Pubdate: Sat, 14 Jul 2012
Source: News Register (McMinnville, OR)
Copyright: 2012 News-Register Publishing Co.
Contact: http://www.newsregister.com/submit-letter
Website: http://www.newsregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2622
Author: Jeb Bladine

AG'S CAMPAIGN WAS NEVER REALLY AT RISK

If Oregon's attorney general election was a referendum on marijuana, 
then pot supporters clearly won the day. Ellen Rosenblum, who 
promised to support Oregon's medical marijuana law and ignore 
small-time users, grabbed an overwhelming 65 percent of the 
Democratic primary vote.

Rosenblum already is AG, appointed to complete John Kroger's term. 
Her November election is guaranteed, with only token write-in competition.

The Oregonian said the following about Rosenblum's campaign:

"A pungent whiff of weed enveloped the Rosenblum campaign in the 
race's closing days. Marijuana legalization advocates threw their 
support to Rosenblum, contributing nearly $200,000 - about a third of 
her total - to her campaign in May."

Oregonians didn't rise in outrage over their AG being soft on 
marijuana use. After all, we are what CNBC this year called "the 
Shangri-La of the 'legalize marijuana' movement."

As reported by The Oregonian, our state has about 35,500 legal 
marijuana grow sites, including between 500 and 1,000 here in Yamhill 
County. About 55,000 marijuana "patients" are registered, so a 
majority of grow sites are single-user operations. There are 123 
sites serving more than 10 patients, including one near Sheridan.

In 1973, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize small amounts 
of cannabis. Oregon and Washington in 1998 became the first states 
after California (1996) to approve medical use marijuana - today, 17 
states and the District of Columbia have similar laws.

Those laws spawn controversy in California and elsewhere, but almost 
none in the Northwest.

One reason is that Oregon set a high threshold for personal use, with 
patients allowed possession of 24 processed ounces and up to 24 
marijuana plants, including 6 mature plants. Since a plant can grow 
one to three pounds of pot, anyone familiar with the drug recognizes 
the more-than-ample supply. Similarly, Washington allows 24 ounces 
and 15 plants.

That stipulation eliminates medical users from the black or gray 
markets, and leaves plenty of pot for those who legally contract with 
a provider instead of growing their own. Only two other states allow 
as much as 8 ounces in possession, and most are 1 to 2 ounces.

Also, Oregon has no "dispensary" distribution. That eliminates the 
drug raids that occur in some states, and avoids the controversy of 
marijuana storefronts in Oregon neighborhoods.

Recent growth of marijuana collectives has raised some eyebrows, with 
people bartering to avoid the prohibition on for-profit sales. Even 
that phenomenon, however, generates little real passion from Oregon's 
outnumbered opponents of pot use.

Ellen Rosenblum's risky campaign, it seems, was never really at risk.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom