Last week NORML reported on the results of a just-released Field Research Corporation poll that found that 56 percent of California voters agreed with the statement: “Legalize marijuana for recreational use and tax its proceeds.”
Today, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was asked about the Field poll result, which was the third poll of 2009 demonstrating majority support for legalizing pot among west coast voters.
His reply:
“I think it’s time for a debate (regarding taxing and regulating the sale of cannabis for adults). 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? It could very well be that everyone is happy with that decision and then we could look at that.“
What a difference eight weeks makes. After all, this is the same Gov. Schwarzenegger that said in February that he vehemently opposed California Assembly Bill 390: The Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act, which seeks to impose a tax on the commercial production and legal retail sale of cannabis.
And today? Well, today the Governor is singing a different tune.
“It’s time for debate. … I’m always for an open debate on it.” (You can watch a video of Schwarzenegger’s remarks here. **Note, the comments come at the very end of the video.)
So are we!
Since March, NORML supporters have sent over 8,000 e-mails to their members of the California state assembly in support of AB 390, sponsored by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano. Now it’s time to start directing those thousands of e-mails, phone calls, and letters to the Governor.
Tell Gov. Schwarzenegger: “I am one of the majority of California voters who supports taxing and regulating the use and sale of cannabis by adults. Studies consistently show that countries that have removed criminal penalties for the personal use of marijuana, such as Portugal and the Netherlands, have far lower rates of cannabis use than the united States. I agree that the time has come for an objective and public debate on this topic. I urge you to encourage the legislature to hold hearings on this important issue.”
You can also send an automated e-mail to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s office via NORML’s Take Action Center here.
Arnold, I hope you terminate prohibition.
It’s not a drug. It’s a leaf
This is it! We may finally have a chance! Let’s all work together to make this happen and then maybe our law enforcement can focus on more important issues than locking up the peaceful smokers who really aren’t posing a threat to themselves or anyone else
this is perfect for the whole country. not only would we be saving billions a year from the raids, prisons, and busts; the country could MAKE trillions a year just from the taxation of marijuana. i can’t see the financial crisis lasting much longer if trillions of dollars are being made a year
Hey Schwarzy! Go take testosterone shrink what left of your balls go terminate a beer your playdough spineless puppet, actor whatever, kinda stupid to criminalise pot in a weed head state! losing votes mate. Do people have any rights in America land of the FREE?….
Hey Shcwartzy! Go pump your muscles stop trying to use your brain! People shouldn´t need your permision to smoke a joint! It´s ok to take testosterone and anabols, shirnk whats left of your nads! ha
Why don´t you decriminalise cannabis so little teenage boys don´t have to get raped in prison for growing a plant in their own home. What does more damage weed or ignorance? People have to oppress others to get what they want -way to go! I smoke weed and I´m by far smarter than you. whatever happened to land of the free home of the brave? what a loser example america is to the world! We value your money and taxes but not the ones that gave it to us! The government is supposed to fullfil the wishes and desires of the people! not the other way around! By the way i served my country for real in real wars for false reasons($)
all for greedy men like you, so when you gonna return the favor and allow me some peace of mind for a change?
Arnold american soldiers and british soldiers have to take medication on operations in Iraq against bio and chemical agents and don´t even have a choice whether we want to or not! Plus! they don´t even know what all the side effects are or even the right dosage to apply.
Very dodgy stuff! Your government thinks it´s ok to test medication on people! but someone can´t smoke a joint? come on! stop trying to bullshit everyone!
You think it´s ok that someone can buy rat poison and kill themselves with NO dramas! but you can´t do something you´ll enjoy! I wasn´t born to work and pay taxes for you to sit back and enjoy the ride! Cut the hypocrisy, lies, corruption,greed, live and let live.
Keep prooving people right! Politicians are scheming little cowards that only know how to pull fake smiles and lie well. Power to the people not the government.
Just a thought how much does the government in your state actually earn with fighting cannabis? Want to end all the problems in the world? just end banker paradises like switzerland and cayman islands where corrupt men like you put their laundered money away from public eyes! I know what to do seems you don´t.
sorry i don´t respect cowards.
CAN SOMEBODY BUILD A WEBSITE SHOWING EACH REPRESENTATIVE AND THEIR SUPPORT?
Sorry for the all caps. I keep seeing a thousand pages of forums saying the reasons it should be legal. I see hundreds of news columns talking about the existence of the bill. What I’m not seeing is a unified front, showing each representative BY NAME and whether they support or not. We should be spending our time and resources to annoy the living hell out of those individuals who are not going to support the bill. We need them to make public their intent to vote in support of the bill. We need a countdown to the deadline for their vote.
We need for these people to know that if they neglect their constituency in this matter it will affect their reelection. Threaten their jobs and get their attention. Show that the people support this bill and are organizing against their apathy. Politicians are rich and powerful and only act when they feel its politically safe to do so. Make enough noise so they can always point to the public after the vote and say they were made to vote they way they did, for the public.
WE NEED A WEBSITE WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES NAMES, DISTRICTS, POSITIONS AND THE END OF THEIR REELECTION DATE. WE NEED PRETTY COLOR GRAPHICS SO EVEN IDIOTS, CHILDREN AND ANIMALS CAN SEE WHERE THIS BILL STANDS.
Arnold,
When the rhetoric about having a debate is over and the forum is finally opened, let facts and facts reign! All studies must be cited and an independent team of fact checkers prepared to corroborate those presented. All too often politics becomes the arena of demagogues keeping our old prejudices alive and proving our reason oh-so-brittle! For those eager to enjoy a rather enlightening overview of the topic, see on Google Video the award-winning Canadian documentary, “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High.”
If California legalizes marijuana for everyone, the other states will fall in line. This is the first step! We must convince the governator that this action is necessary.
i cannot believe why people have voted for him.
he is still an actor, sorry but serious.
All drugs should be legal, it would stop crime and
putting money in the pockets of criminals. Let’s
debate all drugs, why not? Wake up America
Let’s clean up these cities…..
[…] what about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who earlier this month announced, “[I]t’s time for a debate” regarding taxing and regulating the sale of cannabis for […]
He’s two faced. That’s what it means. We must band together on this.
Medical Marijuana Card
it comes down to politics, and getting re elected. so i am not surprised at all.