Pubdate: Fri, 8 Oct 2010
Source: Mail Tribune, The (Medford, OR)
Copyright: 2010 The Mail Tribune
Contact:  http://www.mailtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/642
Note: Only prints LTEs from within it's circulation area
Author: Chris Conrad
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?276 (Measure 74)

ADVOCATES, OPPONENTS BUTT HEADS OVER STATE POT MEASURE

Proponents of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Say Bill Will Help Fight 
Crime; Law Enforcement Disagrees

ASHLAND -- A packed room in Southern Oregon University's Stevenson 
Union was treated to a lively back-and-forth Thursday between Measure 
74 proponents and law enforcement during a forum on November's 
medical marijuana ballot measures in Oregon and California.

The forum was sponsored by the Mail Tribune and Jefferson Public 
Radio and moderated by the Jefferson Exchange's Geoffrey Riley and 
Mail Tribune editor Bob Hunter and reporter Damian Mann.

"Judging by the turnout this is an issue of interest," Riley said as 
he surveyed the nearly full house prior to directing questions to the 
panelists.

The panelists included Sgt. Erik Fisher of the Oregon State Police 
Drug Enforcement Program; Portland attorney Leland Berger, who 
assisted in writing the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act; Deputy Chief 
Tim George of the Medford Police Department; and Leslie Wilde, who 
runs the Green Collar Compassionate Collective dispensary in Dunsmuir, Calif.

George led off by describing how busy local cops are with marijuana 
cases during harvest season. George noted that he was not speaking 
for the Medford Police Department but as a private citizen and his 
opinions did not represent the department's.

"Marijuana laws are consuming police right now," George said.

George and Fisher said they have no issue with those who follow the 
laws related to production and consumption of medical marijuana, but 
those who are using the program to funnel marijuana into the black 
market take up a lot of police time.

Berger countered with a pointed rebuke, saying, "I thought we would 
start a little more truthful here."

He went on to argue that the problem was not with medical 
marijuana-related gardens but the illegal large-scale farms 
containing thousands of plants on public forest land.

Berger acknowledged that some in the program have benefited illegally 
from selling marijuana meant for card-holding patients. He claims 
Measure 74 would cut into illegal profits by providing an increased 
incentive for caregivers to grow for regulated dispensaries that will 
dole out marijuana to cardholders.

"Measure 74 will make a regulated supply system so people won't have 
to go on the black market to buy medicine," Berger said. "It's a 
surprise that law enforcement does not support this as it takes a 
bite out of crime."

Wilde said California's dispensary system will differ from Oregon's 
should Measure 74 pass.

"In California, every dispensary regulates itself and runs the way it 
wants to," she said.

Wilde has some reservations about Measure 74, saying it might have 
too much regulation embedded in its language. If a dispensary makes a 
mistake and has one or two plants over the limit, it could cause problems.

"The restrictions might bring in the police because they have a set 
amount of plants to look for when they enter a garden or dispensary," 
Wilde said. "It gives the police a foot in the door and could keep 
patients from getting medicine if there's a delay."

Wilde hopes the restrictions loosen up over time and the dispensaries 
are left to police themselves.

Fisher said the increase in the number of people added to the medical 
marijuana program through Measure 74 will make it harder to enforce 
all marijuana laws. Under the proposed measure, cards will be given 
to those who work in the dispensary.

"It doesn't give us any additional tools to work with," Fisher said. 
"For instance, it won't help us to know who owns a grow site. It will 
muddy the waters even more."

Fisher said police do not receive lists of legal gardens and only can 
learn the status of a garden by contacting officials with the Oregon 
Medical Marijuana Program and giving them the name of a person 
suspected of growing illegally.

"They then give us a simple yes or no if the garden is legal," Fisher said.

When asked why the OMMP has grown so rapidly, Berger said proponents 
have done a good job of educating the public of the benefits of 
medical marijuana.

The positive economic impact of taxing medical marijuana remains up 
in the air, Berger said.

"The voter's pamphlet said the economic forecast is between three and 
20 million in revenue," Berger said. "It's hard to guess what it will be."

When asked about compensation for providers and dispensaries, Berger 
said that making money should not be the goal of participating in the program.

"It's about giving safe access to medicine for patients and not 
making millionaires," Berger said.

Fisher believes that it is difficult for Measure 74 proponents and 
law enforcement to see eye-to-eye on the issue because they are 
coming from very different points of view. Police only deal with 
those who take advantage of the program for personal gain, but that 
might only represent a small proportion of those who participate in the OMMP.

The panel seemed to agree with his point. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake