Proponents Push Pot Initiative

San Francisco, CA – Proponents are meeting this weekend in San Francisco to discuss and formulate adult recreational marijuana legalization legislation in California.

The International Cannabis Business Conference is scheduled for Sunday and Monday. The event is expected to draw about 1,000 investors, entrepreneurs and activists, now that advocacy groups are drafting a 2016 ballot initiative to make weed legal in the state.

Conference organizer Alex Rogers remarks that persuading all the relevant players who complete legalization would be a step forward but will take some doing, given both the size of the state’s existing medical marijuana industry and the few restrictions currently on it.

Other measure drafting issues to work out include whether, like medical marijuana users and collectives, recreational users will be allowed to grow plants.  Additionally, how will the initiative deal with dispensaries and delivery services that already sell medical marijuana, as commercial sales licenses are limited?  Speakers at the event will include public television host and travel guidebook writer Rick Steves, an outspoken marijuana legalization supporter.

Marijuana legalization supporters have until late August to submit an initiative to the Secretary of State and until April 2016 to have gathered the signatures needed to put it on the November ballot.  Fall election exit polls taken in 2014 found 54% of California voters believe recreational pot use should be legal.