One of the biggest issues facing California today is the push to legalize recreational marijuana. At the forefront of that push is Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom.
He speaks candidly about how the war on drugs has become a war on poverty. “We’re as concerned about addiction and abuse as anybody, but the war on drugs is even worse than addiction.”
As California prepares for a ballot measure to legalize pot – possibly as soon as 2016 – Newsom plans to monitor developments taking place in Colorado and Washington – using those states as a roadmap.
And while he is both a passionate and vocal proponent, as a father of three, he’s not blind to legalization’s potential pitfalls. “I don’t want us to be advertising to our kids. I don’t want to condone the use.”
But he says that ultimately, regulation is better for our children, because the drugs are out there and drug dealers don’t ask for I.D.
