Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, was supported by several members of the San Diego State community. At press time, the measure was favored with 56 percent of voters approving the measure, with 47 percent of the votes counted.
Marketing senior Shaylenne Martin said she was “not at all surprised” to hear the measure had was favored.
She said she voted to legalize marijuana and that it brings in tax money on something a lot of people do anyway.
“I think it’s about time California caught up with the times. People shouldn’t be imprisoned for marijuana either. It wastes our already stretched police resources on something so inconsequential. Even if I don’t smoke it, I think everyone should have the right to choose for themselves the same way the law lets them do with cigarettes and alcohol,” she said.
Despite the passage of Prop. 64, students, staff and faculty still will not be able to smoke marijuana on campus.
Cpl. Mark Peterson with the San Diego State University Police Department wrote, “The Smoke-Free portion of the Regulations for Use of Campus Buildings and Grounds for the university prohibits all forms of smoking and indicates ‘SDSU is completely smoke-free.’”
He explained that a section of the text for Prop. 64 indicates that nothing in the code shall be construed to permit any person to smoke marijuana or marijuana products in a location where smoking tobacco is prohibited.
Given that smoking tobacco is prohibited on campus, smoking marijuana would also be considered a violation.
Peterson also affirmed that SDUSPD is committed to enforcing California state laws and local laws. Therefore the “official stance” on any change to the law (such as the passage of Prop 64) is simply to enforce it.
Journalism senior Anna Conkey had mixed feelings on Prop. 64 before voting.
“Well at first I was all for it, since I’m against the pharmaceutical industry and its monopoly over drugs just for profit. But after further research into the topic, I’m fairly convinced that this is just another way of drugging the masses into complacency—into not caring about the blatant corruption and mess our government has turned into,” she wrote in a message.
She also wrote that while she is not a marijuana user herself, she recognizes the potential benefits of using cannabis oil and other marijuana products for health-related reasons.
“I want it for that reason, but I don’t think that this proposition has our best interests in mind … I really think it should be legalized, just for the natural health benefits over the industrial pill-popping that is currently prescribed, but I’m not comfortable with the way Prop 64 is currently presented.”
In addition to legalizing the recreational use of marijuana for people over 21, Prop. 64 also created two new taxes: a 15 percent state excise tax on retail sales of marijuana, and a state cultivation tax.
Revenue from these taxes would be used to ensure administration and enforcement of the measure, drug research and treatment, youth programs, health and safety grants related to marijuana and environmental restoration.
Film major Airiana Prez said the taxes were one of the reasons she voted for it.
“I think there’s so many people who already use it, we may as well legalize it so we can make tax revenue on it,” she said.
