The battle over legalizing recreational marijuana in Arizona through Proposition 205 is intensifying, and opposing voices are weighing in on whether it will help or hurt the people of Arizona.
If passed, Prop. 205 would allow people 21 and older to possess and privately use of to one ounce of marijuana purchased from state-licensed facilities. A regulatory body would collect a 15-percent tax on retail sales.
Opponents point to what they say are the drug’s health risks, adding that legalization could lead to a higher use among young people. Many also say Arizona should not follow in the footsteps of Colorado, where some officials have said decriminalizing recreational use was a mistake.
Supporters of the proposition say prohibition has failed. They want to take the market out of the hands of the cartels and create a regulated industry in the state, pointing to the fact that some of the tax revenues would support education.
If the measure passes, Arizona would become among the first border states to legalize the use of marijuana. Law enforcement in Southern Arizona seizes between 800,000 and 1.5 million pounds of marijuana every year.
Join us on Arizona Week to take a closer look at the pros and cons of the proposition as we hear from voices on both sides of the debate. We also visit a facility that produces marijuana for medical dispensaries.
Also on the show:
- Donald Trump Jr. spoke to students at Arizona State University this week, asking them to turn out at the polls
- Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona visited Tucson and told Arizona Public Media he won’t be voting Republican down the ticket
- October is Breast Cancer Awareness month in Arizona. We followed up with Jaque Lamadrid, a 32-year-old mother of four. She’s a cancer survivor in the process of reconstructive surgery, and hopes she’ll put this chapter behind her one day soon.
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