Recap: Legalizing Marijuana in California

I did my quasi-daily "marijuana" search on Google News and found this great video from CNN. It breaks down the most recent developments concerning California Proposition 19 - notably, that both sides are unable to raise an exceptional amount of money. Yes on Prop. 19 has certainly fared better ($2 million verses No's $200,000), but both camps rarely, if ever, air television commercials due to lack of capital. Although this would usually be devastating for a ballot-bound measure, not so much for good ol' Mary Jane. People and the media apparently have an instinctive passion for weed, as Proposition 19 has had no trouble making the news - screw costly PR efforts. Check out the video below:

The major political candidates in California opposes the legalization of pot - begrudgingly, I hope, though probably not. Even Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is not only famous for smoking weed back in the day, but more importantly recently signed into law a measure that makes the possession of less than one ounce of pot equal to a speeding ticket. That is, a $100 fine. I can't wait for Arnold to speak out post-governorship and admit that he loves weed. Okay, that probably will not happen, but you know he would reap the benefits of legalization. The Democratic candidate who hopes to take over Arnold's seat, Jerry Brown, is also against Prop. 19. "If the whole society starts getting stoned, we're going to be even less competitive," he says.

If by "getting stoned" he means completely incompetent, lazy, and stupid, then yes, the United States would become less competitive. But I smoke, I get stoned, and I don't consider myself to be "less competitive" than someone who does not. I began to smoke pot on a regular basis during my senior year at UCLA. I smoked more or less everyday, emphasis on the more. Rather than complaining of senioritis and screwing over my last year of college, I traveled abroad, earned a 4.0 all three quarters, worked, read and graded papers for my favorite professor, and had countless "This is the last time we're doing [insert activity]!" moments with my best friends. It would be the understatement of the year to say that pot did not lead to the destruction of my life. Weed is simply a part of my life, a great addition to my life, and is so for so many women.

xoxo, rose