ReformCA Officially Files 2016 California Recreational Cannabis Ballot Initiative

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]O[/dropcap]n Sunday, the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform (ReformCA) announced that they officially submitted their recreational cannabis reform initiative to the office of the California attorney general. This is the first step towards the group’s proposal making it on the 2016 state ballot.

Per the group’s announcement, Chairwoman of ReformCA, Dale Sky Jones, wrote, “We believe this effort has the most statewide input and consensus, and thus the greatest likelihood of succeeding on the 2016 ballot.” The group’s proposal, titled The Control, Regulate and Tax Cannabis Act of 2016, would include the taxation and regulation of cannabis for those 21 and older, allowing for the possession of one ounce without fear of arrest.

Additionally, the proposal would seek to create an Office of Cannabis Regulation under the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Similar to other recreationally legal states, retailers, growers, distributors and transporters would need to obtain state licenses to cultivate and sell.

So far, the announcement of the group’s big step towards next year’s ballot has been met with both excitement and panic. While getting cannabis reform on the 2016 ballot is a collective goal for California cannabis reform activists, the abundance of expected 2016 initiatives is causing some concern. According to Los Angeles Weekly, ReformCA’s could be just one of more than six on the ballot for next year; the more initiatives surrounding the same topic on a ballot, the more possibility for voter confusion.

While ReformCA’s initiative is making headlines as a possible big contender on the ballot, it isn’t the first recreational cannabis initiative to be filed this year. The California Craft Cannabis Initiative and Compassionate and Sensible Access Act both anteceded ReformCA’s initiative and have been cleared for circulation by the office of the attorney general. The groups behind both proposals are now working to gain the necessary signatures to appear on the 2016 ballot. With all of the reform efforts being put forth by ReformCA and other California coalitions, hopefully, a clear consensus toward recreational reform will be soon underway.