Pubdate: Thu, 29 Mar 2012 Source: Times-Herald, The (Vallejo, CA) Copyright: 2012 The Times-Herald Contact: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/993 Author: Pat Nelson MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES HAVE MADE VALLEJO A CITY OF SHAME Every day there is a letter regarding the injustice suffered by medical marijuana shops here in Vallejo. Well, here is another one, but this one speaks to the injustice of medical marijuana shops to our city and our youngest citizens. That's right, the children of our city. How did our city get to this point? A city that once touted the importance of all children -- black and white -- now could care less. We as citizens, in our new mode of ducking responsibility, have voted to tax a federally "illegal" substance to keep from having to come up with better solutions to our fiscal problems. Does no one see the elephant in the room? Has all common sense gone up in smoke (pun intended)? Did anyone even venture a thought about the message we are sending to our youth: Drugs are fine as long as your city can benefit from it. This is a city of shame. The other issue is the concept that medical marijuana is "needed" by our populace. Just how sick is Vallejo? Yes, marijuana can help the side effects of cancer treatments, but are we now the epicenter for cancer patients? What about secondhand smoke? What about the effects of smoking? Cigarettes are bad, marijuana is good ... really?! Sorry, I don't buy it! Pat Nelson Vallejo - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom