Marijuana legalization in California is long overdue. California had the chance to legalize marijuana during the 2010 Election, however, the initiative failed. Since then, there have been many reasons that marijuana legalization efforts haven’t happened in California. The main ones I always point out is that California will be by far the most expensive state to run a successful campaign in, and there are too many competing efforts each election cycle. Unless everyone works together, marijuana legalization will be very hard to achieve in California.
But despite the reasons that California hasn’t legalized yet, many believe that legalization is inevitable. This is a view that is even shared by California Attorney General Kamala Harris. Per Buzz Feed:
California Attorney General Kamala Harris, a rising star in the Democratic Party, says she’s “not opposed” to her state legalizing marijuana.
“I am not opposed to the legalization of marijuana. I’m the top cop, and so I have to look at it from a law enforcement perspective and a public safety perspective,” Harris told BuzzFeed News in an interview in Washington, D.C. “I think we are fortunate to have Colorado and Washington be in front of us on this and figuring out the details of what it looks like when it’s legalized.”
“We’re watching it happen right before our eyes in Colorado and Washington. I don’t think it’s gonna take too long to figure this out,” Harris said. “I think there’s a certain inevitability about it.”
I really, really hope that California legalizes marijuana during the 2016 Election, or even better, during the next legislative session. If the California Legislature legalized marijuana, it would save a ton of money, time, and effort for the reform community, and would give California’s Legislature influence over the process. Until California legalizes marijuana, it will always be seen as a ‘top prize’ for marijuana activists.
