First hearing for pot legalization bill
A pot legalization bill heads to committee Tuesday with amendments that have made its language more conciliatory — although the bill still sets up a collision course with federal policy.
Amid protest by supporters and opponents, AB 390 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, will get its first hearing in the Assembly Public Safety Committee. After first being introduced nearly a year ago, the bill was amended last week.
Most of the changes were aimed at polishing the language, perhaps to address some of the rhetoric that has been used against it. The word “legalization” is completely gone from legislation that has been widely called “the legalization bill,” replaced by “regulation by the Department of Alcoholic Beverages.” The word “infractions” was replaced by “crimes,” in reference to those who sell marijuana to minors.
References to “adults” were changed to “persons 21 years of age or older.”
The bill also now specifies that pot smoking would be banned in offices, restaurants and other locations that already bar tobacco smoke.
The bill also removed some references to “changes in federal law” because, according to Ammiano’s staff, such changes probably aren’t coming anytime soon. AB 390 still contains language that could place the state at odds with federal policy, including a clause stating one purpose is “to prevent state and local agencies from supporting any prosecution for federal or other crimes relating to marijuana that are inconsistent with those provided in this bill.”
Law enforcement groups have traditionally provided the main opposition efforts to reduce or eliminate penalties on marijuana. However, the growing visibility of groups like Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), as well as former judges and police officers who favor legalization, may have changed this dynamic.
In Sacramento, the most public opposition is being organized by a local religious group, International Faith-Based Coalition. The group was founded a year ago by Bishop Ron Allen, pastor with the Greater Solomon Temple Community Church and an resident of the mostly low-income Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento for all of his 51 years.
Contrary to the claims of marijuana proponents, Allen said that for him, marijuana really was a gateway drug. He said he began smoking it heavily at age 19, then moved on to a crack cocaine addiction that was with him from ages 33 to 40.
“I was a pastor on crack cocaine,” Allen said, adding that marijuana “was the start of my addiction.”
Allen said that his group speaks out against all drugs-including legal drugs like alcohol, tobacco and prescription painkillers.
“Can you just imagine having one more illicit drug legalized in the Oak Park community?” Allen asked.
