Pubdate: Thu, 07 Jun 2012
Source: Bakersfield Californian, The (CA)
Copyright: 2012 The Bakersfield Californian
Contact:  http://www.bakersfield.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/36
Author: Jared Collup

'REEFER MADNESS' GRIPS KERN WITH MEASURE G

It was with sadness that I watched the majority of Kern County voters 
be duped into voting for Measure G by the same supervisors who voted 
themselves a pay raise. This measure will eliminate approximately 500 
jobs and quite a bit of tax revenue. Can we really afford to lose 
either in this economy? I think not. I think the tax revenue from 
medical marijuana dispensaries would have gone a long way toward 
paying the supervisors their self-voted pay raises. (It must be nice 
to be able to vote yourself more pay.)

Crime has been stated as the reason for the restrictions on medical 
marijuana dispensaries. Banks get robbed, but they are allowed to 
stay open. Houses and businesses get burglarized all the time, but we 
are still allowed to have homes and jobs. Major drugstores pop up on 
every street corner like 7-Elevens, selling drugs that can be very 
addictive, with dire consequences should you too take too much, but 
they are allowed to operate with impunity. (I'm guessing here, but I 
bet some of those drug stores have been robbed and burglarized, too.)

A viable alternative, a natural remedy, is being taken away from 
those who have decided they don't want pharmaceuticals and their side 
effects. Patients will now be forced to drive miles for their 
prescriptions to obtain them legally, or resort to finding them 
illegally. The supervisors need to get rid of their copies of "Reefer 
Madness" and step into the 21st century.

Jared Collup

Bakersfield
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom