Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:
 
I am writing to you on behalf of Save Our Society From Drugs, a nonprofit organization with members in your state. I am concerned about a comment published May 6, 2009 in the Modesto Bee, stating that you believe it is time to study whether to legalize and tax marijuana for recreational use in order to create extra revenue for the state.
 
Recently, our organization was invited to attend a summit on the impact of California ’s medical marijuana laws. Sponsored by the California Attorney General’s Office, California State Sheriff’s Association, Police Chiefs of California, and the California Peace Officers Association, the summit was attended by over 400 individuals directly affected by the passage of Proposition 215, which legalized marijuana as a so-called medicine. The summit focused on the explosion of marijuana grow houses and their disastrous effects on communities. Law enforcement is overwhelmed with the crime associated with such enterprises, and this is simply drug trafficking done under the guise of Prop 215. What would happen if the state legalized marijuana not just for “medicine” but, for all purposes?
 
While the intention to tax and regulate may sound good to some, one must realize any substantial increase in the cost of “regulated” marijuana will only increase the illicit cultivation and sales of the state’s marijuana black market. Do those who support legalization truly believe that all current dealers will pay the money to become a commercial seller, pay taxes on what they sell, and sell their product for more than those who choose not to operate within new regulation requirements? With legalization, the floodgates would open to individuals growing marijuana at home. How will you tax this?
 
Legalization will also increase crime-related costs. Seventy five percent of children in foster care are placed there because of a parent's substance abuse. Sexual assault is frequently facilitated by substance use – some experts put the number at over sixty percent The U.S. Department of Justice found that sixty one percent of domestic violence offenders also have substance abuse problems.
 
If you truly want to discuss ways to increase revenue, why not look into placing increased fines on those found to be in the possession of illegal drugs or taxing the money made by the illegal sales of drugs. You do not need to legalize drugs in order to tax them!
 
I hope that you will carefully consider our points and reverse your position on spending time and valuable resources to study legalization and taxation of marijuana in California . I encourage you to watch the short, enclosed DVD produced by the city of Arcata which demonstrates the disastrous effects marijuana has had on its community. Do you really want more of this throughout the beautiful state of California ?
 
I agree wholeheartedly with your emphasis on public safety for all Californians. Marijuana legalization would pose a threat to that estimable goal and is not the answer to California ’s budget crisis.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Calvina Fay
Executive Director
Save Our Society From Drugs
www.saveoursociety.org
 
 

 
















  















.


.