By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, in a piece for The Huffington Post, has called on his state to lead the nation in ending marijuana prohibition and the failed Drug War, as it led in adopting the nation’s first medical marijuana law in 1996.
“It is time for California to decriminalize, tax and regulate marijuana and decide who sells it, who can buy it legally, and for how much," Newsom said. "When California became the first state to approve medical marijuana, we led the nation on progressive drug policies, and now it is time to lead again.
“Bolstered by growing public support and building on our initial leadership, Californians must renew our push for common-sense marijuana policy by developing a state level regulatory system and lead the national effort to end draconian laws that favor incarceration over education," the Lieutenant Governor said.
“Marijuana prohibition has caused irreparable harm to millions of people by saddling them with criminal records and the collateral sanctions associated with even marijuana misdemeanors, such as the potential loss of employment, housing, financial aid and child custody," Newsom said. "These sanctions and penalties fall disproportionally on African Americans and Latinos, devastating entire communities for generations."