California Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed two measures that would have banned smoking in parks and on beaches statewide and another that would have prohibited “cannabis products to be made in the shape of a person, animal, insect or fruit.”
The edibles provision was struck down by the Democrat governor because the measure would interfere with the Assembly Bill 133, which made changes to the state’s voter-approved cannabis industry framework.
“As currently drafted, this bill would chapter out specific provisions in the recently enacted trailer bill,” Brown wrote in his veto message of AB.350. “Therefore, I cannot sign it at this time.”
A similar ban, which also outlawed cannabis edibles from using the terms “candy” and “candies,” took effect in Colorado last month.
The public smoking bans were directed toward tobacco products, however both SB.386 and AB.725 included language allowing the definitions of “cigar” and “cigarette” to include “any other weed or plant as an alternative or supplement to tobacco or nicotine.”
According to the veto message on both bills, Brown struck down similar legislation last year due to his belief that the bans “in every state park and on every state beach” are over-reaching and that the fines associated with violating the laws are “excessive.”
“If people can’t even smoke on a deserted beach, when can they?” Brown wrote. “There must be some limit to the coercive power of government.”