Prop 205 Fails – No Marijuana Legalization for Arizona

Prop 205 Fails - No Marijuana Legalization for Arizona

Alorah Losano, Reporter

Legalizing marijuana has been a very controversial topic and how it will affect teenagers and their usage. Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington are the only states with recreational use being legal.

What is Prop. 205?

According to azcentral.com, Prop. 205 “asked Arizona voters to legalize cannabis for recreational use and establish licensed outlets where sales of the drug would be taxed, similar to the system in Colorado. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, but the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act would allow people 21 and older in Arizona to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, carry it, grow it in their homes and give it away.

The measure would not allow marijuana use in public, and some violations of the act would be a petty offense.”

The proposition failed with 52.1 percent voting no and 47.9 percent voting yes. One reason why it failed was because of the language and how prop 205 would directly change the Arizona constitution. There was also no effective way to test for THC in someone’s system, which would make it hard to regulate. Legalizing recreational marijuana also has 47 percent more drivers found with THC in their systems. Not only all of this, but teenage use of marijuana has gone up 11.2 percent. Before thinking about voting on passing prop 205 these issues need to be addressed.