ACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--Marijuana supporters in California began their next attempt at legalizing recreational use of the drug July 25, when the secretary of state's office approved the circulation of ballot petitions for their proposition. ACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP)--Marijuana supporters in California began their next attempt at legalizing recreational use of the drug July 25, when the secretary of state's office approved the circulation of ballot petitions for their proposition.

Advocates for recreational marijuana must gather 504,760 signatures by Dec. 19 for the initiative to appear on either the June or November ballots next year.

The new movement supported by Steve Kubby, a medical marijuana activist, differs from California's Proposition 19 -- the previous effort to legalize recreational marijuana that failed to pass in the 2010 midterm elections.

This new push to legalize marijuana contends that people who grow the plant should be treated like vintners and microbrewers, who are not taxed if they do keep the product for themselves. Under the upcoming proposition those who sell marijuana would be regulated by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Associated Press reported.

Kubby said in the AP report that next year's presidential election provides a better chance for the proposition because it pulls in a broader group of voters as opposed to midterm elections where conservatives are more likely to vote.