Pubdate: Sun, 10 Apr 2016
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Author: Chris Nicodemus

MARIJUANA INSERT DOESN'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY

They're back. The marijuana pushers are trying once again to hoodwink 
Butte County residents by painting a rosy picture for their product.

I just read an eight-page insert in the E-R showing the smiling faces 
of growers and/or users of this product. I believe there is some 
medicinal value in marijuana and I do not begrudge those who are in 
pain from cancer or other diseases from using the product. However, 
growing marijuana often involves individuals or groups who do not 
play by the rules and are raping the environment with the use of 
poisonous chemicals that kill wildlife and pollute the land and waterways.

If you want to get a true story of the impact of illegal marijuana 
cultivation, contact the Butte County Code Enforcement Team in 
Oroville and they can tell you firsthand about the nightmare that 
residents and neighbors in grow areas face.

I have friends and acquaintances who live in grow areas and have 
heard their fears, complaints and issues with growers such as direct 
or indirect intimidation through the use of threats, vicious dogs or 
deadly weapons. They feel forced to turn a blind eye or deaf ears for 
fear of retaliation.

Imagine owning a home in our beautiful foothills and having to put up 
with this nonsense for six months every year. It's not only unfair, 
it's dangerous. Until the skunkweed farmers can police their own, 
they should not be supported. In June, vote against this initiative.

- - Chris Nicodemus, Chico
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom