Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jun 2012
Source: Record Searchlight (Redding, CA)
Copyright: 2012 Record Searchlight
Contact:  http://www.redding.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/360
Author: Rodney Jones

SUPERVISORS OUT OF TOUCH

It appears the Shasta County supervisors were out of touch with the 
people on commercial development. What other issues is the board out 
of touch with? The Board of Supervisors and city councils of Redding 
and Anderson are out of touch with medicinal cannabis. Instead of 
researching the issue and creating laws the people can live with, 
these three entities have systematically dis-implemented Proposition 
215 and subverted SB 420. Why? Because of federal dollars coming into 
Shasta County for illegal marijuana cultivation.

These federal funds are to be used to eradicate vice marijuana grown 
in our national forests. However, manipulating the affirmative 
defense provided by Proposition 215, the attitude has become arrest 
first and dismiss later. This will boost the "vice marijuana" arrests 
reported to the feds, reducing the manpower required to actually go 
into the forests to eradicate illegal cartel grows.

Industrial hemp is illegal. If made legal, it would be possible to 
grow hemp for industrial purposes in Shasta County. Hemp has very low 
THC and would require a joint the size of a telephone pole to get a 
person high, so why is hemp illegal? With legal hemp, we could open 
the paper mill and create hemp paper and cloth creating numerous 
industrial jobs in Shasta County.

The problem is we cannot even have this discussion due to the closed 
minds occupying the various councils and board. Law enforcement uses 
the excuse that "cops couldn't tell the difference between hemp and 
Marijuana." Well, cops have the tools to tell the difference between 
cocaine and meth; both are white powders. Hemp is grown at 4-inch 
centers, closer than corn, to eliminate branching. Vice marijuana is 
grown on about 6- to 8-foot centers to allow the plants to fill out. 
Do they really want us to believe our local law enforcement are this stupid?

This doesn't even touch the ridiculous growing ordinances put in 
place by the above-mentioned boards.

Rodney Jones, Anderson
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom