Sac Bee cautioned that "California alone could not easily legalize pot, given that it remains a federally regulated substance. Ammiano said in March he is hoping President Barack Obama would allow California to move toward legalization."
Appropriately (or ironically), Schwarzenegger was appearing at a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection facility in Davis to promote "Wildfire Awareness Week" when he made his remarks.