Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measure Gets City Club Backing

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Kirsten Nicolaisen, GoLocalPDX Digital Producer

Photo Credit: eggrole via Compfight cc

The City Club of Portland released a draft research report reccommending that Oregon voters approve a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. The measure will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The draft report was released after a committee of eight City Club member-volunteers interviewed people on both sides of the issue and reviewed relevant documents over the course of four months.

If approved by City Club members, the recommendation will become one of the earliest and highest-profile endorsements regarding the measure, according to City Club.

City Club also stated that the majority of the committee was not convinced by opponents’ claims that crime and consumption will increase if voters approve this measure.

“Legalization will help address crime in a number of ways: revenue will help fund law enforcement and drug-education initiatives, a black market industry will be placed under strict regulations, and police resources will be freed up to focus on more-dangerous criminals,” said committee vice chair Ari Wubbold.

The report also states that "current marijuana laws unnecessarily limit adult Oregonians' freedom to consume a product that is less addictive than legal products such as alcohol and tobacco."

The marijuana legalization measure was certified for the ballot after supporters submitted 88,584 valid signatures. If passed, the measure will provide a system for licensing, taxation and regulation of recreational marijuana.