With just days away until the Nov. 2 elections, Proposition 19–the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act–is trailing badly according to a recent Los Angeles Times/USC poll. The survey found likely voters to oppose it by a wide margin of 51 percent to 39 percent.
Prop. 19 backers answered with another poll today showing the ballot measure succeeding 56 percent to 41 percent when factoring so-called stealth voters who are telling surveys one thing publicly but will vote another way privately.
Whether or not the “reverse Bradley effect” will prevail come Election Day, even a number of anti-prohibitionists acknowledge that the proposition isn't written in the most perfect manner, as illustrated by the debating viewpoints highlighted in Nick Schou's piece in this week's OC Weekly.
To complicate matters further, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has made it publicly known that if California's imperfect experiment with cannabis legalization be made legal, it wouldn't be tolerated at the Federal level anyway.
Now with all that being said, who is up for a “Top 5” list of pro-cannabis songs in the event Prop. 19 defies the odds and works out well for the state? Multiple genres are represented in this suggested playlist for supporters and the possibility of their coming electoral jubilation.
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5. Mista Grimm – “Indo Smoke”
Hip-hop in the early 90's was chock-full of marijuana anthems, and no list would be complete without one of its best. With Warren G and Nate Dogg in the mix, Mista Grimm's “Indo Smoke” stood out in 1993, even as a “one-hit” wonder. “I never get stressed and that's the realist/ Just the proper herb for my chronic illness.” Come to think of it, with lyrics like that, “Indo Smoke” could have been an early anthem for medical marijuana too! Anyway, after the election results come in and the fate of Prop 19 is decided, Nate Dogg won't be the only one asking “Are You High Yet?”
“Up in Smoke” is a classic bilingual/Spanglish acoustic song from the comedic duo that, together, has done more to liberalize attitudes towards marijuana than anyone else. No list would complete without honoring their contributions! Chong even got locked up for the cause – sort of. Will cannabis prohibition take a hit and go “up in smoke” in form of Prop. 19 on Nov. 2? Time will tell…
Could Reggae legend Peter Tosh be any more direct in singing “Legalize Marijuana” in the song “Bush Doctor?” Just change the lyrics “Down here in Jamaica” to “California” and you have the perfect Prop. 19 anthem.
Released off of James' debut 1978 album “Come Get It,” the punk-funk song “Mary Jane” is a must play come election day. The musical arrangement is classic as the now deceased singer lyrically lavishes marijuana in a poetic ode framed as a love song to a woman. Whether or not Prop.19 passes, James and millions of others in California will probably “love her just the same.”
Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!