Pubdate: Thu, 06 Mar 2014
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861

CALIFORNIANS NEED TO STAY LUCID

It's not often we find ourselves agreeing with Gov. Jerry Brown, but
we think he perfectly stated some of the same concerns we have about
the legalization of marijuana.

As an added bonus, he did it on a national stage. That's important,
because the viewpoint is something everybody nationwide needed to hear
- - and we hope it sparks a spirited discussion.

Brown was being interviewed on a national Sunday morning news program,
NBC's "Meet the Press." He was asked about the possibility of
California, a pioneer with medical marijuana, following in the
footsteps of Colorado and Washington and legalizing marijuana for
everyday, nonmedical use.

Brown, a child of the California '70s who knows plenty about
marijuana, said he's worried about legalization and doesn't think it's
a good idea just yet. He thinks Californians might lose their edge.

"The world's pretty dangerous, very competitive," he said. "I think we
need to stay alert, if not 24 hours a day, more than some of the
potheads might be able to put together."

Brown said almost anything in moderation is OK, but worried about
people going to "extremes" if marijuana were legal.

"And all of a sudden, if there's advertising and legitimacy," he
mused, "how many people can get stoned and still have a great state or
a great nation?"

Well, yes, it's a worry. We are certain there are high-functioning
adults in our state who get stoned every day and have no problem with
it, just like there are high-functioning alcoholics. That doesn't
eliminate the addiction.

While some people can function just fine, they aren't held up as
examples. The marijuana advocates who are fighting the legalization
battle just don't seem like the best example of the harmless user.
Instead, the self-appointed spokespeople for legalization aren't
usually the casual users, but the heavy users. The well-spoken, lucid
proponents of legalization are few and far between. Instead, we see
people standing up at public meetings and gathering signatures who,
well, look the part.

Sometimes we think the legalization movement would succeed if they
could just agree on an elegant spokesperson, not a hothead - somebody
people would listen to.

Instead, we too often get people who don't represent the movement
well. For example, at a meeting last month of the Butte County Board
of Supervisors, marijuana advocate Andrew Merkel stood up and
threatened a female citizen, Bonnie Masarik, who is much older than
him and who has complained about growers in her area. "You ready for a
beat-down, Bonnie?" he said at the microphone, at a public hearing.
"Because it's going to come."

The governor worries about the state losing its edge. The other
extreme is that sometimes the advocates have too much of an edge.

We agree with the governors of the two states that have already
legalized marijuana. They said at a governor's meeting last month that
it's too early to tell, but right now, they wouldn't recommend
legalization.

We should be perfectly willing to let Colorado and Washington blaze
that trail and learn from them.
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MAP posted-by: Matt