cannabisnews.com: Supervisor: Legalized Pot Long Overdue





Supervisor: Legalized Pot Long Overdue
Posted by CN Staff on June 17, 2007 at 06:28:11 PT
By James Faulk, The Times-Standard
Source: Times-Standard 
Eureka, CA -- Estimating that marijuana brings some $5 billion into the Mendocino County economy, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors recently sent out an impassioned letter demanding that marijuana be legalized and taxed for the benefit of local governments. It's a request that quickly gained traction in Humboldt County through 2nd District Supervisor Roger Rodoni, who said a revolution in the thinking about marijuana laws and enforcement is long overdue.
The Mendocino County letter advocates legalization, taxation, and regulation. John Pinches, 3rd District Mendocino County supervisor and the impetus for the recent letter, said the $5 billion figure comes from an estimate made by late Mendocino County District Attorney Norm Vroman, who believed law enforcement had managed to stop only 10 percent of the marijuana being trafficked through the county. A simple mathematical calculation used that 10 percent figure to extrapolate out an estimated total of $5 billion for the county. If the county were to only receive 1 percent of that -- as would be the county's receipt if those totals were subject to a sales tax -- it would nearly double the county's discretionary income by adding $50 million to its coffers. Humboldt County, with arguably the most recognizable brand name in the marijuana trade, would not be far behind. The revenue issue doesn't even take into account the conundrum that local agencies face while trying to enforce conflicting local, state and federal laws on the drug. ”California residents exist in a a state of tug of war over the interpretation of federal, state and local law,” states the letter. The letter, addressed specifically to the North Coast's congressman, Mike Thompson, asks for help in legalizing marijuana and making it a source of revenue for local governments. ”The time has come to call upon our leaders in federal government to initiate, sponsor and support legislation that calls for the legalization, regulation and taxation of the multibillion-dollar crop,” said the letter. “Local government is in dire need of identifying stable revenue streams, and through your able leadership, we are confident that a taxing mechanism can be achieved.” But Thompson said he has tried in every session of Congress since he was first elected to advance legislation to allow states to make their own rules governing medicinal marijuana, with no success. With all the other high-profile issues looming, Thompson said he doubts marijuana legalization is going to be at the top of anyone's priority list. ”I haven't been able to even get that bill heard,” said Thompson. “It's a pretty big leap of faith to think we could come back and do even more.” The first step toward legalization, Rodoni said, is to get the conversation started. Raise awareness, make noise, build pressure -- and then progress can happen, Rodoni said. Rodoni said that when he first took office, he couldn't even bring up the subject. Now serious discussions can occur, because some progress has already been made. As for the political realities of Washington, D.C., Rodoni said the federal government just needs to butt out and abide by the 10th Amendment. Anything not delegated specifically to the federal government in the U.S. Constitution is under the authority of the state governments, Rodoni said, and that should include marijuana. The contribution that marijuana makes to the local economy is huge, Rodoni said. ”It's more than significant,” he said. “It's a number that needs to get into the conversation.” While attending countless meetings on economic development that describe the components of our economy, the subject never comes up, Rodoni said. ”When the conversation is all over with, there's this giant elephant standing in the corner that no one looks at,” Rodoni said. “How can you take some of these people serious when they're talking about the economy of Humboldt County?” Pinches said marijuana represents Mendocino County's biggest agricultural commodity -- bigger than timber, bigger than grapes -- and the government needs to find a way to make it work for the community as a whole. ”Whether you love marijuana or you hate marijuana, it makes no sense for it to be illegal,” said Pinches. “If we continue the way we're going, all county dollars will just go for criminal justice.” The 40-year-long war on marijuana has done nothing but drive up the price of the drug, he said. ”Didn't we learn anything from prohibition?” Source: Times-Standard (Eureka, CA)Author: James Faulk, The Times-StandardPublished: June 17, 2007Copyright: 2007 MediaNews Group, Inc. Contact: editor times-standard.comWebsite: http://www.times-standard.com/Related Articles:Supes Call for Pot Legalizationhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23064.shtmlGoing To Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23045.shtmlMendocino: Legalize Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23043.shtml 
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Comment #13 posted by ekim on June 18, 2007 at 08:37:38 PT
Have Leap speaker at your next event
CN ON: PUB LTE: This Cop Playing Pot PartURL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n729/a05.html
Newshawk: Educators For Sensible Drug Policy: http://www.efsdp.org
 Votes: 0
Pubdate: Thu, 14 Jun 2007
Source: NOW Magazine (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 NOW Communications Inc.
Contact: letters nowtoronto.com
Website: http://www.nowtoronto.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/282
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n692/a02.html
Author: Howard J. Wooldridge ----------------------------------------------------------------Monday, June 18, 2007 http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/
Chicago's Vigil for Lost Promise
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #12 posted by afterburner on June 18, 2007 at 07:27:30 PT
We Need Better Politicians!
"Thompson said he doubts marijuana legalization is going to be at the top of anyone's priority list."Those are the politicians' priority lists. We need better politicians!
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Comment #11 posted by Sam Adams on June 17, 2007 at 17:28:53 PT
truth exposed again
Almost missed this comment:”Whether you love marijuana or you hate marijuana, it makes no sense for it to be illegal,” said Pinches. “If we continue the way we're going, all county dollars will just go for criminal justice.”Well now, we just stumbled onto the master plan! You live in a police state, pal. Whatever laws they want are passed. Whatever laws anybody wants don't mean diddley squat.The ruling politicians do whatever the cops say. The media does whatever the cops say.That's what I call a police state.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on June 17, 2007 at 17:00:36 PT
"big scary cannabis consumers"
To be fair...I'm sure there are some. Perhaps many. Just because they're big and scary...anyway. I was actually referring to the cannabis consumer in general.It's not like you usually think of a bunch of warlike Huns or something. (My apologies to any Huns. I think I'm part Hun, myself.) 
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on June 17, 2007 at 13:42:04 PT
And...there's the problem of their cowardice.
They are so horribly afraid of the big scary cannabis consumers.
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on June 17, 2007 at 13:40:12 PT
Comment 3
They may realize it, that "that pile of money" is bigger than the "pile of money" they get out of the legal system and incarceration. Trouble is they've piled such a huge stinking load of lies and propaganda crap up, that now they've got to figure out some way of digging out from under it...so they can get their hands on that bigger pile of money...and maybe stop robbing us all to pay for this prohibition.They've got to do it somehow that they can wriggle out of ever having to make anything up to all the people they've robbed and caused so much suffering to. They can't just say they made a mistake...or were wrong. They've got to come out from under that heap of crap...shining, somehow.Maybe..."We've discovered...." or "We now know better." Or something. But it's got to be something that will allow them to run out from under the stink they created...smelling like roses.
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on June 17, 2007 at 13:32:33 PT
Lol!
I hadn't got to this part yet...."”When the conversation is all over with, there's this giant elephant standing in the corner that no one looks at,” Rodoni said. Ah...but the elephant is filling the room...the nation. It's so huge that some people think it IS the nation.
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on June 17, 2007 at 13:30:39 PT
Not at the top of anyone's priority list?
It definitely should be, and for justice and compassion's sake...I can't see why it isn't.Doesn't anyone see the elephant of huge injustice and waste sitting in the middle of this nation? Crowding EVERYONE? Squashing the life and means out of so many? 
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on June 17, 2007 at 13:26:32 PT
I agree, Mr. Rodini!
"...a revolution in the thinking about marijuana laws and enforcement is long overdue."
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Comment #4 posted by Dankhank on June 17, 2007 at 11:33:55 PT
only 40 years ... ?
The 40-year-long war on marijuana has done nothing but drive up the price of the drug, he said.”Didn't we learn anything from prohibition?” Hey, it's been 70 years since the infamous Tax Act ...
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Comment #3 posted by John Tyler on June 17, 2007 at 07:33:53 PT
finally, some common sense. 
Re-legalization would cause the wholesale and retail price to go down significantly, however there would be a huge increase in related business associated with the cannabis industry that would increase economic activity (money) and it would in turn increase tax revenue (money) for the county to an even greater extent than is currently estimated. Political types, wake up, this is about money. 
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 17, 2007 at 07:25:04 PT
A Cannabis Town
It really would bring in a lot of money to the town that could create different ways of making a town a real cannabis town. I guess I just keep dreaming of a better way then busting and jailing people over this ancient plant. Don't they get it yet that marijuana has never caused the death of a person who uses marijuana?
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Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on June 17, 2007 at 06:43:10 PT
Eureka!
Humboldt County would have a never ending stream of marijuana tourists for years on end if cannabis were legalized in California. In states where marijuana would remain illegal would lose population, and not just some.It's a no brainer. 
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