CCPR chair Dale Sky Jones made the endorsement official at the New West Summit in San Francisco today
SAN FRANCISCO—The Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform (CCPR), and other long time activists and leaders from California’s cannabis community joined with Drug Policy Action today to announce their overwhelming support for Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Dale Sky Jones, chair of CCPR made the endorsement official at a press conference today at the New West Summit in San Francisco.
The endorsement drew the praise of California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a prime proponent of Proposition 64.
“I want to thank the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform for their years of effective social-justice leadership and efforts to end the failed war on marijuana in California,” Newsom said. “This endorsement reaffirms that the fact that Californians who stand at the frontline of the fight to decriminalize marijuana and reform our broken system are today joined together in a united and enthusiastic front in favor of Proposition 64 heading into this historic election. Together, California is going to send a resounding message across this nation that it’s time for a new approach to marijuana policy in America.”
Since 2009, CCPR has worked across community lines for statewide legalization, spearheading the 2010 Prop. 19 effort that paved the way for legalization efforts across the country. CCPR, DPA, NAACP, LEAP, and many other groups worked closely throughout 2015 on education, outreach and drafting leading up to the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, Prop 64. While the coalition was at times fractured, lines of communication remained open throughout the drafting process, resulting in a robust legalization measure that has drawn broad support.
“The implications to the young man rotting his life away because he got caught, the mother shackled to give birth as she faces 12 years mandatory imprisonment and will never know her child, the infant himself denied breast milk and loving touch; these are the human rights issues finally addressed by Prop 64,” Jones said. “As I examine priorities for my family, Proposition 64 is the chance to address what matters most to me as a mom, as a citizen of the country - if not for the cost of human life, then the financial cost - we must lead the nation out of the failure of prohibition and say YES to [Proposition 64].” Proposition 64 is comprehensive and thoughtful public policy which will strengthen California, end the failed criminalization of marijuana, and serve as a model for the rest of the nation. This measure reflects the input of hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals and experts to create gold-standard marijuana policy in a state as important, and as complex, as California. Proposition 64 protects small businesses, industry workers, medical patients, children, communities of color, and the environment.
It is supported by the California Academy of Preventative Medicine, California Nurses Association and the California Medical Association -- as well as a bipartisan group of federal, state and local elected officials, and an unprecedented coalition including environmental leaders, business owners, small farmers, civil rights groups, public safety experts and social justice advocates.
“Without the work of CCPR we wouldn’t be where we are today, on the precipice of legalizing marijuana in the largest jurisdiction anywhere in the world,” said Lynne Lyman, California state director for Drug Policy Action. “Dale Sky Jones, Richard Lee, and many others boldly forged a path with Prop 19, and continued to expand the movement so Californians would vote ‘yes’ the next time marijuana legalization appeared on their ballot. I am deeply grateful for their work and their support.”
