Prop 205 trudges towards the ballot amidst mounting concerns from critics.
Much of the literature condemning the marijuana legalization initiatives takes issue with the new system the proposition would put in place.
On the surface, the law would legalize marijuana for adults over the age of 21 and possession outside of the home up to one ounce. Users would also be able to retain the yield from up to six plants within their homes.
However, behind the proposition’s veil lies the shadow of a beast of which many are leery. That beast is the proposed Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control and its Marijuana Commission, which would be responsible for industry oversight and enforcement.
The Arizona Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project, Carlos Alfaro, thinks many of these fears are misrepresentations of the initiative.
“One of the reasons we put in the commission for licenses and control was so that they would have the adequate stage to put these regulations in place, to protect the consumer and to not overburden the industry with regulations,” Alfaro said.
Moon Smoke Shop has been especially critical of this law in several facets, including the supposed destruction of current medical marijuana programs and the lack of protection against felony arrest but mainly the department’s regulatory authority over marijuana accessories.
Michael “Patches” Patch, the manager of Moon Smoke Shop on Fourth Avenue, isn’t willing to take the risk that the commission will choose to limit the shop’s ability to sell products that may or may not be associated with marijuana use.
Patches takes issue with “the fact that they’re making it a felony to have an ‘x’ amount of anything, when it should be recreational, the concept of closing down businesses…like smoke shops, just monopolizing the whole concept.”
But Alfaro says there would be no reason for the commission to regulate the number of smoke shops that sell marijuana products.
“The current smoke shops are going to operate the same way that they’ve been operating under prohibition,” Alfaro said. “If anything it’s going to increase their business.”
The Marijuana Policy Project unleashed a new ad campaign last week to generate support for the proposition with the backing of school officials focusing on the money that it would generate for schools.
The MPP says that the initiative has the potential to raise more than $55 million annually for schools.
The Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee determined that nearly $500 million will be spent annually on recreational marijuana, generating more than $123 million in tax revenue for the state.
Of the $55 million going towards the school system, 40 percent of the revenue would go directly to operating costs, 40 percent would go to full-day kindergarten programs (of which Alfaro says Gov. Doug Ducey is a big fan) and the remaining 20 percent would go to educational programs to instruct children of the relative harms of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.
“What better way to fund our education system than with real education instead of just prohibition from the 1930s?” Alfaro said.
The main selling point of the proposition, though, isn’t the funding it would generate for schools. Alfaro says it’s the decrease in arrests, unofficially stating that it would wipe out 90 percent of the arrests for marijuana possession.
“What we do know is this would affect the majority of people who get busted today, the majority of people that have that felony follow them through life, this would get rid of that,” Alfaro said. “While it’s not as perfect as some people see it, this is the best opportunity we have to end 1930s prohibition and bring in good regulation.”
This seems to be the decision facing voters in November: Will we concede on our skepticism of exactly how this law will affect the industry in order to eliminate the vast majority of marijuana arrests?
While roughly half of Arizona voters support marijuana legalization, fewer support this proposition.
It’s not a decision that can be made on anything but a personal level.
Patches has already made his decision: “I say sit it out, recreate it, write something that serves the people better, something that the people of Arizona actually want instead of the powers that be.”
This article appears in Sep 29 – Oct 5, 2016.
I support legalization, but am leaning against voting for this, and not because of the scare tactics and lies put out by the opposition.
The MPP has become a lobbyist for the industry, as opposed to a lobbyist for legalization, as it formerly was.
The legal act of prop 205 is called ” Marijuana Regulation & Taxation” It is just that simple.
It is surprising that the total annually going to education has grown from 40 million to 55 million in just 6 months.
We have The Arizona Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project, Carlos Alfaro stating what he believes.
I would base my decision to build a new police dept, licensing dept, revenue collection dept, administrative civil court, (with the legal ability to levy fines and liens against property)
ON THIS BAGHDAD BOB’S idea of what might happen not an administrator but a salesman the Joe Isuzu of legislation.
OK, so once again we’re getting someone telling us to go ahead and vote for something that is not perfect, but it’s better than nothing. How soon you forget the Proposition 123 fiasco. Here’s a thought, if the legislators cannot write legislation that is good for the people, then perhaps they need to be FIRED! Sure you have to wait until they are up for re-election, but stop putting people into office that only write legislation for their dark money benefactors.
I was ready to vote Yes, but now I’m conflicted!
sgssmith:
And just what are dark money factors could you please elaborate?
I bet if this passes and the departments & employees will be civil servants. That is the staff that would go to makeup the department and all of it’s divisions. these people are represented in the work force by Civil Service and labor union agreements. We already have these agencies.
Right now we have a right to work state. But does not include government workers as they are in both labor represented with employment. I propose all workers in the dispensaries, growers, processors, caregivers, bud tenders, be union represented.
If all workers were represented and limited as the amount of outlets and licenses given. Why can’t they pay start at living wage of $20.00 to start with retirement and 401k contributions ? Yea I bet the colors on the camillian change quickly. It would be money the patient paying out the “hmmmm” progressive owner’s pocket would this be considered then DARK MONEY going against representation?
I bet we will hear that they can’t do it and afford to keep the prices they are. But the truth is, it is a limited price fixed market commodity that dark money has 2 sets on the board. And 4 community activist that are clamoring for hand outs how’s that for DARK money.
Let’s tie legislative pay to Marijuana tax and pay every legislature $100.000 annually and a staff and office cost to cap @$ 250.000. that would be 31,500,000. That’s the achilles heel to dark money people what they represent dont need income. It is directed through Government contracts and departments. It is there in the back side.
With estimated tax revenue @$123 million at current prices and burden leaving 91 million for schools operating costs. Just think this would give Guadalupe, Gila Bend, Willcox, Havasupai, Sierra Vista, Page, San Luis, Douglas, all equal representation not just the rich PHX dark money center. That keep the money in PHX.
Here is the Debate Between Maricopa County attorney Bill Montgomery and MPP & Holyoak on prop 205.
I will have to give some considerations to Bill as when he speaks he represents on how authority acts and represents itself. Bill words can reflect in current ongoing litigation on hundreds of avenues.
Holyoak does not have that burden and is not responsible for anything really but let’s get this going to so how it looks.
This debate has been broken up and editorialized to just a few sound bites this is it in the entirety. If you are really concerned watch it. You will see the stories 90% of the marijuana convictions are for posession simply just not true. Just what liability does Arizona Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project, Carlos Alfaro have to lose ? nothing he gets paid either way he is a political hack.
The debate; http://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/politics/arizona/2016/09/21/90797362/
No on 205. This bill has been crafted for specific rea$on$ that don’t benefit the public.
Chelsea Clinton speaks on marijuana:
During a speech at the Youngstown State University in Ohio last weekend, Chelsea Clinton said that there is new evidence to suggest that marijuana could be fatally interacting with other drugs.
“But we also have anecdotal evidence now from Colorado, where some of the people who were taking marijuana for those purposes, the coroner believes, after they died, there was drug interactions with other things they were taking,” she said when asked about Hillary Clinton’s position on marijuana research.
Chelsea Clinton’s spokeswoman added that the Democratic nominee “has said we should allow states that have reformed their marijuana laws to act as laboratories…
This is like the lottery, you can’t win unless you play. It’s hard to see who’s winning here.
Who wins are the people themselves. This man neglects to mention that each person over 21 has the right to grow six plants, which, if you are smart and time your crops and know your product and invest your time, is plenty. No bill will ever be perfect, and the people reading this article and the local propaganda are losing touch. Why don’t you read the bill and stop reading someone else’s speculation? Hey, you can stop reading this commentioned now and smoke a nice bong or joint.
Don’t be so sure. Just look what the Affordable Card Act has done to health insurance. Five billion dollars in losses the first year. That Bill wasn’t perfect either. Get your head out of the smoke, toker.
Now Chelsea’s a doctor. Amazing what being a Clinton can do.
So we are going to let the states, the “States of Deplorables” be the guinea pigs watch to see what happens.
Simple; Threats from the Justice Department on each state enforced by the DEA. Absolutely no protections for state to state trade, no protections on banking rules and oversight, no FDA protections on possible contaminates, no regulations like tobacco. No legal grounds in federal court for anything it is simply illegal.
This is wait and see how it goes WTF !!! I dont support trump but I will vote against this kind of garbage see how it fucking goes WTF a state of deplorables.
The prohibition factions would love nothing more than defeat this initiative. The squabbling between pro marijuana factions are what they want. Only the big headlines matter. We can work the details out later. This is what has hampered CA from legalizing the past election cycles. Only progress and national headlines matter.