Legal marijuana would be a boon for California consumers.
By Jacob Sullum
A group called Public Safety First warns that “the pre-tax price of marijuana could substantially decline” and “consumption of marijuana would increase” if Californians vote to legalize the drug in November. Well, yes, that’s sort of the idea.
Proposition 19, a California ballot initiative that would legalize cultivation and possession of cannabis for personal use while authorizing local governments to allow commercial production and sale, would move marijuana into a legal, regulated market, transforming criminals into consumers. Lower prices and increased use mean greater consumer satisfaction, something that should be welcomed rather than feared.