A NCNCHINC Editorial: Legalized Marijuana in California influence on Other States

 

A NCNCHINC Editorial: Legalized Marijuana in California influence on Other States

 

If Marijuana is legalized in California how will it influence laws in the state of Florida?  If a person is not on any form of travel restrictions, he would have the right to travel to California to purchase marijuana legally and consume it.  Certain agencies would have to lift there ban of services to people for positive urine traces of marijuana.  Because as a Florida citizen I have the right to travel to California without a passport and enjoy the legal activities of that state and therefore it must be presumed that I legally travelled to the state to consume these legal drugs.

 

If California legalizes marijuana can a state or city government of another state deprive their employees the rights of a US citizen to smoke marijuana in California? This will be a major question of law that may have to be answered by the Supreme Court.  For example, supposed I am a Correctional Officer in the state of Florida and off duty I purchase marijuana from the local pot dealer and smoke it.  Then 20 days later I take a urinalysis and am found positive for THC?  Can they fire me?  I would think not, because it is legal to smoke in California and who’s to say I did not visit California to smoke weed.  This is a requirement of the law, because a person has to be assumed innocent until proven guilty.  And a person who is not on travel restrictions should not be required to produce travel records and who’s to say I did not travel by car, if I just came off for 10 days vacation?

 

Therefore legalization of Marijuana in the state of California makes it legal to have dirty urine nationwide to all government agencies and employees, but not legal to possess.  If a person is not caught red handed it has to be acknowledged they did not commit a crime.

 

I think if it is legalized in California, states like Florida will have not choice but to legalize it also.  Because everybody will smoke it if they choose to anyway, knowing there will be no legal ramifications unless caught in the possession of the cannabis.  

 

Legalizes Marijuana Under California but not Federal Law.

Permits Local Governments to Regulate and Tax Commercial Production, Distribution, and Sale of Marijuana.

Initiative Statute.

Official summary:

Allows people 21 years old or older to possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana for personal use. Permits local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana to people 21 years old or older. Prohibits people from possessing marijuana on school grounds, using it in public, smoking it while minors are present, or providing it to anyone under 21 years old. Maintains current prohibitions against driving while impaired.

Summary of estimated fiscal impact:

Savings of up to several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major tax, fee, and benefit assessment revenues to state and local government related to the production and sale of marijuana products.^[3]