Measure M
Grants the city power to regulate marijuana sales and usage
This post contains the personal research of a local LA resident (bio at the bottom). She summed up her own research and is sharing it in the hope that her summary and reasoning helps others make their own decisions about how to vote (rather than just randomly filling in Yes or No).
This post is not sponsored in any way, but it is liberally biased.
The following measure will appear on the ballot of anyone in the CITY of Los Angeles.
Measure M
My Summary:
Measure M is a marijuana regulation initiative. It grants the city the power to regulate marijuana sales and usage.
My Vote:
YES on M
(and NO on N)
Note: Only one of either M or N can be passed, so whichever gets the most Yes votes wins. The original supporters of Measure N have now actually abandoned N and are also urging voters to vote Yes on M and No on N.
More details:
Measure M gives the city power to make some decisions about our marijuana regulations. It’s a pretty flexible Measure, which means the city can sorta go with the flow (make tweaks) as things unfold in this new era of recreational cannabis. However, to make any official decisions, the city would have to hold public hearings with local groups before enacting new regulations.
Right off the bat though, there would be regulations on where marijuana businesses can be located (e.g. not near schools), how businesses acquire permits, as well as how businesses are penalized if they are out of compliance (one method being—they can get their water and power shut off by LADWP!).
The city would likely also create some new laws about how/where recreational use is permitted, including modifying DUI laws.
Lastly, Measure M would change taxes on marijuana sales (decreased to 5% on medical, increased to 10% on recreational), which would increase LA revenue $100M for the city’s general fund within a few years. The General Fund is what we use for public city services like the police, the fire department, parks and libraries.
My reasoning:
Seems pretty sensible to me. This would allow the city to treat marijuana sales and usage a lot like it treats liquor sales. Which I’m overall pretty happy about.
How The Parties Are Voting
YES
NO
The Republican Party has not issued an endorsement for or against this Measure.
Resources
Fact Checking
If you have new facts to present, or think I got something wrong, email me at electionstudyguide@gmail.com. Hint: Nice emails get replies.
Lucy Fairweather
About the author:
Just want to give a little background so you can get a feel for who I am and whether you might be interested in voting similarly to me. I’m a first generation American (English parents), I went to public school in Santa Monica, and later attended UC Berkeley. I’m in my early 30s, currently am a renter in Venice Beach, and own a small business in Los Angeles.
I’ve never been very political, but the election results of 2016 have really compelled me to get informed and involved. In the past I have voted quite liberally, both financially and socially. However, I voted for Hillary in the primaries (rather than Bernie), so I wouldn’t say I’m super far left.
I’m always open to hearing new facts and opinions, as long as they are presented in a respectful manner. So feel free to comment.
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The last day to register by mail is February 28th.