In November, California voters approved Prop. 64, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for individuals 21 and over. The full recreational program is expected to be in place by next year.
Today, voters in Los Angeles will go to their polling places again. This time there will be two marijuana initiatives on the ballot that are specific to the city, Measure M and Measure N.
Last month, we covered the differences between the two measures and included the perspective of several members of the Los Angeles cannabis industry.
We encourage those who wish to see a responsible and regulated industry vote YES on M and NO on N.
Here is an excerpt from the LA Times, describing Measure M:
Measure M is actually pretty sparse on the details, and that’s a good thing. It would give the City Council and mayor permission to repeal Proposition D — adopted by voters in 2013 to curb the spread of medical marijuana dispensaries — and to replace it with a new set of rules covering all aspects of the industry, from where marijuana businesses can locate and the hours they may operate to how they market their products.
And Measure N (the original backers now support Measure M):
Measure N, by contrast, would impose an industry-written regulatory scheme on the city, while giving a monopoly over the local marijuana trade to the 135 dispensaries allowed under Proposition D unless the City Council voted to expand the number of permits. It’s never a good idea to let an industry write its own regulations.
If both initiatives pass, the ballot issue with the most votes would become law.
Check back with us soon for the results of these measures.
