Major marijuana legalization measure off the table for 2014 in California

[Newsjock]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Despite polls indicating that Californians are poised to legalize pot, the state's best shot for a marijuana measure has suddenly gone up in smoke -- and that likely means the Golden State will have to wait until at least 2016 to catch up with other pot-friendly Western states.

Backers of the Control, Regulate and Tax Marijuana Act -- including the Drug Policy Alliance, bankrolled by billionaires such as financier George Soros and the late Peter Lewis -- said Tuesday they will stop gathering signatures to put the measure on the ballot this year.

"We decided it was more important to do it right than to do it fast," Stephen Gutwillig, the Drug Policy Alliance's deputy executive director, said Tuesday. "We ultimately came quite close but just decided we didn't have enough of the pieces in place right now."

... Besides the Drug Policy Alliance measure, two other legalization initiatives started circulating in recent months -- though neither seems to have the deep pockets and grass-roots backing needed to successfully gain a position on this November's ballot.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_25174969/major-marijuana-legalization-measure-off-table-2014

[proudretiredvet]

1. I'm tired of waiting.

I don't smoke pot but it is the whole principle of the subject for me. Booze has a huge negative impact in our society. Pot, not so much. More than half of the adults in cali smoke pot or have in the last 10 years. Get a grip, get on with it, get used to it, and get over it.
Legalize pot for recreational use. Do not put one more person into the legal system because they smoke a joint.
We have things to worry about that actually are important.

[Politicalboi]

2. Damn it!

We still have to go on with this circus of "medical marijuana". Yes doctor, I can't sleep and I have some back pain, can I get some weed? Why yes,yes you can, just pay us $50.00 and we will give you the key to enter pot shops. See you next year. SCAM!

That is IF there's a doctor that does MJ recommendations close by, and they ONLY charge you $50.00. Some places like the Antelope Valley gouge you just because they can for $150.00. I'm sick of this game.

[Bennyboy]

3. well, Another did not reach enough signatures...

The CCHI is not supported by Soros and the MPP and all that. Known as the jack Herer intiative, also failed this week.

[RainDog]

4. This puts CA in an interesting place

With all the regulations WA has placed on their legalization, I would bet the northern CA growers will have a market for product there, still, and won't have to deal with CA regulations for another few years.

...at least that's how I would look at the near future in relation to this news.

[Bennyboy]

5. I don't think an intiative is the way to go

Unless the only wording on the initiative states "The legislature had a deadline by such and such" to create the law. It is so complex. so complex.

Yeah Washington has decided to fight it and go against the voters.

[RainDog]

6. Well, this is what the Polis leg. is supposed to do

Let every state decide how they want to take this. Hawaii has legislature to make it legal to grow for export... or did, don't know what the status is on that one - and yet keep marijuana illegal for residents of the state.

that's sort of like Mississippi now - the feds can grow marijuana there, but no one else.

That would seem like the worst of all possible worlds.