Measure Y will make adult, personal marijuana use the lowest law enforcement priority for the Santa Monica Police Department. It will allow Santa Monica police to focus their time and resources on fighting violent crime, instead of wasting resources arresting and imprisoning nonviolent marijuana offenders.In 2004 alone (according to the California Department of Justice) Santa Monica police arrested 293 non-violent adult marijuana users in 2004 - costing the city around $600,000 in tax payer money to prosecute and imprison these non-violent offenders. With Measure Y our resources will be more effectively spent. In Seattle, a similar measure resulted in a 75% reduction in arrests and a savings of millions of dollars in law enforcement costs.

Measure Y was placed on the ballot after thousands of Santa Monica residents signed petitions agreeing that personal adult marijuana use should be the lowest law enforcement priority. It is a response to George W. Bush's costly, failed war on drugs. The initiative will move Santa Monica's drug enforcement policy in a direction that is more in step with the values of the majority of our residents. Similar laws have been passed in Seattle, Oakland, West Hollywood, and Denver. To read more about Measure Y click on:

• F.A.Q.s

• Argument in favor of Measure of Y

Please vote on November 7th, 2006 to enact this sensible initiative.

Measure Y is supported by an overwhelming majority of Santa Monicans!