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There was a time in my life, in the not-so-distant past, when cannabis was immensely important to me.
Not because I used it I’ve tried it but don’t like the way it makes me feel but because voters in California were being asked whether pot should be legal for adult recreational use. I took it upon myself to try to fully understand the upsides and downsides of Proposition 64, the 2016 ballot initiative, so I could help readers make informed decisions.
The No. 1 worry I heard then was the effect that legalization would have on children. In fact, my position is the same as the one voters embraced when they overwhelmingly approved legalization: No one under the age of 21 should use marijuana. Nor should children be bombarded with cannabis ads.
Column: Cannabis has downsides, especially for kids We need to acknowledge them mcall.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mcall.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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California’s 108-year-old system of direct democracy was designed to provide voters with the tools, when needed, to wrestle the power of governing away from elected officials who might be too firmly in the grasp of powerful special interests.
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“They do give to the electorate the power of action when desired, and they do place in the hands of the people the means by which they may protect themselves,” then-Gov.
NEWSOM’S Senate pick ahead? GINGRICH endorses Newsom recall FEINSTEIN’s dilemma JAY-Z’s new cannabis play: $50 joints
12/14/2020 09:10 AM EST
THE BUZZ IT’S COMING: Don’t be surprised if Gov. Gavin Newsom decides to deliver California’s Hanukkah/Christmas gift this week and roll out his choice for the Senate seat held by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
If the much-anticipated appointment comes, as some insiders expect, during the holiday period, when news is typically slow, it could provide Newsom with a buffer, turning the page on the narrative from the last few weeks (see: the French Laundry debacle) and giving the many who doubtless won’t agree with his choice time to vent and get over it. And then he can put the “annus horribilis” 2020 in the rearview mirror and get on with 2021.