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May 6th, 2009
04:20 PM ET

Governor asks: What if pot's legal and taxed?

Kevin Yamamura
The Sacramento Bee

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As California struggles to find cash, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday it's time to study whether to legalize and tax marijuana for recreational use.

The Republican governor did not support legalization – and the federal government still bans marijuana use – but advocates hailed the fact that Schwarzenegger endorsed studying a once-taboo political subject.

"Well, I think it's not time for (legalization), but I think it's time for a debate," Schwarzenegger said. "I think all of those ideas of creating extra revenues, I'm always for an open debate on it. And I think we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs, what effect did it have on those countries?"

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Filed under: Raw Politics
soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. Melissa

    Then everyone would be smoking it in public because they're so selfish that they don't care about anyone else and I'd be hospitalized in anaphilactic shock at least once due to my allergy to it.

    Oh and lets add "because there would have to be limits to control the substance abuse, it would not get rid of the black market in any way and you'd still have the same problems you do now".

    May 6, 2009 at 5:06 pm |
  2. Kim

    That is stupid you can't legalize pot it grows wild there is no way to regulate it like cigs. Even though it would be cool to do so, the government won't make money from it, but if people really wanted their own cigs. They could make their own but it won't have nicotine. So what's the point right.

    May 6, 2009 at 5:04 pm |
  3. carla

    Why not it's not the worst drug out there.

    May 6, 2009 at 4:59 pm |
  4. ben

    i don't use the stuff but hystory speaks for itself. legalizing, regulating, and taxing worked for alcohol. maybe a change of tactics might work better.

    May 6, 2009 at 4:55 pm |
  5. Laughs In Head

    "Hey bro, let me get a dime"

    "Yeah yeah, I got you. $11.21"

    "Say what? $11.21?! Why? Last week it was 10 bucks!

    "Taxes, homie. Sorry, I don't have change"

    May 6, 2009 at 4:43 pm |
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