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The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) officially made the California ballot on June 28, as the Secretary of State's office confirmed that enough signatures had been gathered—a total of 600,000. "Today marks a fresh start for California as we prepare to replace the costly, harmful and ineffective system of prohibition with a safe, legal and responsible adult-use marijuana system that gets it right and completely pays for itself," Jason Kinney, a campaigner for the measure, told KTLA.  The initiative would allow adults ages 21 and up to possess, transport and consume up to an ounce of cannabis, and permit individuals to grow up to six plants.

The AUMA got a boost earlier this month when the  California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union endorsed the initiative. "The disastrous war on marijuana in California continues to ensnare thousands of people—particularly young people of color—in the criminal justice system every year," said Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, drug policy director with the California ACLU. "It is time to move from prohibition to regulation. AUMA will establish a controlled and regulated market for adults, significantly reduce the harm done to young people under current marijuana laws, and generate substantial revenue for drug education and for the communities most devastated by the war on drugs."

photo: David McNew/Getty Images

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