"This thing's a wobbler, it's going to win or lose by 2 percent in November."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

California marijuana vote draws unlikely foes, allies into ring
By Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN
September 14, 2010 8:32 a.m. EDT

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano paints pot as a panacea that could ease the burdens on the state's police, prisons and budget. Several cities, including Oakland, San Francisco and West Hollywood, have made private adult use their lowest police priority, and a simple Google search reveals scores of state, city and county officials -- including police and judges -- who are not bashful about saying it's time to end pot prohibition.

Polls over the last year show more Californians favor legalization than oppose it and that California has a substantially higher tolerance for legalization than the rest of the country.

Don't expect that to translate into the referendum's passage, said NORML's St. Pierre.

Those for and against the measure will pump millions of dollars into PR campaigns in coming weeks, which could have a substantial effect on public opinion. St. Pierre estimated proponents will need up to $12 million to pass the measure.

"This thing's a wobbler," St. Pierre said. "This thing is going to win or lose by 2 percent in November."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/13/california.marijuana.legalization/index.html?hpt=C1

[Pab Sungenis]

1. What I'm hoping is

that the pro-legalization crowd will really be energized, and that it will help Brown and Boxer in November.

[JDPriestly]

2. I seriously doubt that people would start to consume marijuana just

because it is legal. I suspect that more people would stop using it if it were legal than would start to use it.

But then, getting high (with any substance) just isn't my idea of a good time, so I could be wrong. I don't understand why people use alcohol, drugs, marijuana, etc. It baffles me.