Proposition 19 is an initiative to tax, regulate, and control the buying and selling of marijuana to people 21 years of age and older in the state of California. The mission of Prop 19 is to regulate marijuana like alcohol and avert police to priorities to violent crime and ending the arrests of non-violent pot smokers; which would put millions of tax dollars to good use. By allowing approved, licensed establishments to sell marijuana, funding to drug cartels will be cut off, hoping to eventually end all marijuana-related crime.

“I think it’s about time that part of the government realizes the financial benefits of legalizing and regulating marijuana laws. Imprisoning people for having something completely harmless is ridiculous. The people of the U.S. pay for these people to be imprisoned,” said Kevin Riggins, a musician from St. Robert.

Many believe that by legalizing marijuana, the revenue from that could tackle more serious issues such as homelessness and unemployment.

“Legalizing cannabis is an excellent way to generate tax dollars to allow government to provide many of the critical services that citizens of California look for the government to provide. It would certainly help education and other government funded activities in the state of California that are currently in jeopardy because of the financial recession”, Cynthia Kramer, Missouri’s NORML (National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws) chapter advisor at William Woods University said.

According to Kramer, 68% of 18-34 year olds are in favor of decriminalization of marijuana.

“Marijuana will continue to be present not only in California, not only in the U.S., but in the entire world. If the people of the world want something, they will have it one way or another. It’s been proven to have medicinal use and I find it absurd that the government isn’t allowing it to be used regularly by the people of this country,” said Riggins.

The proposition is accused of being filled with loopholes and mistakes.

“Based on my reading of the proposition, I think that it is pretty thorough. Obviously, the problem is that federal law would be enforceable in California through the DEA, just like it is in the fourteen states that have passed medical marijuana legislation. That’s not a problem with the proposition; it’s a problem with the way the law is structured,” Kramer said.

Although the argument of marijuana continues, science does not lie.

“The science at this time is supportive that marijuana is not a dangerous drug. There have been no recorded deaths, ever, from an overdose of marijuana. The health risks of using marijuana are minimal compared to other recreational drugs such as alcohol or tobacco. It has been proven to have numerous medical uses and I think it’s time that the United States, all the states, and federal government, stop wasting money on criminalizing the use of cannabis products,” Kramer said.