In Arizona, Prop 207 Is Catching Some Ire Of A Local Progressive Group
The group claims Prop 207 doesn’t go far enough
A progressive group, Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), has spent $74,000 on a last-minute purchase of ads opposing Arizona’s proposition to legalize recreational marijuana use.
LUCHA co-executive director Tomás Robles said the group supports legalization but doesn’t think Proposition 207 goes far enough to address the racist impacts of cannabis prohibition.
“We can do better,” he said.
The group has been prioritizing other contests, Robles said, but took out the ads now because they’ve been receiving questions about their position on Proposition 207.
LUCHA alleges that the proposition lacks a clear pathway for removing past marijuana convictions from records, that the current industry would leave little room from people of color to obtain licenses, and that nearly one-third of tax revenue from recreational sales would go to police.
Stacy Pearson, the campaign manager for the pro-207 campaign, blasted LUCHA’s position and accused the group of being misleading.
“They’ve got some fundamental flaws in their logic,” she said.
She said LUCHA’s position was “nauseating” because it meant the group was willing to sacrifice the up to 200,000 people who may be eligible to have their records expunged, plus the thousands arrested each year for possessing small amounts of marijuana, on the basis of a couple hundred dispensary licenses.
“None of our work is over. But continuing with prohibition is the stupidest thing we could do,” Pearson said.
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