Gloria Penner (Host): This November, California voters will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana use. It's an historic and polarizing proposition and joining me now give us a primer on prop 19 is KPBS Reporter Joanne Faryon.
Guest
KPBS Reporter Joanne Faryon
Transcript
This is a rush transcript created by a contractor for KPBS to improve accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Please refer to the media file as the formal record of this interview. Opinions expressed by guests during interviews reflect the guest’s individual views and do not necessarily represent those of KPBS staff, members or its sponsors.
THIS NOVEMBER, CALIFORNIA VOTES WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA USE IT IS A HISTORIC AND POLARIZING PROPOSITION. TO GIVE OFFICE PRIMER ON PROP 19 IS KPBS REPORTER JOE AN. WELCOME.
THANKS GLORIA.
HOW DID THIS ORIGINATE IN THE FIRST PLACE?
WE TRACE PROPOSE SIGNIFICANCE 19 TO OAKLAND -- PROPOSITION 19 TO OAKLAND CALIFORNIA TO OAK STEDAM UNIVERSITY WHERE YOU CAN LEARN EVERYTHING YOU NODE TO KNOW ABOUT GROWING IT AND EXTRACTING IT. IT WAS FOUNDED BY A MAN NAMED RICHARD LEE, A PRO LEGALIZING MARIJUANA ACTIVISTS FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS I HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND ASK HIM WHY HE FOUNDED THE UNIVERSITY AND GOT PROPOSITION 19 ON THE BALLOT HE TOLD A STORY DATING BACK 20 YEARS AGO HE WAS INVOLVED IN A SERE YOU CRIME AND GOT HIM THINKING THERE OUGHT NOT TO BE LAWS AGAINST SIMPLE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA. HERE IS A CLIP OF RICHARD LEE.
WELL, I WAS THE VICTIM OF A CARJACKING AND THEN THE POLICE TOOK A LONG TIME TO RESPOND AND THAT MADE ME AS MAD AS THE CARJACKING SO I STARTED THINKING ABOUT HOW THE POLICE WERE WASTING THEIR TIME LOOKING FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME INSTEAD OF THE REAL CRIMINALS, THE REAL SOCIOPATHS AND PREDATORS THAT IS HOW I GOT STARTED.
SO THEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE BALLOT ON NOVEMBER 2nd, SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY VOTED OF COURSE ABSENTEE BALLOTS HAVE BEEN SENT OUT. SO SEE WHAT THE PROPOSITION SAYS, BUT THEY MAY NOT REALLY READ IT. WHAT IS THE MAIN COMPONENT?
THERE IS TWO MAIN PARTS THE FIRST IS IT WILL BE LEGAL TO POSSESS MARIJUANA FOR RECREATIONAL USE THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, LESS THAN AN OUNCE YOU CAN USE IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME 21 AND OLDER AND GROW A SMALL PLOT, A 5 BY 5 AREA. THE SECOND PART IS FAR MORE CONTROVERSIAL IT SAYS CITIES AND COUNTIES WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE AND TAX MARIJUANA JUST LIKE ALCOHOL. THAT MEANS IF SOME BODY WANTS TO OPEN UP A POT GROWING FACTORY THE CITY OR COUNTY CAN SAY YES, WE WILL LICENSE THAT. IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SELL IT IN A BAR OR COFFEE SHOP A CITY OR COUNTY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN AS WELL.
IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE MARIJUANA POLICIES VARY FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY IN SAN DIEGO --I MEAN IN CALIFORNIA.
YES, IT DOES. THAT IS WHAT THIS PROPOSITION IF IT PASSES WILL SET UP CALIFORNIA AS A PLACE WHERE DEPENDING ON THE CITY YOU LIVE IN OR COUNTY YOU MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT MARIJUANA LAW. LET'S USE SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND ALAMEDA AS EXAMPLES. OAKLAND IS IN ALAMEDA COUNTY SAN DIEGO COUNTY, JUST WEEKS AGO OUR SUPERVISORS SAID NO TO PROPOSITION 19 WHERE AS IN THE CITY OF OAKLAND, THEY NOT ONLY SUPPORT PROP 19 BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY JUST PASSED A LAW ALLOWING THAT CITY TO ISSUE LICENSES TO LARGE SCALE MARIJUANA PRODUCTION.
THE VOTE WILL EFFECT FEDERAL LAW AS WELL OR NOT? I MEAN HOW WILL THE FEDS DEAL WITH IT, IF CALIFORNIA PASSES PROP 19?
THAT IS A GREAT UNKNOWN IF IT PASSES HERE IT WILL BE LEGAL HERE BUT UNDER FEDERAL LAW POSSESSION OF ANY MARIJUANA IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE EVEN IF MARIJUANA IS LEGAL IF CALIFORNIA.
OKAY WORKING ON A DOCUMENTARY WHEN WILL IT BE ON THE AIR.
OCTOBER 19th, 9:00 P.M., KPBS TELEVISION LEARN MORE MEET CHARACTERSES INVOLVED IN THE DEBATE AND GO TO OUR WEBSITE KPBS.ORG/MARIJUANA.
THANK YOU.
THANKS GLORIA.
