Pacific Justice Institute urges no vote on Prop. 19
From Pacific Justice Institute
Oct. 19, 2010 SACRAMENTO -- The Pacific Justice Institute is encouraging California citizens to vote “No” on Proposition 19, the initiative on next month’s ballot intended to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes. 
PJI joins the wide array of Prop. 19 opponents that span the political and ideological spectrums, from liberal Sen. Dianne Feinstein to moderate Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to conservative pro-family groups like Capitol Resource Institute. In addition to bipartisan opposition to the measure, it is the collective wisdom of church leaders that the legalization of cannabis will exasperate social problems that are already prevalent in communities and which in turn add stress to families. PJI Advisory Board Chairman Edwin Meese III, who served as United States Attorney General under President Reagan, explains, “Legalizing marijuana would serve little purpose other than to worsen the state’s drug problems – addiction, violence, disorder and death. Nor would such legalization produce a tax windfall for the state; rather, it will end up costing Californians billions in increased social costs.” PJI Chief Counsel Kevin Snider, who recently addressed college students at a “Rock the Vote” event on this topic, emphasizes that the measure does not get government out of peoples lives. “While on the surface Prop. 19 may appeal to advocates of limited government, it actually creates separate regulatory schemes for each of the 481 cities and 58 counties in the state,” said Snider. “Local governments will control the licensing, transportation, taxation, and general means of production of cannabis, making them what amounts to a senior partner in a drug cartel.”
