Pubdate: Tue, 02 Oct 2007
Source: Times-Standard (Eureka, CA)
Copyright: 2007 MediaNews Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.times-standard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1051
Author: Timothy Crlenjak
Note: Timothy Crlenjak new Writer of the Purple Rage resides in Eureka.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Marijuana - California)

'SOCIETY' VS. THE PLANT: THE CANNABIS CONUNDRUM

George W. Bush is the worst ... OOPS, sorry. Wrong rant. Senior minute.

What I really want to respond to is the series of letters and the 
Times-Standard editorial that have been published since the 
Supervisor's historic vote on Aug. 21 to send a letter to U.S. 
Representative Mike Thompson asking for a reappraisal of current laws 
against cannabis (marijuana) cultivation and use. The 4-0 vote, with 
Supervisor Smith abstaining, reflects a similar action taken by 
Mendocino County.

The comments have not been laudatory as we read on Sept. 4 with the 
letter "Stony reception by supervisors" and the "My Word" essay 
"Marijuana: Benign herb or a dangerous drug?" on Sept. 5. The 
Times-Standard was critical as well, suggesting that marijuana stay 
in the realm of prescriptive medicine.

In regard to the letter of Sept. 4, I attended the Board of 
Supervisors meeting (Aug. 21) and made my own public comment thanking 
Supervisor Rodoni for his courage and leadership. I'm saddened that 
Supervisor Smith, despite his work with cancer survivors, skipped the 
vote and missed the boat. I thank the others for their brave support.

I stood behind the complainant (Stony ... Sept. 4) waiting for my 
turn and the Board was in no way disrespectful of him. Nobody in that 
chamber was disrespectful of him or anyone else exercising their 
right to petition their government for a redress of grievances. The 
Supervisor's remained stoic and impassive through everybody's 
testimony, including mine. Yeah, I would have liked a wink, a nod, or 
a thumbs-up as well, but no dice. Another failed attempt at demagoguery.

The complainant suggested that cannabis could never be accurately 
regulated, weighed, sold, or taxed liked every other commodity on 
earth. I guess that's why so many scales, bags, and calculators are 
sitting in evidence lockers around the nation. Another example of 
marijuana causing irrational thought in those who don't use it!

It's easy to explain away every case of personal or family collapse 
on the "drugs" or the "booze." Which came first, the dysfunction or 
the drugs? People receiving psychotherapy already have emotional 
issues. Nonetheless, if professionals like Ms. Thomas (Sept. 5) 
perceive problems with clients, then by all means, deal with it. 
Publish your observations for peer review. I'll bet the National 
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws would love to 
participate in that review process. Have your methodology down pat. 
Control for pre-existing conditions and other drug use, legal or not.

I am surprised that an experienced therapist would confuse 
psychiatric issues with purely legal ones:

1. Nobody wants to be hassled by TSA at the airport and have their 
medicine confiscated.

2. If skilled, educated people cannot obtain employment because of an 
abhorrent, detestable urine test, that is an indictment against 
society, not the individual. A cruel practice and what a loss to the economy.

The truth is millions of decent, responsible adults consume cannabis 
on a periodic basis and do just fine. That is, until they are forced 
to urinate into a bottle and lose their job. Cannabis, in the absence 
of other drugs, remains one of the most benign intoxicants, 
sacraments, or medicines available. Nobody would encourage impaired 
driving of any kind but marijuana alone does not produce the 
zombie-like state so common among problem drinkers. If cannabis was 
the national intoxicant of choice, catastrophic road accidents would 
diminish dramatically. Worried about professional drivers and pilots? 
C. Crane Co. in sunny, friendly Fortuna offers the "Lightning 
Reaction Extreme Game" (#LRE) for $30.00. This machine could be 
modified to provide a quick, simple test of reaction time that a 
driver could perform every day right before work. This would weed out 
(OOPS) anyone who is impaired that day from alcohol, other drugs, 
lack of sleep, problems at home, or undiagnosed diseases. If there 
are chronic fitness issues, you're out of a job.

But no, the Times-Standard thinks we should just stay in the medical 
prescriptive mode of cannabis control. That's not going to help 
people like my friend, local civic leader, and all around good guy 
who is doing ten years of hard time in Oregon. If he comes home 
depressed and angry, his therapist will probably tell him it was the 
marijuana and not the ten years in prison.

Newsflash: If your garden is big enough to get crop circles, it's 
probably too big.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake