Top Ten Lies of the No on 19 Campaign
10. Prop 19 is a “thinly-veiled prohibition” that “creates new felonies.” – Prop 215 co-author Dennis Peron’s anti-19 flyer.
FACT: Prop 19 would have legalized marijuana for all adults and eliminated three misdemeanors and one felony. Its only new penalty was jail time added to the existing misdemeanor for adults supplying to people aged 18-20.
9. If Prop 19 passes, “imagine coming out of surgery and the nurse caring for you [is] high.” – California Chamber of Commerce.
FACT: Prop 19 retained all current laws prohibiting use of cannabis in the workplace, including the right to discipline employees who come to work impaired.
8. “A vote for Proposition 19 is a vote for the Big Tobacco takeover of cannabis production.” – Anonymous author of Stop19.com
FACT: Prop 19 granted control over cannabis production to local governments and Big Tobacco could not sell a Schedule I drug without risking federal indictment.
7. “Companies won’t be able to take action against a ‘stoned’ driver until after he or she has a wreck, not before.” – Public Safety First’s NoOnProposition19.com.
FACT: Prop 19 maintained all of California’s laws against driving under the influence of cannabis.
6. “Prop. 19 allows unlimited types and amounts of tax on marijuana.” – Attorney Letitia Pepper’s anti-19 flyer.
FACT: The only taxation authorized in Prop 19 was on commercial production and sales.
5. If Prop 19 passes, “1/3 of California will be at risk of serious black mold contamination.” – Alexandra Datig of NipItInTheBud2010.org.
FACT: Only one out of ten Californians consume cannabis and significantly fewer grow it. Regardless, contaminations are a rare phenomenon borne of poor growing techniques, legal or illegal, and Prop 19 could not affect that.
4. “California’s Proposition 19 will supersede or amend its medical marijuana laws.” – Blogger J. Craig Canada (and many others).
FACT: 75 law professors analyzed Prop 19 and unanimously agreed that it protected medical rights.
3. Federal law won’t allow Prop 19 to function. – Various news media reacting to Attorney General Holder’s condemnation of Prop 19.
FACT: The 9th Circuit Court’s San Diego v. California decision and the Supreme Court’s Raich v. Gonzales decision have made clear that state and federal criminal jurisdictions are separate and the federal government cannot compel California to enforce federal prohibition.
2. To possess your one ounce of cannabis, you will have to “keep your receipts, because the burden of proof will be on you” to prove where you got it. – writer / TV personality Dragonfly de la Luz.
FACT: Prop 19 allowed you to have one ounce that you grew or given to you by friends, thus providing reasons why not having a receipt wouldn’t be criminal.
1. “Law enforcement officers do not currently focus much effort on arresting adults whose only crime is possessing small amounts of marijuana.” – “Drug Czar” Gil Kerlikowske and five past “drug czars”.
FACT: Even after decriminalization, police must still process paperwork and submit evidence for testing. Police must still arrest adults for growing marijuana. Prop 19 would have eliminated ticketing and personal grow felonies.
