Articles Posted in Proposition 19

A breakdown of voting for Proposition 19, California’s marijuana legalization effort, found support was strongest in the Bay area but failed in the Emerald Triangle, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Our Los Angeles marijuana defense attorneys noted last month that penalty for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana was reduced from a misdemeanor that required a court appearance, to an infraction punishable by no more than a fine. But Proposition 19 would have made recreational marijuana use legal, permitted possession of up to an ounce by anyone over the age of 21, and allowed for the growing of marijuana in an area of up to 25 square feet.

The measure failed 54 to 46 percent. Supporters vow to have it back on the ballot in 2012.

The strongest support was in San Francisco, where it passed, and in five surrounding counties. San Francisco residents favored the measure 65 percent to 35 percent. The measure also found support in the Central Coast counties of Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, as well as the eastern counties of Alpine and Mono.

Voters in Los Angeles County voted against the issue 53 percent to 47 percent. The area is home to a quarter of the state’s voters. The heaviest opposition was in Colusa County, where 68 percent opposed it.

Another area of poor showing was the “Emerald Triangle,” where part of the economy depends on marijuana. Growers there were worried that legalized marijuana could hurt the market for their medical marijuana, which hurt the initiative in Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties.
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Proposition 19, California’s marijuana legalization effort, will run television ads in the Los Angeles area in the closing days of the campaign, the L.A. Times reported.

As our Los Angeles medical marijuana defense attorneys reported recently on our Marijuana Lawyer Blog, political pundits placed part of the blame on a recent 10-point deficit in the polls on the fact that Proposition 19 supporters have lacked the funds to mount an aggressive statewide television campaign.

Beginning Tuesday, and running through the final week to election day, the commercials will air featuring retired San Jose Police Chief Joseph D. McNamara endorsing the initiative.

It is the first campaign supporters of the initiative have put on television. A spokesman said the campaign will spend $170,000 to run the commercials on cable television through election day.

He said he hopes the modest buy of television time can be expanded into other markets though the donations of supporters.

The spot will feature McNamara wearing a suit and tie and speaking directly to the camera. He will say his 35 years in law enforcement have convinced him that the war on marijuana has failed.

“Today, it’s easier for a teenager to buy pot than beer,” he says. “Proposition 19 will tax and control marijuana just like alcohol. It will generate billions of dollars for local communities, allow police to focus on violent crimes and put drug cartels out of business.”

Meanwhile, the California Chamber of Commerce is spending $250,000 in radio ads aimed at beating the initiative. The chamber vaguely claims the proposition would hurt California’s economy and make it tougher to create jobs.

The legalization initiative is supported by the National Black Police Association and 48 current and retired law enforcement veterans.
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The latest poll to gauge support for Proposition 19 has found that California’s marijuana legalization effort is trailing badly, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Our L.A. medical marijuana dispensary lawyers don’t put a lot of faith in these polls, particularly when it comes to the marijuana legalization issue. Such polls are typically conducted by calling home telephones, and therefore over represent the older vote. College students or those without landlines — virtually everyone under 30, let’s say, are much more likely to support the legalization effort. These same voters are usually drastically underrepresented in polls.

The Los Angeles Times/USC poll found the issue trailing by a margin of 51 percent to 39 percent. As we reported on our Marijuana Lawyer Blog, the issue has been leading in many previous polls. Politicos contend supporters of the measure are short on money and have not been able to run the kind of television campaign that is critical to success in a state the size of California.

The measure would permit those over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and to grow marijuana in up to 25 square feet of space.

The poll found a slim margin of support among Democrats while Republicans were opposed by a margin of 2-1. Men were evenly split, while women leaned against.
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