Pubdate: Wed, 20 Jul 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

HERE WE GO AGAIN ON COUNTY MARIJUANA RULES

Is anyone else suffering from marijuana initiative fatigue? We certainly are.

A month after voters rejected two efforts by the marijuana industry 
to overturn laws enacted by Butte County supervisors, marijuana 
advocates have qualified another effort for the November ballot.

This latest one, like some of the others, is an attempt to allow the 
marijuana growers to write their own rules because they don't like 
what the elected officials have done.

Based on their track record so far, the latest initiative doesn't 
have much of a chance. Voters are growing more and more distrustful 
of their efforts.

The efforts continue, though, because it's a power play. The cannabis 
industry is sending a message to the supervisors that no matter what 
they do, the growers have the power and especially the financial 
backing to challenge their decisions at the polls. Each petition 
drive is a little jab. It's a jab that doesn't draw blood, but a jab 
nonetheless.

Their hope is apparently that eventually the voters will stop paying 
attention and the growers will get what they want. Instead, the 
opposite seems to be taking place. People are tired of being asked 
the same question over and over again, so they have been favoring the 
county-approved rules.

Here's a quick history of efforts by the supervisors to provide 
guidelines for growers.

In June 2012, cannabis advocates challenged county restrictions with 
Measure A. Fifty-five percent of voters agreed with the supervisors. 
In November 2014, growers challenged Measure A again. This time 60.2 
percent approved to stay the course. A companion measure written by 
growers was rejected by 65.8 percent of voters. In June 2016, growers 
challenged two more supervisor decisions on marijuana cultivation. 
One passed with 59.5 percent of the vote against the growers. The 
other passed with 58.5 percent.

The newest challenge will be discussed by supervisors at Tuesday's 
meeting. Proponents gathered nearly 12,000 signatures and enough were 
verified to qualify it for an election, unless supervisors vote to 
enact the industry-written laws immediately. Don't expect that.

Instead, voters will again decide terms and limits on growing, 
manufacturing, testing and more - including overturning the county's 
ban on dispensaries.

The timing seems odd since voters statewide will be deciding whether 
to legalize marijuana on the same ballot. That would change 
everything - including cultivation rules.

Growers who operate on the black market are split on legalization, 
however. Many of them think the way things are now works just fine, 
especially the part about no taxation or licensing. In fact, when 
legalization was on the ballot in 2010 and failed, the three counties 
in the Emerald Triangle - Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity - all voted 
against it.

With legalization and its possible aftermath uncertain, it's business 
as usual for growers here. Unfortunately, that means another ballot measure.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom