A report on the progress of marijuana legalization in California.
You can download the file [ HERE ].
[n] - noun, [adj] - adjective
California starts the new year by becoming the largest state in the United States to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. Adults over the age of 21
can now possess up to 28 grams of the drug and grow six marijuana plants at home. Opponents say the new law will lead to more drug driving and will encourage
young people to take up drug use. Supporters have complained about red tape. Our Los Angeles correspondent James Cook reports.
Californians voted in favor of legalizing cannabis on the same day that Americans selected Donald Trump as their president. In the 14 months since then, a
complicated patchwork of taxes and regulations have been drawn up to govern sales of the drug. Critics say the red tape will discourage consumers growers and
retailers from leaving the state's vast black market. And only a few dozen shops have so far been approved to open. The cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco
have yet to sanction any recreational marijuana outlets. Still, California, with a population of nearly 40 million, is now the sixth state to legalize cannabis,
which means one in five Americans can legally purchased the drug. Confusingly, the federal government still regards marijuana as illegal, classifying it alongside
heroin and cocaine as a prescribed substance.
Our Los Angeles correspondent James Cook.