Pubdate: Thu, 20 Mar 2014
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2014 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Kevin Freking, Associated Press
Page: B5

FEINSTEIN: NO TO LEGALIZING POT

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday joined Gov. Jerry
Brown in expressing skepticism about legalizing marijuana in
California for recreational purposes.

The state's senior senator told The Associated Press in a telephone
interview that one of her concerns is the potential for pot-impaired
drivers to take to the road. Feinstein said she hopes California
declines to join Colorado and Washington in approving the sale of
marijuana for recreational use.

"The risk of people using marijuana and driving is very substantial,"
she said.

As a possible example, the California Highway Patrol is investigating
possible marijuana use in a fatal weekend collision in Santa Rosa. A
woman and her daughter-in-law were killed when a Toyota Camry in
which they were riding was rear-ended by a pickup truck. A
preliminary CHP investigation determined that the 30- year-old man
driving the pickup was impaired by marijuana and reading a text
message on his cellphone at the time of the collision.

California became the first state to legalize the use of marijuana for
medicinal purposes in 1996, but voters rejected a ballot initiative
seeking to legalize it for recreational purposes in 2010. The margin
of defeat was relatively narrow, 54 percent to 46 percent.

A Public Policy Institute of California poll taken last September
found a majority of Californians supporting full legalization for the
first time, with 52 percent of all adults and 60 percent of likely
voters in favor.

Feinstein said in the interview that she believes California has gone
as far as is responsible in allowing marijuana to be sold for medical
purposes.

Brown said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that if marijuana use gains
legitimacy through full legalization "... how many people can get
stoned and still have a great state or a great nation?"

Despite such criticism, the movement to expand full legalization is
continuing. A Gallup poll taken last year found that 58 percent of
Americans say the drug should be legalized.

Several legalization petitions are circulating this year in
California, although none has yet qualified for a ballot.
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MAP posted-by: Matt