Stanford Law School students prepare for a presentation on California marijuana policy options at the RAND Corp. office in Santa Monica, California, in May. (Photo: Courtesy Stanford Law School)
If California voters legalise marijuana for recreational use, the state would be wise to fully consider its options on how best to implement such a law, according to new research by Stanford law students.
One or more marijuana legalisation initiatives will probably qualify for the 2016 California ballot. Over the past few years, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., have all legalised recreational marijuana – and a fuller picture is beginning to emerge.
Analysing those lessons learned, nine Stanford law students in a practicum held this spring by Stanford law Professor Robert MacCoun offer some suggestions to better inform the public debate surrounding marijuana legalisation. Their 109-page report is titled “Legalizing Marijuana in California: A Review of Policy Considerations.”
The students came up with big-picture questions about how California might approach marijuana legalisation such as what agency (or agencies) would be best equipped to regulate such an industry? What are the implications of different ways of taxing marijuana, and how could they be adjusted over time? And, What kinds of labor regulation issues would be raised in an industry that involves everything from agricultural work to retail service?
“If recreational marijuana becomes legal, state policymakers should follow the adage of 'measure twice, cut once' and ensure that the regulatory system reflects the values and objectives of Californians,” the students wrote.
Read the whole report here .