California Bill Introduced hoping to Decriminalize and Tax Marijuana

http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=3748

On February 23, California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) proposed the Assembly Bill 390 – the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act to the State Assembly. This bill would regulate marijuana to the same degree that alcohol is. Ammiano predicts that the bill could generate at least $1 billion a year, plus save money that has been directed towards keeping non-violent marijuana users in jail. He also believes that it will do much to increase public safety, for this bill would severely cripple illegal drug dealer and street gang enterprises.
Unfortunately, this bill does not have a very good chance of being passed because Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger will probably not sign it. Many other conservative politicians have also been strongly against this bill. Hopefully these narrow - minded critics of the bill will wake up and see that the benefits of marijuana legalization heavily outweigh the costs.