cannabisnews.com: Mendocino Marijuana Measure Famous Mendocino Marijuana Measure Famous Posted by FoM on November 05, 2000 at 15:49:13 PT By Mike Geniella Source: Press Democrat Marijuana advocates are pumping thousands of dollars into a Mendocino County initiative campaign they believe could set a national precedent for decriminalizing personal pot use. Measure G has received international media attention, even though there is no organized campaign against it. "Mendocino County residents seem ho-hum about the measure but the national media is going bonkers," said county supervisor Michael Delbar, a critic of the measure. "Maybe it's because we've lived with the marijuana problem for so long. There's nothing new in the arguments pro and con as far as I can see." Measure G would permit limited cultivation and possession of up to 25 marijuana plants per adult, but would continue to make the transportation and sale of pot illegal. It also directs the sheriff and district attorney to make marijuana law enforcement their lowest priority, and orders county officials to lobby state and federal agencies for the decriminalization of marijuana nationwide. "It's unbelievable. I've had more requests for interviews than I ever did as a congressman, even during the height of the Headwaters Forest controversy," said former Rep. Dan Hamburg of Ukiah. Hamburg, who abandoned the Democratic Party after his 1994 defeat and joined the Green Party, currently is a registered marijuana grower under a county law enforcement program set up after Proposition 215, the medical marijuana initiative, was passed by voters statewide. In Mendocino County, Proposition 215 received 65 percent of the vote and Measure G supporters including Hamburg are predicting a similar outcome Tuesday. "If so, I think passage of Measure G is going to send a message to Washington, D.C., and beyond," Hamburg said. While Mendocino County Sheriff Tony Craver and District Attorney Norman Vroman are sympathetic to the Measure G argument that current marijuana laws are flawed, both have stressed that they must abide by current state and federal laws no matter the outcome of Tuesday's election. Even with the acknowledgment that Measure G has no legal bite, the possibility of a favorable vote in a rural county that's witnessed costly government efforts to eradicate the plant is attracting a lot of outside support. The San Francisco-based National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws has donated $1,000 to the campaign and sent in volunteers to help rally voter support. The New York-based Center for Policy Research kicked in money to cover the cost of a series of local radio ads. Hamburg said supporters hope to raise and spend about $10,000 to get the measure passed. Despite its reputation as one of the nation's best-known marijuana-growing regions, Mendocino County now ranks behind Kern County in overall production, according to state statistics. Delbar and other Measure G critics think that's a dubious distinction. What's needed, according to Delbar, is not looser laws encouraging personal use of marijuana, but a countywide stance against drug use of any kind. Ukiah resident Robert McIntosh contended that Hamburg and other Measure G supporters are wrong in advocating decriminalization of marijuana. "The youth of today do not need these vices. They need mentors to teach them right from wrong, and that a good education is essential if they want to make it in the world," he said. Hamburg countered that Measure G is not an endorsement of marijuana use, certainly among minors. "I think it's much more about personal freedom, and the accountability of government to spend taxpayers' money wisely," he said. Besides, Hamburg said, "kids aren't fooled by the anti-marijuana arguments. They know it's virtually harmless." Hamburg said he hopes passage of Measure G will lead to further changes in state and federal marijuana laws, and the collapse of a pricing-structure that he and other supporters believe entices criminal activity surrounding pot growing. Hamburg recently reported to local sheriff's deputies the theft of six marijuana plants he was growing under the county's Proposition 215 program. With a doctor's approval, individuals can secure local law enforcement identification as legitimate growers of pot to be used for medicinal purposes. Hamburg said he grows pot so he can assist in efforts to revitalize the appetite of his mother, a cancer patient. "I don't think I'd have had people trespassing on my property and ripping off my marijuana plants if we had a sane government policy. I'm hoping Measure G leads to that," Hamburg said. Delbar, however, is not so sure. "I think Measure G if passed will end up serving as just another cover for local dope growers, just as Prop. 215 is doing," he said. Note: International Media Swarm On Initiative To Legalize Personal Growing, Possession Of Pot, But Residents Ho-Hum. News Article Courtesy Of MapInc.http://mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1664/a08.htmlSource: Press Democrat, The (CA) Author: Mike Geniella, The Press DemocratPublished: November 5, 2000Copyright: 2000 The Press Democrat Address: Letters Editor, P. O. Box 569Santa Rosa CA 95402 Fax: (707) 521-5305 Contact: letters pressdemo.com Website: http://www.pressdemo.com/ Forum: http://www.pressdemo.com/opinion/talk/ Feedback: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/letform.html Related Articles:Mendocino Making Drug Policy Statement http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7564.shtmlMendocino Votes on Growth Industry http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7501.shtmlHigh on Voters' Minds in Mendocino Countyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7493.shtmlNo on G http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7485.shtmlMeasure G Won't Legalize Marijuana Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7484.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by mark gowan on November 10, 2000 at 07:21:11 PT: Things are not all bad! Wahoo! Mendocino is the greatest county to live in! Just some thoughts on the passing of g and 36. While the local law enforcement says it is business as usual, they mean it. But the truth of it is Only the stupid people are getting popped for growing. With the team of Craver and Vroman and the logical actions taken by these men, the war on pot smokers is lightening up. Fact is with the passage of 36, unless you are inspired by greed, I seriously doubt that there will be very many drug arrests (Non-violent) in the years to come under current county political leadership. Peace from Mendo county [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on November 05, 2000 at 22:00:59 PT Hi Dr. Ganj! Your Welcome Dr. Ganj,Glad you like the news and I'm glad everything is going well for you out in the beautiful, progressive State you live in. Everything that happens in California ultimately makes it east. Your State is the one that you can say, As California goes there goes the whole USA! You all out there set the pace and we follow. I can't wait!Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Dr. Ganj on November 05, 2000 at 21:39:46 PT Thanks FoM!! FoM-Great link! What good news! Just think, by next week, we'll have even more states added to the medical marijuana list. Looks like Colorado, and Nevada for sure, and Measure G in Mendocino county. I wish Alaska would make a statement, but they'll probably wimp out, and leave that prize for another intrepid state to claim in future elections.I might add, I'm in Oakland California, where the local cannabis clubs are thriving, without any problems at all. I hope other states can copy these models, and show everyone that having a safe place that provides various cannabis products is a whole lot better than forcing people to obtain their herbal medicine from the black market.I think the end of marijuana prohibition is very close. I base this upon what I see here, and it is good.Cheers,Dr. Ganj http://www.maps.org [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 05, 2000 at 17:03:29 PT: Election 2000: Drug Policy Reform Initiatives http://cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/messages/31/31208.shtml [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: