In the year 2000. Ballot Measure 5 - Initiative Petition Allowing Uses of Hemp, Including Marijuana
BALLOT LANGUAGE
This bill would do away with civil and criminal penalties for persons 18 years or older who use marijuana, or other hemp products. These products include hemp used for paper, fiber, food, fuel, medicine, or personal use in private. Marijuana would be regulated like an alcoholic beverage. Doctors could prescribe marijuana. The bill allows for laws limiting marijuana use in some cases to protect public safety. It grants amnesty to persons convicted in the past of marijuana crimes. The bill creates an advisory group to study restitution for those persons.
SHOULD THIS INITIATIVE BECOME LAW? YES or NO
The fine print was even worse. For example, "Testing for inert cannabis metabolites shall not be required for employment or insurance, nor be considered in determining impairment."
Treat it just like alcohol, indeed. What's really scary was that this failed by a 60-40 vote. I would expect somerthing like 80-20 for this language.
That it failed was something of a surprise. A lot of people who voted against decriminalizing felt they were p*$$ing in the wind, so there were some happy faces amongst Conservatives the next day.