Pubdate: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 Source: Delta County Independent (CO) Copyright: 2010 Jakki Taylor Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5y9TXXEE Website: http://www.deltacountyindependent.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5139 Author: Jakki Taylor SHOULD OUR COUNTY BE A DESTINATION FOR MARIJUANA GROWERS? Dear Editor: I am one of the new voices heard at the Paonia Town Council meeting July 13 and wish to publicly thank the trustees for allowing open discussions on the issues facing Paonia residents due to the new federal non-enforcement policy and the advent of marijuana dispensaries. I'm sure that the open forum did not make their difficult job any easier. Interestingly, several of the attendees live outside of town limits and are not able to vote on town issues. Those voices, however, were clear enough in the opinion that they did not want marijuana growing operations or dispensaries outside of the town limits either. Those in favor of expanding dispensary and growing operations have said that this is an issue of patients' rights created by constitutional amendment. The rights of medical marijuana patients are not in jeopardy from moratoriums, ordinances or a public vote. The only jeopardy is to those looking to commercialize the growth and sale of marijuana (in preparation for a state wide initiative to legalize the drug in 2012). These are the same people who presented the county commissioners with a prepared policy statement, are against a public vote and refer to anyone with opposition views as paranoid and uninformed. I ask that every voter in Delta County become "informed" on this issue and then decide! for yourselves if you want our county and towns to become a "desired destination" for commercial marijuana operations. Jakki Taylor Paonia - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D