Pubdate: Thu, 12 Feb 2015
Source: Chico News & Review, The (CA)
Copyright: 2015 Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.newsreview.com/chico/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/559

RESTRICTIONS WON'T DO

It's no wonder local medical cannabis advocates are filing a lawsuit 
against Butte County to overturn Measure A. Back when county 
officials first started hammering out an ordinance to regulate 
growing, the effort involved parties from both sides of the issue. 
But the supes interfered and put further restrictions on what we 
viewed as a solid compromise-one this paper advocated for during the 
midterm elections.

The outcome of the election made it very clear that the citizens of 
Butte County want restrictions, but what the voters aren't "getting" 
is that people-whether pot profiteers, including the cartel growers, 
or those who truly use the herb medicinally-aren't going to stop 
growing cannabis. Marijuana prohibition is and always will be a 
losing battle. People have always found a way to either grow or buy 
pot, and they always will. Restrictions won't do much good, either. 
That's in large part because local governments do not have the 
funding to enforce them. And to us, the large amount of cash 
currently allocated to that effort-nearly $450,000 at the county 
level-seems like a huge waste of resources.

Californians must find the will to eliminate the profit motive that 
currently enriches criminals; forces growers to seek cover in the 
sensitive foothill regions, endangering watersheds and wildlife; and 
contributes to the exploitation of Mexican nationals who are forced 
to tend to illegal grows on public lands.

Other states are ahead of California when it comes to legalizing the 
recreational use of cannabis, and they are implementing their laws 
with great success. When 2016 rolls around and voters are 
contemplating a ballot initiative to do the same here, the only 
sensible thing is to once and for all bring marijuana sales into the 
daylight, making it a safe enterprise-not to mention a lucrative one 
for government coffers. Legalize it.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom