Pubdate: Mon, 29 Jul 2013
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2013 Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Wes Woods, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

MARIJUANA RESOLUTIONS CONSIDERED ' SYMBOLIC'

State Democratic Board Seeks Action From the President

Some California Democratic Party marijuana legalization-friendly 
resolutions appear to be largely symbolic but some say it could be 
the start of something nationwide.

The California Democratic Party executive board on July 21 passed 
some marijuana-friendly resolutions, including:

Requesting President Barack Obama to allow the newly enacted 
marijuana legalization laws in Colorado and Washington state to take 
effect with no federal interference;

Asking Obama to end federal raids in states with medical marijuana laws;

Asking that a comprehensive study be immediately undertaken to 
produce recommendations for reform of the nation's marijuana prohibition laws.

Another resolution that passed asks state legislators to establish 
parameters for cities and counties on licensing, nuisance abatement 
and zoning for medical marijuana dispensaries.

"It's mostly symbolic," said Jack Pitney, a Claremont McKenna College 
political scientist. "When people go to polls on a ballot measure, 
they're not paying attention to what a political party organization 
will say about it. I seriously doubt the Democratic Party will spend 
any money on this measure."

Pitney said the idea of legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana is 
gaining traction nationwide.

"You could see more of this as time goes on," Pitney said.

But applying some of the medical marijuana distribution language 
locally creates a different set of issues, he said.

"On one level, a lot of people say that medical marijuana is a good 
idea but in practice the dispensaries have created problems with 
local governments," Pitney said. "Because the clientele does not 
consist of the Brady Bunch, I think ( local governments) will shrug 
their shoulders as long as the state doesn't try to force 
dispensaries on them and cities have flexibility on determining 
whether they can open in their boarders.

"I think that's what would be crucial. They have the ability to keep 
things out if they want or bring them in if they want."

Covina Police Chief Kim Raney, who is the president of the California 
Police Chiefs Association, called the marijuana-friendly language "an 
extreme view of the issues" and like Pitney felt it was largely symbolic.

"I don't think this even justifies a response from the association at 
this point," Raney said.

But he discussed the resolutions anyway.

"What we find out historically is when resolutions come out, they 
take a very extreme position to create attention and conversation but 
they're nowhere near the reflection of the average voter in 
California about the issue," Raney said.

People, he said, are "starting to see the farce the medical marijuana 
legislation is." But he also said there is one sentence in the 
resolutions that he agrees with.

"There does need to be a comprehensive national study and 
conversation about marijuana," Raney said.

California Democratic Party spokesman Tenoch Flores said Thursday 
that the resolutions are "a reflection of the views of the executive 
board" and speak for themselves.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom