Poll: Voters would support act with more medical marijuana regulations

SACRAMENTO, CA - A majority of voters would support more regulations for the medical marijuana industry and tougher penalties for fraudulent medical recommendations.

A new poll conducted by Probolsky Research, an independent research firm, found that 59.2 percent of voters were in support of regulations as they tested the water for another marijuana related initiative.

If the "California Medical Marijuana Regulation Act," campaign can gather enough signatures, Californians will have a chance to vote on it in November.

Specifically, the proposed measure would set up a statewide bureau of medical marijuana enforcement; regulate taxes at a state level; and require everyone who is growing, manufacturing, and distributing medical marijuana to register with the state. But, the initiative would fly directly in the face of federal laws, which still consider marijuana to be a Class One illegal drug.

Supporters said that shouldn't be a deterrent.

"I think that's part of the reason to do it now," California Cannabis Association President George Mull said. "I think one of the concerns with the federal government, is that medical marijuana has not been regulated in California. Our hope is that if we strictly regulate it to address the federal government's true concerns, which is diversion of the crop over state lines for interstate commerce and diversion to non-medical use, that they are much less likely to see this as a problem."

Supporters said the initiative would strengthen and clarify California's original medical marijuana law Prop 215. The measure would also bring in somewhere between $125 million and $250 million a year in extra sales tax revenue.

CTNS