California Becomes Largest State to Legalize Marijuana

 

California has become the largest American state to legalize the sale of marijuana.

The new law took effect on New Year’s Day. California voters approved a measure to legalize the drug in November 2016.

The law permits adults, 21 years and older, to possess as much as 28 grams of marijuana. It also permits people to grow up to six marijuana plants at home.

California is the sixth U.S. state – along with the nation’s capital Washington D.C. – to legalize recreational marijuana.

California became the first American state to approve marijuana use for medical purposes in 1996. At least 29 U.S. states now permit the use of medical marijuana. Maine and Massachusetts are expected to legalize recreational marijuana in 2018.

The federal government still considers the sale and possession of marijuana a crime. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is an opponent of legalizing marijuana. He said in November that he is taking a close look at federal enforcement of anti-drug laws that include marijuana.

Chris Lindsey is with the Marijuana Policy Project, which seeks marijuana policy reforms in U.S. states. He says the federal government remains¹ limited in how it can intervene in state laws.

“While Jeff Sessions may not like the fact that states have taken this path, they have. And there’s very little that the federal government’s going to be able to do to compel the state to basically re-implement² prohibition³.”

The production and sale of marijuana will be ruled by California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control. Businesses are required to have a license⁴ to sell the drug and sales will be taxed.

The state only recently started releasing the licenses⁵, with about 90 businesses so far receiving permits. None went to the state’s largest city, Los Angeles, or its third biggest, San Francisco.

California law does not permit the smoking of marijuana in public places or while driving. Local governments can set their own restrictions⁶ on sales.

Lindsey says the local licensing⁷ process will result in delays of marijuana sales in some communities.

“Some of them are embracing it, and rushing to implement rules and license businesses. Others are going so far as saying ‘We don’t want it here at all,’ and everything in between. And all of that has to be sorted out.”

California is the largest state in the nation, with 39 million residents. It has the world’s sixth-largest economy.

Experts have valued the state’s marijuana market at several billion dollars a year. Marijuana sales are expected to create at least $684 million in tax money in 2018.

More than one in five Americans now live in states where marijuana is sold for general use as well as for medical purposes.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

recreational – adj. done for enjoyment⁸

compel – v. force someone to do something

implement – v. begin to carry out a law, plan or system

prohibition – n. law or order that prevents something

license – n. official document giving permission to do something

embrace – v. to accept something readily or gladly

sort out – v. find an answer or solution for something

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

3 prohibition   

n.禁止；禁令，禁律

参考例句：

• The prohibition against drunken driving will save many lives.禁止酒后开车将会减少许多死亡事故。
• They voted in favour of the prohibition of smoking in public areas.他们投票赞成禁止在公共场所吸烟。

4 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

5 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 licensing   

v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A large part of state regulation consists of occupational licensing. 大部分州的管理涉及行业的特许批准。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• That licensing procedures for projects would move faster. 这样的工程批准程序一定会加快。 来自辞典例句

8 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。