California Report Calls for Strong Regulations on Legal Marijuana

A working group overseen by California’s lieutenant governor has issued a report outlining 58 policy suggestions for regulating recreational cannabis in the state should voters legalize marijuana for general adult use next year.

The report focuses on restricting children’s access to cannabis, cracking down on the black market and forming a strict regulatory system to control the industry, according to the Los Angeles Times. The group suggests setting licensing and training standards and having one state agency oversee the entire industry.

“We’re not arguing for a free market,” California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom told the Times. “We’re arguing for a very regulated market that has real oversight, that is flexible.”

Half a dozen legalization measures aiming for the 2016 ballot have already been filed with the California Secretary of State’s office, and support for recreational cannabis is running above 50% in recent polls.

California lawmakers have tried and failed for years to approve a statewide regulatory system for the medical marijuana industry, so they face an uphill battle reaching a compromise on recreational cannabis regulations.