Pubdate: Thu, 20 Feb 2014
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Author: Helen Harberts

BE SMART ABOUT MARIJUANA GROWING

The recent letter by Garry Cooper regarding the "epic battle between 
good and evil" regarding marijuana is misleading. Cooper can have his 
own opinions, but he can't have his own facts.

While Cooper rails about imprisonment for marijuana, the simple fact 
is that in California, possession of marijuana is an infraction. It 
is a traffic ticket.

As Cooper rails that the federal prisons are full of drug offenders, 
he implies that this is cannabis only. That is wrong. He uses poor or 
zero facts to justify his comments. The true facts may be found in a 
fact sheet called "Need to Know" from the National Association of 
Drug Court Professionals (www.nadcp.org).

Cooper says law enforcement has the largest political action 
committee in the United States. That is flat false. According to 
opensecrets.org, law enforcement isn't in the top 20 PACs, or top 20 
super PACs.

Many of us support expansion of treatment, and have actively pursued 
bringing drug courts and treatment to scale. But we also do not think 
Butte County should be trashed by the excess growing of pot for 
profit at the expense of our community or county. Should you want 
more information, check the facts. I encourage readers to look at the 
SAM website, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (www.learnaboutsam.com). 
In addition, as to the issue of local reasonable limits on marijuana, 
I urge readers to view www.bsane.org, or visit us on Facebook at B-SANE.

- - Helen Harberts, Chico
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom