The Issue with Rushing Legalized Pot Legislation

480007355There are simple ways to tell if a driver is drunk. There is a breathalyzer, a speech test, and a walking test. But, what happens when a policeman comes across a stoned driver? What test are there? No one — not even highway patrolmen — knows precisely how stoned a motorist can be before he’s dangerously under the influence of cannabis. Unlike with liquor, there’s no 0.08% blood alcohol equivalent for marijuana. There’s not even a common Breathalyzer to measure drugged driving. And there’s nothing around the corner. That’s one problem with rushing to legalize marijuana for stoner use.

This is what many proclaim is the major issue for those who want legalized marijuana. Proposition 64 on the November ballot would legalize marijuana use for anyone 21 and older. And all polls show the initiative winning by a landslide, supported by roughly 60% of voters. And that’s great for many: for the total economy, for those who want to smoke it, and for merchants who want to sell it. However, the questions are still around. What is the legal limit for those who are driving stoned? One blunt? What about those who vape? This is the problem. There aren’t any clear cut laws for this – and it is going to be a major issue.

And there are those that argue that it isn’t an issue now with those who use it for medicinal purchases, but this is a totally different thing. Medical marijuana is regulated by use – unlike recreational marijuana, which can be purchased daily if one chooses. It’s not saying that someone who wants to smoke pot daily shouldn’t – after all, it could be legal in a few days. But what people are hanging onto is the fact that this legalization can boost the economy of a huge and struggling state.

The taxation of legalized marijuana often tops that of cigarettes – and this is set to boom the economy if it is voted in. Come January, the economy of California may flip – and even if someone cannot take their legalized pot out of the state, millions travel to California every year for vacations, so at least some vacationers are liable to purchase pot and help out the state economy.