Pubdate: Fri, 27 Mar 2009
Source: Times-Standard (Eureka, CA)
Copyright: 2009 Times-Standard
Contact: http://www.times-standard.com/writeus
Website: http://www.times-standard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1051
Author: Robert W. Barker
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n321/a05.html

BAD ECONOMICS IN WEEDING OUT THE GROWERS

Growing tomatoes in my little green house or garden and selling them 
to the co-op op does not require all those inspectors as Mr. Owen 
insists. In fact that occurs here in Humboldt County regularly.

And if marijuana growers were stopped the income of this county would 
fall so low it could be disastrous.

Many estimate that pot brings in several million dollars a year spent 
mainly in Humboldt County. If you think Humboldt is hurting now it 
would die a slow death without the largest cash crop in the area. 
This innocuous weed is fairly harmless and helps numerous folks in 
medical and economic ways.

True that some people try to grow more than the 99 plants he referred 
to and they can become fire hazards and environmental problems and 
larger farms should be regulated.

However, like the small tomatoes gardener that sells his vegetables 
at the local open markets, pot growers under 99 plants are not 
hurting anyone and add to the local economic viability.

Mr. Owen and I agree ganja should be legalized and taxed yet the 
truth is it already brings in millions in tax revenue from the co-ops 
in the state. One co-op in San Diego alone placed approximately 
$380,000 a year.

Go ahead, weed out the so called dopers and watch our economic 
downfall. More welfare, food stamps and far less cash flow and lower 
real estate prices, your home would drop by 35 percent.

Robert W. Barker

Eureka
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart