Californians start state petition to legalize marijuana in 2016

petition to legalize marijuana has been approved by the state and advocates are now seeking hundreds of thousands of registered voters’ signatures in order for the controversial measure to appear on the November 2016 ballot. The petition’s language was approved by Alex Padilla, California Secretary of State. If the measure passes, it would legalize marijuana statewide for recreational, medical and dietary use, and provide reasonable taxation accordingly. Discrimination against individuals who use the drug would become illegal. Additionally, it would become illegal for employers to conduct marijuana-specific drug tests during the hiring process or at any time during employment unless an occupation is deemed “safety sensitive.” If the petition gains enough signatures to make it onto the ballot for November 2016’s election — and it needs almost 366,000 signatures by mid-March in order to do so — it is expected that the legalization of the drug could raise state tax revenue hundreds of millions of dollars per year and decrease state expenses due to drug-related arrests. To read the Marijuana Legalization Initiative Statute in its entirety, click here. To learn more about drug testing and how marijuana legalization can affect your business, contact Mind Your Business.]]>