Pubdate: Wed, 22 Sep 2010
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Page: A - 13
Copyright: 2010 Dale Gieringer
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Dale Gieringer
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n000/a041.html

IMPERFECT, BUT IT CAN BE FIXED

Your concerns about Proposition 19 are misplaced ("No on Prop. 19," Sept. 16).

Prop. 19 offers the major benefit of ending the bankrupt regime of 
marijuana prohibition and allowing it to be legally regulated and taxed.

Though Prop. 19 may arguably have a few problems, as you point out, 
it sensibly provides that the Legislature can fix these by adopting 
further legislation - unlike too many other initiatives, which don't 
allow such modification. For instance, you rightly question the lack 
of uniform statewide controls over distribution and taxation, but 
this is a problem that the Legislature can and should readily address 
should Prop 19. pass (in fact, such legislation is already being drafted).

As for the clause protecting workers against discrimination in the 
workplace, what's your problem? Do you really think that workers 
should be fired for off-the-job use of marijuana that does not impair 
job performance? Urine testing is an inaccurate, biased, invasive, 
widely abused technology that has no more place in a free country 
than our current drug laws.

Dale Gieringer, director, California NORML

(National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), San Francisco 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake