California Legalization Bill Introduced

[Payaso]

NEWS: California Marijuana Bill
Would Mean $1.3 Billion
in Revenue a Year

Video: http://www.icmag.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=79

SAN FRANCISCO --- State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) introduced legislation this week to legalize and regulate the commercial production and sale of cannabis for adults age 21 or over. The proposal – Assembly Bill 390: The Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act – is the first bill ever to be introduced in the California legislature that seeks to tax and control the sale of cannabis.

Ammiano introduced AB 390 at a press conference Monday. Joining the assemblyman in support of the measure were Betty Yee, Chairwoman of the California Board of Equalization (Taxation), Oakland City Council member Rebecca Kaplan, Orange County Superior Court Judge James P. Gray (retired), and Dale Gieringer, Coordinator of California NORML, which provided legislative text and financial analysis for the bill.

"With the state in the midst of an historic economic crisis, the move toward regulating and taxing marijuana is simply common sense," Ammiano said. "This legislation would generate much needed revenue for the state, restrict access to only those over 21, end the environmental damage to our public lands from illicit crops, and improve public safety by redirecting law enforcement efforts to more serious crimes. California has the opportunity to be the first state in the nation to enact a smart, responsible public policy for the control and regulation of marijuana."

Local news anchors from CBS, ABC, NBC, and PBS television covered the press conference. National stories regarding Ammiano's bill have appeared in USA Today, as well as on Air America and CNN.

As introduced, AB 390 would raise over $1.3 billion in annual revenue by taxing the retail production and sale of marijuana, according to financial estimates provided by the California Board of Equalization. An economic analysis by California NORML estimates that a legal, statewide retail market for cannabis could generate additional revenues totaling some $12 to $18 billion dollars per year.

The noncommercial cultivation of marijuana for personal use – defined as ten plants or fewer – would not be subject to taxation under the proposal. In addition, AB 390 would not alter existing legislation on the use of medicinal cannabis, nor would it impose new taxes or sanctions on the medical cultivation of cannabis.

A recent Zogby poll of 1,053 likely voters, commissioned by California NORML and Oaksterdam University, reported that nearly six out of ten respondents on the west coast favor taxing and legally regulating cannabis like alcohol.

"This bill is a winning proposition for California taxpayers," Gieringer said. "It's time that California stops wasting resources trying to enforce marijuana prohibition, and instead realizes the tax benefits derived from a legal, regulated cannabis market."

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[pipeline]

Awesome news! Thanks for posting this up!

My only gripe is this:

"The noncommercial cultivation of marijuana for personal use – defined as ten plants or fewer – would not be subject to taxation under the proposal."

Does this mean that if a citizen were to grow over 10 plants for personal use, they would be taxed? I don't think people should be taxed on the plants they grow for personal use. This number must be higher because the stamenant to pistilate ratio of seed propagated cannabis is roughly 50%. That leaves the personal grower with just 5 plants to survive through the growing season. The number of plants allowed for personal use will need to be increased so there is more of a guarantee of pulling in a harvest. Also, what if the personal grower wants to propagate more than 5 strains? Do they have to wait until next year to grow them? This will be hard to enforce I think...

Hopefully California can show the world that cannabis prohibition does more harm than good and put this thing to and end!!!!

 

[Guest]

Fantastic. Once one goes, the rest of the country will be forced to think about it. Nearby states will be forced to follow to stop all their money pouring into California, and from there it's dominos and fighting the feds until everything changes.

I'm not convinced it will happen right now, but given the economic trouble the US is in, it's purely logical. Hopefully people will realize this sooner than later. We're talking about billions of dollars in tax, that's plenty to get the politicians interested.

Thanks for this complete posting.
A

 

[High Jinks]

I would move back down to sacto if it passed

 

[Thundurkel]

It sounds to like if you have over 10 mature plants at a time it becomes illegal and if that's the case they need to fix that and go by square footage and not plant numbers cuz my 10 little plants aren't shit compared to the 5 my neighbor has and his produce 4x's the amount of bud as mine so where does the fairness come into play???

 

[High Jinks]

.

 

[Eudaimonia67]

It says if you grow more than 10 plants it would become taxable not illegal. I would be more than happy to pay a tax to grow more than 10 plants, that is if I needed to grow more than 10. This is great news and California is headed in the right direction. Hopefully this bill will pass without much resistance and California becomes a model on how to revive a states economy during these tough economic times.

 

[pipeline]

25402. The department shall, with consideration for the risks
posed by cultivation of a valuable crop with public health
implications that is subject to significant fees, issue and enforce
regulations concerning commercial cultivators of marijuana that
provide for all of the following:
(a) Adequate security to reasonably protect against unauthorized
access to the marijuana crop at all stages of cultivation,
harvesting, drying, processing, packing, and delivery to licensed
sales outlets or wholesalers. Each licensee shall be required to
provide a detailed crop security plan, along with satisfactory proof
of the financial ability of the licensee to provide for that
security.
(b) Appropriate employment rules, including the rule that a person
under 21 years of age may not have access to marijuana during
cultivation, storage, drying, packing, or at any other time.
(c) Safeguards to assure that a person under 21 years of age may
not transport marijuana on behalf of a commercial buyer or commercial
seller.
(d) Restrictions to ensure that marijuana is not used or consumed
on the premises of a commercial cultivator.
(e) An inspection and tracking system to reasonably ensure that
all marijuana produced by the cultivator that is eventually sold is
assessed pursuant to Part 14.6 (commencing with Section 34001) of
Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(f) Recordkeeping consistent with the regulatory needs of the
department.

You have to be wealthy enough to provide security? If the facility is secure, that requires no additional money... A fence and some locks is all it would take... Doesn't seem like something that would take a lot of money... I don't like the fact that they're going to look to see if you have enough money to cultivate. What other industry has this regulation?

I don't understand why cannabis can't be consumed on the premesis of where its being grown. Apple growers can taste their apples as they ripen, why not cannabis growers?

 

[Pirate]

25402. ... I don't like the fact that they're going to look to see if you have enough money to cultivate. What other industry has this regulation?

ALL building contractors. Its called Bonding and it is very expensive. I ran a shop for 6 years. State regulations, licencing, insurance, workmans comp, labor laws, prevent MANY people from starting their own Businesses. Its designed to keep the little guy out and slave to the system. They'll do the same with this......................Enter Big Corporations !!

And a fresh new batch of illegals to grow, pick and package our store bought commercial MJ.

You know damn well that the politicians are gonna screw this up just like they do with everything.

 

[Bozo]

I own property in north east cali I this passes I will go build my retirement home early
I just wanna live somewhere I dont have to worry bout going to jail over a plant .I dont care that you will be able to buy it I still wont pay for something I can do better myself.10 plants thats a joke I can smoke 10 plants every 70 days I assure you,whats my sweet ole lady gonna smoke?

 

[Observer Tom]

Just wait, a year later Marlboro and Camel will build 100,000 acre farms and produce so much you'll be able to buy a pack of pot cigs for as much as tobacco cigs.

Sure, connoisseurs will still grow our own, but MOST people will pick up a pack of American Spirits in a trendy green pouch available at any gas station or retail outlet.

I'll be sad to see this plant turned over to the corporations like everything else.

 

[IKILL3RI]

Just wait, a year later Marlboro and Camel will build 100,000 acre farms and produce so much you'll be able to buy a pack of pot cigs for as much as tobacco cigs.

Sure, connoisseurs will still grow our own, but MOST people will pick up a pack of American Spirits in a trendy green pouch available at any gas station or retail outlet.

I'll be sad to see this plant turned over to the corporations like everything else.

That's true I will like to see it happen. Age 21 that sucks wish it was 18, but who cares shit. It only says you got to be 21+ to purchase it not to smoke it LOL, that's my excuse if I get stopped by the cops.

 

[d4twamp]

I'll take a pack of Indica Non filters pleez...

 

[North]

I own property in north east cali I this passes I will go build my retirement home early
I just wanna live somewhere I dont have to worry bout going to jail over a plant .I dont care that you will be able to buy it I still wont pay for something I can do better myself.10 plants thats a joke I can smoke 10 plants every 70 days I assure you,whats my sweet ole lady gonna smoke?

And just how much do you smoke in a day?

seems to me pulling in 10 1/2-1lb plants a year would be EASY as pie in cali weather from what i've seen. heck I could do that here in wisconsin with a little more work and risk. risk would be mostly removed in the legal enviroment.


just ran some off the cuff numbers, 5 pounds would be 5.9 grams a day.
by MY book, thats a LOT to be smokin in a day, I know people do, but man whats the point? build your tolerence up to sky high levels?

personally, when i used to smoke daily, 2 grams was a heavy day. but then I like a little taste of reality.

 

[707DankSmoker]

I hope this pass's we need to go out and vote yes if this gets its chance and not let it slide by like measure B did in mendo. The only problem I see with taxing people who grow is one its bullshit but two is that there would be no way to determine whos growing and who isnt. Just b/c you have a script doesnt mean you grow, like wise with people who dont have a script just b/c they dont have one doesnt mean they dont grow.

 

[habeeb]

1.5 billion is pathetic to the price its costing us to be in this pointless war

 

[dkmonk]

Wait do you have to be 21 for a med card??????

I dont understand the 21 part, they are talking about lowering the drinking age, why would they put the age to smoke at 21, 18 is a legal adult, this part doesn't make sense either.

 

[Wev]

Medical use

Medical use

One Day at a time is what it will be to make Mother nature again legal for everyone.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

I have mixed feelings about this. First, im all for the legalization and taxation on clubs and commerical grows, but how about us lowly growers with smaller grows who grow for our own consumption and for our friends. I grow for myself, my brother, my roomate, and a couple other close friends. I will definately not register my grow op with the state, i dont want to pay tax.

There will still be illegal growers and people under the radar, like most of us here. I say let them tax the bigtime commerical grows, but leave us lowly un-commericial guys alone.

The real benefit of this is that growing will not be such a serious crime. If i get caught with my 30 plant underground crop i will feel a little easier about it than if i got busted today. Maybe instead of jail they will make me pay back taxes.

 

[narutonut]

ALL building contractors. Its called Bonding and it is very expensive. I ran a shop for 6 years. State regulations, licencing, insurance, workmans comp, labor laws, prevent MANY people from starting their own Businesses. Its designed to keep the little guy out and slave to the system. They'll do the same with this......................Enter Big Corporations !!

And a fresh new batch of illegals to grow, pick and package our store bought commercial MJ.

You know damn well that the politicians are gonna screw this up just like they do with everything.

Look guys unless you act now this is your future in Cali. Pirate hit it dead on this is what the morons in power will do as it is they that have the power to do it unless people stand up and let it be known that big out of state businesses need to stay home and that this is for residents of Cali to cultivate the industry and Virginia tobacco giants. Food for thought!