Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) – Two Out of State Billionaires and Big Marijuana Place Legalizing Drug Dealing on the Ballot in California
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“AUMA” has been written and sponsored by the marijuana industry and out-of-state pro drug-legalizing billionaires
- AUMA does little to regulate or control marijuana distribution in California. “Creating supply chain definitions does not constitute regulation, nor does identifying a few violations that cost practically nothing if incurred – $100, $200. But most egregiously, allowing 6 plants in every home or apartment in California undermines any attempt to regulate or control distribution,” warns Roger Morgan founder, Take Back America Foundation.
- AUMA creates a scenario where a majority of marijuana product can go untaxed. 6 plants have $12,000 – $50,400 worth of street value over their lifetime. And the act allows taxes to be reduced or eliminated on product that can be tracked beginning in 2020.
- The AUMA does very little to protect youth. Carla Lowe, Founder and Co-Chair of CALM explains, “By its very nature (6 plants in every home), the AUMA makes massive amounts of unregulated marijuana available to children including 12-17 and 12-25 year olds. These are the most vulnerable members of society to marijuana’s brain degrading characteristics. Setting a purchase age limit of 21 is not a grand regulatory accomplishment, nor does it protect the still vulnerable 21-25 year old user. This sets up a legal home grown home potency black market with no concern for our kids, our community or environment. A small fine for selling to minors is not a commitment to protecting California’s youth. Also, all forms of advertising is permitted, e.g. billboards – millions of California minors drive and ride in cars on our highways every day. How are they protected from these messages?”
- The AUMA does little to protect the health of other users. Pharmacist Phil Drum indicates, “AUMA outlines an inadequate set of labeling and testing requirements. Then it sets forth what we have come to call the ‘Unreasonably Impractical’ Clause. This vague language is not a standard, but an invitation to litigation by the marijuana industry to eliminate these requirements entirely.”
- The AUMA commandeers a majority of the projected tax revenues for the first 10 years of its existence, leaving unfunded a) public health education, b) increased law enforcement and c) environmental protection, which it claims to provide. This, along with the ability to reduce or eliminate taxes altogether, leaves all public-protection oriented spending at serious risk.
- The AUMA eliminates local control “Setting up indoor and outdoor cultivation and mobile makes every home or apartment a grow site capable of producing 6 plants or the equivalent of producing over 6,000 joints. It undermines eliminates local land-use authority and transforms all city and county governments into agents for the marijuana industry,” warns Scott Chipman, Co-Chairman of CALM.
- The AUMA does nothing to protect the public against drug-impaired drivers. Marijuana-impaired driving fatalities doubled in Washington in less than one year.
- The AUMA will do nothing to reduce drug crime or the black market. 40% of marijuana sold in Colorado is untaxed black market marijuana. Also, Denver and Seattle have had downward trends reverse and their crime is now increasing.