"Soccer Moms" support legalizing pot in California, according to poll

Californians are likely to have the chance to vote in November on whether to legalize marijuana.  Proponents of an initiative, known as the Tax and Regulate Initiative, have gathered more than enough signatures to put it on November's ballot, the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting. The measure would give local governments the authority to tax and regulate the sale of marijuana to adults 21 and older.

And, apparently that's a key reason that suburban "soccer moms," the swing voters on this issue, are likely to say yes.  These moms apparently want their adult children to have a safer way to buy pot, Ruth Bernstein, a pollster with EMC Research in Oakland told the Chronicle. The firm is doing polling and focus groups on behalf of the measure's proponents.

"One of the scary things to some people is that their kids may be buying it from someone dangerous," Bernstein said.

The story continues:

Some soccer moms acknowledge that it is relatively easy for even their adult children to buy potm Berstein said. They have talked with their kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Twelve percent of those surveyed have smoked weed and 19 percent say a family member has, according to an EMC survey of 800 likely voters in August.



Bernstein said parents are worried about "this scary black-market system."

The story adds:

Legalization advocates want to capitalize on a wave of renewed interest in legalization, much of it bolstered by a state Board of Equalization study saying that the taxing and regulating of marijuana could raise as much as $1.4 billion in annual revenue.


Proponents say that resonates with Californians in light of the state's projected $20.7 billion budget deficit from now through the fiscal year that begins July 1.

This Soccer Mom has raised questions about medical and recreational marijuana in this story (and others listed below)--specifically why we affluent adult suburbanites can legally and recreationally enjoy our wine bars and apple-tinis and sports park brews--and get sloshed at fundraising galas for worthy local charities and school auctions. 

But people who prefer marijuana as their drug of choice can't officially use it for recreational use.

Oh, and my guess is that a lot of us affluent suburbanites enjoying our wine flights and artisan cocktails at least tried pot, recreationally, back in our younger days...

And, hey, maybe some of the local school districts could get ahold of some of that legal pot tax revenue. Why not? We could get those class sizes back down in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and save its fourth and fifth grade music programs and spare other local districts the now annual uncertainty over whether they will have to lay off teachers and cut more programs....

Pot, a treatment for alcoholism? But no "cure" yet for what ails Walnut Creek's own pot club

Could Walnut Creek follow West Hollywood's medical marijuana example?

Marijuana Paranoia: Our perplexing attitudes about pot and crime, but what about crime and that other socially acceptable mind-altering substance?