Pubdate: Sat, 30 Apr 2016
Source: Turlock Journal (CA)
Copyright: 2016 The Turlock Journal
Contact:  http://www.turlockjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3816
Author: Dennis Wyatt

CALIFORNIA: IS IT THE NEXT STONER STATE?

Jerry Brown a few years back was asked to comment on the drive to 
legalize recreational use of pot in California.

The governor responded by indicating a "stoner state" may not be 
conducive to the California economy.

Brown's ultimate stance on a pending ballot measure drive to legalize 
the consumption of cannabis might end up being different but the 
point can't be ignored. There are inherit risks with a workforce that 
is less than optimum in today's competitive world even if every user 
simply "mellows" as the more starry-eyed proponents of unrestricted 
marijuana use claim.

But perhaps more important is the pushback coming from the private 
sector and law enforcement that may make legal use of marijuana 
beyond medicinal purposes the equivalent of walking into the Brea Tar 
Pits for many people. And the dangers ironically are associated with 
the fans of universal marijuana who contend it is no different than 
smoking cigarettes or consuming alcohol.

Democrat Jim Wood - an assemblyman from Healdsburg - has gotten his 
measure AB2300 out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee Monday on a 10-0 vote.

AB2300 assures landlords would have the same authority to prohibit 
smoking medicinal pot in a rented residence as they now do with 
smoking tobacco cigarettes. Patients would be able to retain the 
right to access and use medical pot by other means such as edibles 
and oils. It means vast bi-partisan support exists in Sacramento to 
apply the same restrictions to recreational pot. That means landlords 
will have the right to evict those who violate state law regardless 
of what they smoke.

The legislation is based in part on studies that do indeed show that 
pot is much like cigarettes when it comes to second-hand smoke.

According to University of California San Francisco Professor of 
Medicine Matthew Springer, "Tobacco and marijuana share thousands of 
chemicals that result from burning dried plant material, and many of 
these chemicals are harmful. The adverse cardiovascular effects of 
secondhand marijuana smoke have only recently begun to be studied and 
we are seeing just a few minutes of exposure to secondhand smoke from 
tobacco and marijuana have the same negative effect on the ability of 
arteries to carry enough blood, with marijuana causing longer-lasting 
effect than tobacco."

Can anyone say stroke and heart attacks?

Such studies, of course, would set the stage for insurance companies 
to monetarily penalize marijuana smokers just as they have cigarette 
smokers when it comes to premiums and deductibles.

And once you take pot from special medicinal status for smoking to 
essentially giving it equal billing with cigarettes you've opened the 
door for justified punitive actions from insurance companies.

As for those who think legalizing pot makes it legal period, let's 
not forget how the backers of recreational pot astutely point out it 
is no different than alcohol. Colorado's lawmakers are virtually 
unanimous - as are the courts - in keeping intact the right of 
employers to conduct drug tests for marijuana use based on concerns 
it impacts motor skills much like alcohol does when it relaxes a user.

Given marijuana can stay in the system for as long as 30 days users 
would be putting their jobs or their chances of getting one at risk.

Driving under the influence already includes much more than alcohol 
given how prescription and illegal drugs can impair judgment and 
impact motor skills. Make pot legal and it'll be just a matter of 
time before a breath-analyzer test is developed to determine the role 
marijuana smoking may have in unsafe driving.

Those pushing for legalization of marijuana who believe it will 
actually decriminalize it by dropping all penalties for its use 
should be prepared for what they always wished - to have it 
officially treated no different than alcohol and smoking.

Legalizing pot will open the door for users to be subjected to higher 
insurance rates, smoking restrictions and a whole list of other pushbacks.

True they exist now but it is way off base to think they go away 
after pot is legalized. They'll likely to discover the opposite will 
happen with penalties beyond that now exists will expand. Those that 
think California's super hyper regulatory environment that makes the 
state's criminal justice system look minor league in comparison won't 
go into overdrive once pot is legalized must be smoking the real good stuff.

California has already for all practical purposes effectively 
decriminalized marijuana use when the state reduced possession of a 
small amount to a misdemeanor

Legalizing non-medical use of marijuana is far from being a panacea 
that supporters are pitching.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom