Pubdate: Wed, 22 May 2002
Source: San Francisco Bay Guardian, The (CA)
Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Bay Guardian
Contact:  http://www.sfbg.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/387
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

TWO GOOD IDEAS FROM LENO

THE SAN FRANCISCO Police Department, which apparently can't solve even half
of the murders in the city, puts far too much time and effort into cracking
down on live music in clubs. And the cops not only enforce the law ? they
also issue the club permits. As Amanda Nowinski reports on page 11, the
latest victim is Bruno's on Mission Street, where the owner has been forced
to turn the music off because he lacks a permit that he applied for more
than a year ago.

That's why Sup. Mark Leno's long-awaited charter amendment, which would
create an entertainment commission to set rules and issue nightlife permits,
makes perfect sense. A commission would offer a forum for musicians, clubs,
and neighbors who worry about noise to publicly discuss permit issues in a
way that might even start to end the heated and often ugly nightlife wars.

Leno also floated a plan last week that would put the city in the business
of growing and dispensing medical marijuana. It's the kind of thing daily
newspapers and conservative commentators will make fun of all over the
country ? but it's actually a good idea. The Department of Public Health
could supervise the program, and if the federal authorities try to shut it
down, San Francisco could put the full resources of the city to bear
fighting the charges. City Attorney Dennis Herrera is dubious about the
plan, but he ought to reconsider: this is good fight, and the new city
attorney shouldn't be so fearful about taking it on.
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk