Part 2: Arguments Against Marijuana Legalization In California

California’s Secretary of State has certified that the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis act in California has received enough voter signatures to be considered on the ballot in November. To see a full rundown of the voter initiative and arguments for marijuana legalization, see The California Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act: Part 1. Opponents of the bill say that the tax pay day will not be worth the problems of the bill, even though polls show that 59% of decided voters support the act. Detractors of the bill have one of two major arguments - either that the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis act will cause more crime, or that the act will detract from the quality of grown marijuana.

Medical arguments against legal marijuana

The medical uses of marijuana are hotly debated, though many doctors have been quoted as stating the drug does have medical uses. Public health could be harmed if marijuana is made legal for recreational use.

For the most part, marijuana is smoked - and smoking anything long term can seriously damage lung tissue. Studies have also found that heavy pot smoking can permanently harm short term memory and reaction time. Medical opponents of legal recreational marijuana argue that legalization would increase use, and therefore harm public health.

The crime argument against marijuana legalization

The California Peace Officers Association has spoken out against the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act. The official association lobbyist, John Lovell, was quoted by CNN as asking “We have enough problems with alcohol and abuse of pharmaceutical products. Do we really need to add yet another mind-altering substance to the array?”

No matter what California voters do, opponents point out that marijuana is still considered a Schedule I illegal drug by the federal government. Federal law enforcement officials have not been prosecuting small medical marijuana dispensaries or users, but large-scale production and distribution still remains a serious federal crime. If California were to legalize pot, it could draw more organized crime and drug cartels to the state.

The quality argument against legalizing pot

An emerging coalition between marijuana growers and those who want to keep it illegal is emerging. In Humboldt County, many growers and distributors of gray or black market marijuana fear that legalized pot could be economically and socially damaging. Economically, growers fear that legalized marijuana would significantly reduce the sales price of their cash crop. If the price of pot were to drop, the growers fear they would have to attend credit counseling because their livelihood would be damaged. As in many other markets, growers fear that legal marijuana would mean corporations would begin producing competition to their crops. Like other farmers in America, pot growers would be forced to compete with agribusinesses, which would increase cost and reduce profit.

California’s Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis act has strong arguments both for and against passage. The results in California’s election will be carefully watched, and the result on the legal marijuana movement could be profound.

Sources:

The Associated Press

Business Week

Seattle Times

Time Magazine

CNN

California NORML