Pubdate: Thu, 25 Sep 2014
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Kevin Fagan
Page: D4

MARIJUANA ADVOCATES TARGET 2016 FOR LEGALIZATION VOTE

The nation's largest marijuana advocacy group has taken the first 
step toward qualifying an initiative for the 2016 ballot to legalize 
the drug in California for recreational use.

The Marijuana Policy Project filed papers with the secretary of 
state's office Wednesday saying it had formed a committee to raise 
money to campaign for the initiative.

Marijuana advocates have wanted to take another cut at fully 
legalizing the drug since 54 percent of voters in 2010 rejected 
Proposition 19, which would have allowed non-medicinal use. Many 
backers are aiming for the November 2016 general election, when the 
presidential race is expected to draw a larger number of young voters.

Organizers said they intend to draw together a wide coalition of 
groups and community leaders for the initiative drive, and to draft a 
law similar to the one that legalized marijuana for recreational use 
in 2012 in Colorado.

"This is very, very early, a first step in a very long process," said 
Mason Tvert, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in 
Washington, D.C. "At this point it's just a matter of raising money 
to begin moving things forward."

He said he didn't anticipate that proposed ballot language would be 
drafted until at least early next year.

"The goal here is to create a strong state regulatory system that 
allows localities to also address controls, the way we do now with 
alcohol," Tvert said.

Californians have been allowed to use marijuana for medicinal 
purposes since voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996.

A poll by the Public Policy Institute of California in 2013 found 
that 60 percent of likely voters approved of legalizing the drug for 
casual use.

Roger Salazar, a spokesman for the campaign that defeated the 2010 
measure, said the outcome of another election "will all depend on how 
the measure is drafted."

"With an issue this tight, the devil will always be in the details," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom