Pubdate: Thu, 21 Aug 2014
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.utsandiego.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386
Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area.
Page: B-8

MEDICAL MARIJUANA: A FAILURE OF GOVERNANCE, FOR 18 YEARS

The shelving of legislation to enact meaningful statewide regulation 
of medical marijuana constitutes a failure of governance that should 
be unacceptable to Californians. For 18 years, the people sent to 
Sacramento to deal with problems such as those stemming from 
unregulated medical marijuana have utterly failed to do their job.

The latest failure came last week when SB 1262, which had seemed on 
its way to passage, was "held under submission" in the Assembly 
Appropriations Committee. Barring a miracle resurrection, it means 
the Legislature will have to start over again with a new bill in January.

This was a good bill that had bipartisan support among legislators as 
well as the support of the California Police Chiefs Association and 
the League of California Cities.

What it didn't have was the support of the marijuana industry for 
provisions requiring criminal background checks for key people 
involved in the business. There also were concerns over the cost of 
setting up a new regulatory agency and about the possible loss of 
local government control.

Maybe next year will be the charm. Do not be optimistic.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom