LOS ANGELES, CA – (October 30, 2010) – It’s legal to grow, produce, sell and eat genetically modified foods that are sprayed with harmful pesticides. It’s legal to grow, produce, sell and ingest tobacco products that contain toxic additives and cause lung cancer and other diseases. It’s legal to produce, sell and drink alcohol, which when consumed in excess, leads to liver disease and other health complications plus tens of thousands of deaths in the U.S. every year. And yet, in California it is illegal to grow, sell and ingest marijuana – a plant with cancer-fighting and pain-reducing properties – without physician consent. This hypocrisy is not just a health issue or an agricultural issue or an economic issue or even a California issue; this is also an issue of individual and collective rights. On November 2nd, Californians have the opportunity to put the power of choice back into the people’s hands by voting “yes” on Prop 19.

“The passage of Prop. 19 is one step – albeit significant – towards the type of progressive changes the Socialist Party would like to see enacted,” says Mimi Soltysik, chair of SP Los Angeles Local. Co-chair Lynn Lomibao says, “Voting “yes” on Prop 19 will start to put an end to the loss in freedom and dollars that marijuana prohibition is costing both Californians and Americans.” http://socialistparty-usa.org