The historic budget crisis in California could go up in smoke if one organization has its way.

A pro-marijuana group was set Wednesday to launch another television bid to legalise pot in California - this time with the pitch that legalizing and taxing the drug could help solve the state's massive budget deficit.

The 30-second spot, paid for by the Marijuana Policy Project, features a retired 58-year-old state worker who says state leaders "are ignoring millions of Californians who want to pay taxes."

"We're marijuana consumers," says Nadene Herndon of Fair Oaks, who says she began using marijuana after suffering multiple strokes three years ago. "Instead of being treated like criminals for using a substance safer than alcohol, we want to pay our fair share."

State lawmakers are bitterly debating how to close a $26.3 billion budget deficit that likely means cuts to state services.

In February, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, a Democrat from San Francisco, introduced a bill to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. Bill supporters estimate the state's pot industry could bring in more than $1 billion in taxes.

The ad will air on several cable news channels and network broadcast affiliates in Los Angeles, Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay area, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.

The group said in a statement that three California stations - KABC-TV in Los Angeles, KGO-TV of San Francisco and KNTV-TV in San Jose - refused to air the ad.

Representatives from the three stations did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.

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