An ad symbolizing YES for Prop 19.
Last year on November 2, 2010, Proposition 19, The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, a California ballot proposition was proposed. The proposition, "[i]f approved by voters, will legalize various marijuana-related activities for those over the age of 21, allow local governments to regulate these activities, permit local governments to impose and collect marijuana-related fees and taxes, and authorize various criminal and civil penalties" (http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_19,_the_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_%282010%29). In the end, California of 54% voters rejected the proposition. Californians, afraid of a marijuana cultivation, rejected a proposition that they believed could become "a threat to public safety, violates federal law and drug-free workplace rules, and wouldn't generate much tax revenue at all" (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/proposition-19-results-california-votes-reject-marijuana-measure/story?id=12037727#.Tsvwe_Lmi18). They believed that the possession and cultivation of marijuana for personal use or any marijuana-related activities should remain illegal under the state law unless it is allowed under the state's existing medical marijuana law. Little did they recognized that allowing the proposition to pass would benefit California in so many ways.
Blinded by negative ads, California voters disapproved a proposition that could also benefit California. California voters, without understanding the proposition thoroughly, rejected millions of dollars from entrepreneurs who invest millions of dollars in marijuana. "Richard Lee, an Oakland entrepreneur behind medical marijuana dispensary, nursery and other pot-related businesses" (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/-proposition-19-results-california-votes-reject-marijuana-measure/story?id=12037727) invested about $1.7 million dollars to support California's Proposition 19. Another million was added by billionaire, George Soros. Even though California could benefit from the money, voters chose what they believed was best for the state. Voters view marijuana as a powerful drug that shouldn't be cultivated or possessed by anyone illegally. They are afraid of a growing population fill with marijuana users especially when anyone over the age of 21 or older can cultivate or possess limited amounts of marijuana for personal use.
Although Proposition 19 failed, benefit people are still fighting to get voters to accept the proposition. Voters find this proposition as an excuse to legalize marijuana to anyone in California, but the truth is that the proposition is unclear. The idea that benefit people are trying to get across voters' minds is that the proposition is not about whether marijuana should be legalize, it's more about how to legalize marijuana. These two proposals are indeed different and was informed in a misleading way that didn't appeal to many voters. This is one main causation to why the proposition didn't passed. Voters were mislead.
Acknowledging that voters were mislead, voters also have their own perspectives about the drug. Voters believe marijuana should be a drug prescribed over the counter available to any benefit patients. No one, including illegal users, should carry this drug or smoke it in public unless he or she has a license for it. Even if the proposition has some prohibitions to it, no one should have access to the drug unless prescribed by a doctor. Doctors should have access to prescribe marijuana to any benefit patient and also have every right to stop prescribing the drug at any period of time. Marijuana is so effective that no one should consider abusing it.
An ad symbolizing NO on Prop 19.