California currently has over 1.7 million people who admit to regular marijuana usage (most likely even more). Both recreational and medicinal.  The state is staring down the barrel of a $28 billion deficit.  California can no longer ignore the facts and continue with a ridiculous and unmaintainable policy of marijuana prohibition. 

The war on drugs as a whole has been nothing short of a colossal failure.  Usage of every major drug has gone up over that last 25 years.  Badly needed money for education and economic development has been flushed down the toilet through wasted resources dedicated on stopping marijuana cultivation and distribution.  According to a recent study by the Cato Institute, California will likely save over $950 million annually by eliminated law enforcement and incarceration costs around marijuana.  This figure does not even factor in the erosion of the marijuana market currently occupied by Mexican drug cartels.  Legalization will drastically reduce the impact on California from the Mexican marijuana drug trade through less violence, less arrests, less border patrol, etc.

Legalization will also unearth the underground marijuana economy.  This will simultaneously allow the state to reasonably tax the sale of marijuana as well as build a new industry around cultivation, distribution, and tourism.  The net result of which will be new job opportunities and economic growth for the state.

I urge all Californians to take a step back and reevaluate what is going on.  The prohibition of marijuana is no longer sensible public policy.  Help approve Proposition 19 on November 2, 2010!