National marijuana group backs Newsom-Parker legalization bid in California

Last fall revealed California's main campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. Hoping to gain a spot on November's ballot, the Newsom-Parker legalization initiative has now received the backing of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), and as the chief executive says, "On the matter of ending marijuana prohibition in America,” he said, “as California goes, so too goes the rest of the nation.” The head of California's NORML originally sided with an alternative legalization proposal, but has mentioned his support for any proposal that makes the ballot.

On Monday, the campaign behind the Newsom-Parker legalization measure announced the backing of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Allen St. Pierre, the group’s chief executive, said the significance of the statewide effort could not be overstated.

“On the matter of ending marijuana prohibition in America,” he said, “as California goes, so too goes the rest of the nation.”