TV Ad: Marijuana Legalization Could Help California’s Budget Deficit

PALM SPRINGS – ATV spot advocating legalization and taxation of marijuana in California is airing all over the state.Supporters say it could help California close a $26.3 billionbudget shortfall.

The30-second ad features a retired state worker who says marijuana users want to pay their “fair share” of taxes.They say tax marijuana and cut the state deficit. In the ad, she says, “We are marijuana consumers. Instead of being treated like criminals, we want to pay our fair share oftaxes from marijuana and could be used to pay our teachers.”

Lanny Swerdlow a pro-marijuana legalization supporter says,”Marijuana users saying tax us, tax us, don’t put us in jail.”

State Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth thinks the legalization will come at a cost, one that will put the state even farther behind.

“The reality is the social programs that would beneeded to deal with the addiction far outweighs any increase in tax,” says Hollingsworth.

The ad is currently being aired in Los Angeles,Sacramento, and the San Francisco-Bay Area.The group says four stations are refusing to air the ad.Recently, Gov. Schwarzenegger said the idea of legalizing and taxing marijuana should be at least discussed.

Right now, the group is not paying any Palm Springs news stations to air the 30-second ads.