YES, Recreational usage of marijuana became legal in CA with the passing of Proposition 64 (AUMA) on Nov 8th, 2016 (by a majority vote of 56%). The law took effective immediately and allows individuals to possess and grow (a limited amount of marijuana). Medical marijuana has been legal in California since 1996.
Controls, regulates, and taxes responsible adult use of marijuana, while protecting children, safeguarding local control, protecting public health and public safety, and defending our environment and water.
Prop 64 allows adults age 21+ to possess, transport, purchase, recreationally consume and share up to one ounce of marijuana and eight grams of marijuana concentrates.
– You can legally grow up to six plants at home
– Smoking marijuana in public is still illegal.
– Driving while under the influence of marijuana is still illegal.
Imposes a 15% excise tax on all marijuana sales.
– The independent Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) expects annual revenue to eventually reach over $1 billion.
– Projected to save the state and local governments $100 million annually due to reduced legal and incarceration costs.
Directs tax revenues to the newly established California Marijuana Tax Fund.
– 60% of the fund will be used towards youth substance abuse prevention, treatment, and education.
– 20% goes to helping state and local law enforcement.
– 20% will be used for environmental purposes, restoration, cleanup, and enforcement efforts.
– Additionally, a portion of revenue will be allocated for medical marijuana research and to studying implementation outcomes.
– Creates a community reinvestment fund that will allocate tens of millions of dollars annually towards economic development and job placement for neighborhoods most in need.
– A portion of revenue will also be used for medical marijuana research and for studying implementation outcomes.
Greatly reduces – and in many cases, eliminates – criminal penalties for marijuana offenses.
– Alleviates the currently overburdened criminal justice system.
– Allows those with prior marijuana convictions to petition the courts to revisit cases that the new law legalizes.
Imposes the strictest regulations governing labeling, packaging and testing of marijuana products in the nation. These are designed to protect children from accessing marijuana, and to convey warnings to help adults consume safely.
-The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) will serve as the lead regulatory agency.
-The Department of Public Health (DPH) will oversee testing and manufacturing.
-The Department of Food & Agriculture (DFA) will oversee cultivation.
Favors small scale producers and keeps large corporations from gaining a monopoly.
– Prop 64 allows marijuana to be sold by state-licensed businesses, and it gives the state until Jan. 1st, 2018, to begin issuing licenses for retailers.
– Delays issuance of large cultivation licenses for the first five years that AUMA is in effect allowing smaller growers to establish themselves in the market.
– Restricts large producers from vertically integrating with each other.
Legalizes industrial hemp production.
– Will add millions of dollars to the California economy and create new jobs.
– Hemp products have an astonishing number of useful applications as well as a net environmental benefit.
Allows local communities to still impose power.
– Towns can ban commercial growing and retail sales but not possession or consumption.
Thanks to Sean Parker, George Soros, Gavin Newsom and hundreds of other volunteers/supporters who put effort into passing this bill.