cannabisnews.com: No on G No on G Posted by FoM on October 28, 2000 at 20:18:05 PT Press Democrat Editorial Source: Press Democrat Supporters of measures to make marijuana easily available cite all the ways that current drug policies don't make sense. Too much money is spent on prisons and drug wars -- and not enough on rehabilitation and education that would curb the demand for drugs. It's hypocritical of society to impose a double-standard in which marijuana is treated differently than alcohol and tobacco. Patients who are seriously ill ought to have access to marijuana if it relieves their suffering. Too much money is spent on eradicating pot when other drugs, especially methamphetamines, cause far more crime and human suffering.All of these assertions are true. But so what? They don't justify a decision to promote another substance that is harmful to health, impairs judgment and is sometimes associated with criminal acts.In Mendocino County, Measure G would permit every adult to possess and cultivate up to 25 marijuana plants -- which is a lot of marjuana, perhaps $125,000 worth of dope on the street. The measure also instructs the sheriff and the district attorney to make marijuana law enforcement their lowest priority, and it requires officials to lobby for the decriminalization of marijuana nationwide.The measure is largely symbolic since state and federal laws pre-empt local law on drug-related subjects.Supporters say the measure is designed to discourage the prosecution of mom-and-pop growers and people who cultivate for personal use. But that's pretty much current practice anyway.While the state's annual anti-marijuana campaign remains unpopular in Mendocino County, its target is major drug dealers -- who remain a dangerous presence. People should be able to travel in the back country of Mendocino County without fear of encountering a clandestine marijuana garden with sentinels prepared to shoot intruders.Society needs to develop a more coherent and rational way to deal with all kinds of drugs and with alcohol, but Measure G doesn't move us closer to that day.All it does is encourage the use of a harmful substance and signal people outside Mendocino County that this is place where people are eager to grow, sell and get high. It's not much of a reputation.The Press Democrat recommends a no vote on Measure G.Source: Press Democrat, The (CA)Published: October 28, 2000Copyright: 2000 The Press DemocratAddress: Letters Editor, P. O. Box 569Santa Rosa CA 95402Fax: (707) 521-5305Contact: letters pressdemo.comWebsite: http://www.pressdemo.com/Feedback: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/letform.htmlRelated Articles:Measure G Won't Legalize Marijuana Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7484.shtmlPractical Pitfalls Of The Plebiscitehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7433.shtmlInterest High in Mendocino County Pot Measurehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7259.shtmlIllicit Weed May Find a Legal Homehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7211.shtmlMendocino Pot Measure a First http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7077.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by Lil420Gizmo on May 26, 2001 at 13:29:51 PT: this site i thin k u have a great site and marjuana should be legalized!I think you should also have a section to show u how to grow [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by dddd on October 30, 2000 at 05:41:53 PT who is this It's kinda sad to see another wimpy writer,who cheesily hides behind a newspaper. Who is it who speaks for this publication? An anonymous editorial like this,is as worthless as the chicken who wrote it.....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by DankethMcHerbal on October 29, 2000 at 19:58:00 PT: Constitutional Rights. Measure G is a measure for 4 basic constitutional rights: Freedom of Choice, Freedom of Religion, The Right to Privacy, and the Right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The U.S. has become truly corrupt, and the fact that we even have to vote on these measures shows how this is no longer a free country. We are voting on whether or not people should be granted the rights that are promised to us in the constitution. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by fivepounder on October 29, 2000 at 09:58:53 PT The depths fo ignorance So what if we are hypocritical and lock people up for using a substance that is less harmful than other legal substances? So what if we are two faced to our children.Right? This is a person that would not know the truth if it was staring right at it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by observer on October 29, 2000 at 07:17:06 PT ``to promote'' They don't justify a decision to promote another substance that is harmful to health, impairs judgment and is sometimes associated with criminal acts.Ceasing to throw adults in jail for using cannabis -- a traditional right that adults have held over their own bodies for milenna -- isn't "promoting" anything: it is simply ceasing to jail people for using a plant. Amazing how propagandists need to twist things. Simply not jailing peole for using a plant is converted into "legalization" or "pro-drugs" or "promote another substance" etc. All lies, told by prohibitionist liars (whish is par for the course.) Returning to adult Americans their traditional right to consume this plant isn't to "promote" anything, any more than ceasing to lynch people is to "promote" the people you've stopped lynching. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by AOCP on October 28, 2000 at 21:17:29 PT: Those wacky PD hyjinx! >All of these assertions are true. But so what? They don't justify a decision to promote another substance that is harmful to health,Whoa there, big fella! That's taking a bit of liberty with the facts, dontchathink? I mean, MJ has yet to record a fatality in all recorded human history! No more boogie-man fright "facts", ok?>impairs judgment and is sometimes associated with criminal acts.Wow. And we come full circle to what really strikes me as so damn obvious. Why don't we just use prohibition on booze, then? It is certainly harmful to health, it redefines impaired judgment and is directly linked to increases in violent tendencies. What in the world makes prohibition the final solution for MJ, but not for booze? Make the correllation, admit we're acting in the drug war on emotion alone and that it's all just a mistake that we should've seen before and let's make this world a better place. Sheesh.>In Mendocino County, Measure G would permit every adult to possess and cultivate up to 25 marijuana plants -- which is a lot of marjuana, perhaps $125,000 worth of dope on the street.And perhaps not. That means each plant is worth $5000. Let's play devil's advocate and assume we've got some pretty good nugs growing here. How's about $400/oz. sound to everybody? That means each plant would produce 12.5 ounces of really high-quality stuff. Does that sound even remotely inflated to anybody out there? Oh, and you can drop the cheap shots at switching MJ for "dope". Try inflating the actual argument.>The measure also instructs the sheriff and the district attorney to make marijuana law enforcement their lowest priority, and it requires officials to lobby for the decriminalization of marijuana nationwide.Really? I freely admit that i did not know that was included and how the hell they could pull something like that off. Something smells fishy here ... can anybody help?>The measure is largely symbolic since state and federal laws pre-empt local law on drug-related subjects.Well, if you're not afraid of it, why are you bothering to write this? "Give them druggies an inch of freedom, before ya know it, they'll be taking a mile! Cain't have that!">Supporters say the measure is designed to discourage the prosecution of mom-and-pop growers and people who cultivate for personal use. But that's pretty much current practice anyway.So, again, if that's what you're already doing, what's to fear? Jeez-louise, man! Get a grip!>While the state's annual anti-marijuana campaign remains unpopular in Mendocino County, its target is major drug dealers -- who remain a dangerous presence. People should be able to travel in the back country of Mendocino County without fear of encountering a clandestine marijuana garden with sentinels prepared to shoot intruders.When society outlaws MJ growing, only outlaws will be growing MJ. I really wish they wouldn't have to encounter sentinels with guns, but your laws came first, moron. Take some responsibility!>Society needs to develop a more coherent and rational way to deal with all kinds of drugs and with alcohol, but Measure G doesn't move us closer to that day.Well, until that happens (nice obtuse dodge there) which system works better for all the side effects of substance use and abuse? Prohibition based on MJ, or regulation based on the alcohol/tobacco model? Jeez, it's only a question of an average joe american! BOTH models can't be equally far from your one "coherent and rational way", right?>All it does is encourage the use of a harmful substance and signal people outside Mendocino County that this is place where people are eager to grow, sell and get high. It's not much of a reputation.IOW, if we do not ACTIVELY speak out against MJ in all its forms, somehow, that magically becomes encouragement, but that line of reasoning only applies to this list of arbitrarily-chosen substances.>The Press Democrat recommends a no vote on Measure G.The silliness and flimsiness of this guy's arguments really tell you more about voting for this measure than perhaps even the measure itself could. Prohibitionists are just too much fun to flay to the bone. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: