Pubdate: Sat, 23 Mar 2013
Source: Porterville Recorder (CA)
Copyright: 2013 Freedom Communications Inc.
Contact: http://www.recorderonline.com/sections/editor-form/
Website: http://www.recorderonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2887

FINALITY NEEDED IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA DEBATE

Once again Tulare County Supervisors passed a moratorium on the 
opening of medical marijuana stores, be those dispensaries, 
cooperatives or collectives.

This is at least the third time the county has taken such action, but 
at some point the county, along with entire state, is going to have 
to make some serious decisions on marijuana, especially medical 
marijuana. Cities are also in limbo.

There is no doubt the current status is not only wrought with crime 
and fraud, it is putting legitimate medical marijuana users in a 
state of flux while stretching law enforcement resources. We call on 
the state Legislature to finally settle the issue of what is legal 
and what is not.

Voters of California passed the Compassionate Use Act in 1996, which 
basically legalized not only the use of, but the growing of marijuana 
if a person has gotten a written letter from a doctor. The ballot 
measure was targeted at allowing those with certain medical 
conditions to use marijuana, which some say can be of some benefit.

However, millions of Californians continue to use marijuana as a 
recreational drug, somewhat like alcohol, and the 1996 measure opened 
the door to millions to get the letters of recommend which gives the 
letter holder a right to grow as many as 99 plants.

Those who are growing marijuana for a profit have taken liberty with 
that law. Many of the illegal grow operations taken down in the 
county the past couple of years display letters of recommendation, 
but the number of plants far exceed what the letters allow, and in 
nearly every instance the operations were clearly illegal commercial 
grow sites, not a backyard effort of a person with a medical problem.

The marijuana debate, its use and ability to grow it, needs to be put 
to rest by both the state Legislature and the Congress, but so far 
politicians have been afraid to address it. If they don't act soon, 
we could see another poorly written initiative, and in the end that 
could make matters even worse. Lawmakers need to act.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom