One of the country’s leading drug policy reformers visited Oregon Tuesday to make a pitch for legalizing marijuana, calling our initiative headed to the November ballot “the new gold standard” of marijuana reform efforts.
Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, called our effort to legalize marijuana “the No. 1 priority” for his New York-based organization.
WHAT ABOUT OUR INITIATIVE MAKES IT THE “GOLD STANDARD” FOR LEGALIZATION?
- It establishes strict regulation and oversight of marijuana that allows responsible production and adult use while penalizing access to minors.
- It uses an existing entity – the Oregon Liquor Control Commission – to regulate the system, creating no new bureaucracy.
- It will produce tens of millions in tax revenue for the state, paying for school funding, state and local police and drug treatment and prevention programs.
- Marijuana taxes in Oregon would be lower than Washington’s and Colorado’s, which would allow legal business owners to compete with and undercut black market sellers.
You can read the Oregonian’s coverage of Ethan’s visit here.
Source: New Approach Oregon
