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As the US decides on a new president, Californians will also choose whether to legalise marijuana in a vote that could shape drug policy across the globe.

Campaigners believe legalising cannabis in the US state – the world’s 6th largest economy – could trigger a domino effect around the world.

If the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) is passed, adults will be legally allowed to possess up to an ounce of cannabis and grow up to six plants for personal use.

Because California – population 38.8 million – is such a large state, experts believe this could lead to a federal ban across every state.

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Peter Reynolds, president of CLEAR – a pro-cannabis reform UK political party, believes it is a big day for the war against cannabis prohibition.

He exclusively told Daily Star Online: “With a population of 38 million and the sixth biggest economy in the world, legalisation in California will make progress unstoppable throughout the rest of the world.

“At last, the lies and misinformation that governments and the media have been publishing about cannabis for so long are giving way to truth and common sense."

Massachusetts and Maine also have upcoming votes on cannabis legalisation in November.

While Arizona and Nevada will vote on plans to ditch marijuana prohibition next month.

Under current federal law in the US, cannabis is not recognised as having any therapeutic value.

Therefore anyone using and caught in possession of the drug can be prosecuted.

Cannabis is classified as a Schedule 1 drug - the same as heroin – meaning the drug is deemed to have “high potential for abuse”.

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The latest polling from LA Times suggests 58% of likely voters support Proposition 64, California's legalisation initiative, against 37% who oppose it.

Data from the World Bank found California was the sixth largest economy in the world in 2015 - and legalisation could allow it to grow even bigger.

Experts from research firm Arcview Group believe the market for recreational and medical cannabis could grow from $7 billion (£5.6 billion) to $22 billion (£17 billion) within the next four years if the law is passed and comes into force on January 1, 2017.

Due to the state’s economic clout, legalising the recreational use of cannabis would be seen as a landmark moment in drug policy reform.

Troy Dayton, chief executive of Arcview, said: “This is the vote heard round the world.

“What we’ve seen before has been tiny compared to what we are going to see in California.”

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Steve Rolles, senior analyst at UK-based Transform Drug Policy Foundation, told Daily Star Online the “game-changing” vote will “inevitably” prompt the UK to end its ban on the drug.

Cannabis is currently classified as a Class B drug in the UK, with possession carrying a maximum sentence of five years in jail or an unlimited fine.

Rolles said: “This is the beginning of the end of cannabis prohibition.

“Polls show that Californians are highly likely to repeal this bad law so that their government takes control of cannabis supply from gangsters.

“They recognise that the so-called ‘war on drugs’ has conspicuously failed to protect young people, promote health or reduce crime.

“From Canada to Uruguay, and from Jamaica to Spain, more and more jurisdictions are regulating cannabis.

“But California’s size makes it the real game-changer. It will inevitably lead to the end of both US federal prohibition, and the international prohibition on cannabis - with the UK following suit sooner rather than later."

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Last month a cross-party group of politicians argued for cannabis to be made legal for medical reasons.

The NHS currently warns that cannabis can cause damage lungs when inhaled and harm mental health if smoked regularly and from a young age.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy Reform said refusing to recognise cannabis as medically beneficial for some patients is “irrational”.

Baroness Molly Meacher, Co-chair of the group, said: "Cannabis works as a medicine for a number of medical conditions.

"The evidence has been strong enough to persuade a growing number of countries and US states to legalise access to medical cannabis.

"Against this background, the UK scheduling of cannabis as a substance that has no medical value is irrational."

But the Home Office said there were no plans to legalise the “harmful drug”.

Around 24 US states, Canada and Israel allow access to the cannabis for medical use.