Legalize?

On the CNN website there is a video clip from the news today about election day and California's vote for Prop 19. Yes on Prop 19 would legalize the use of marijuana in the state of California. Prop 19 aims to "control and tax cannabis." The video clip is from a pep rally held today on the state vote of wether or not marijuana should be legalized. The woman's argument for why Californians should vote yes on 19 is because of the obvious boost our economy would get from this. She talks about the amount of that is going to criminal drug cartels and how all that money should be going to the state. They talk about drug and gang-related murders that have happened because of the drug cartel and how the legalization of cannabis would make our streets safer. We would stop arresting people for possession of marijuana and let the police focus on more violent crimes and criminals. As a Californian myself, I'm not sure where I stand on this topic. I think that many of the points that they made are quite valid, but the actual legalization of something that has been illegal for so long would just be weird. I couldn't imagine being on the streets of LA and smelling someone smoke weed as casually as they would a cigarette.