The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 is an initiative on this year’s California ballot, and supporters have taken to radio in the state’s two largest media markets to start building support.
The ad states that legalizing marijuana would have the dual benefit of taking a bite out of crime and bringing in tax revenue to the financially-troubled state. Estimates from some supporters place the possible state income in the $1.5B-$2.5B range.
The ad is about a minute long and will be kept on the air in Los Angeles and San Francisco for about a week. Backers hope to raise more money to keep the radio campaign alive, as well as branch out into television. In fact, the pitch for more funding is part of the ad.
The current ad features “…a former school district police officer and reserve L.A. County sheriff’s deputy,” according to the Los Angeles Times. But other law enforcement officials oppose the measure.
RBR-TVBR observation: This is the kind of hot-button issue that will likely generate considerable interest, not just in California, but nationally. If supporters maintain an air presence, there will almost certainly be pushback from opponents, and cash from interested parties in other parts of the US could also flow into the state.
