California: State Democrats Call For Legalizing Marijuana For Adults

Los Angeles, CA: California Democrats have approved a plank in the party's platform calling for the legalization of marijuana.

State party delegates at the Democrats' three-day convention in Los Angeles gave near unanimous approval to language calling on the party to "support the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana in a manner similar to that of tobacco or alcohol."

The party's adoption of the pro-legalization plank is at odds with statements made recently by Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown, who expressed reservations about regulating the adult use and sale of the plant. "If there's advertising and legitimacy, how many people can get stoned and still have a great state or a great nation?" Brown said on NBC's Meet the Press. ‘The world's pretty dangerous, very competitive. I think we need to stay alert, if not 24 hours a day, more than some of the potheads might be able to put together."

According to an October 2013 Tulchin Research poll, 65 percent of likely California voters - including 74 percent of Democrats - said that they would support a statewide ballot measure to legalize and regulate marijuana production and retail sales for adults.