Calif. Legalization Proponents Gather Needed Signatures for Ballot

Backers of a proposed California ballot initiative on marijuana legalization say they have gathered more than enough petition signatures to put the question before voters in 2010, Bloomberg reported Dec. 15.

Salwa Irbrahim, a spokesperson for initiative organizers, said more than 680,000 signatures have been collected; only 433,971 are needed to qualify for the ballot.

The “Tax, Regulate and Control Cannabis Act of 2010” would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and cultivate limited amounts of marijuana for personal consumption.

California already allows medical use of marijuana, and recent polls show that a majority of state residents would support full legalization and taxation of the drug. A legalization bill also has been introduced in the state legislature.

The Secretary of State’s office still must verify the signatures before certifying the ballot initiative.