Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2014
Source: Daily Press (Victorville, CA)
Copyright: 2014 Freedom Communications, Inc.
Contact: http://www.vvdailypress.com/sections/contactus/
Website: http://www.vvdailypress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1061
Author: Shea Johnson

CANDIDATE PUSHES FOR MEDICAL POT DIALOGUE

If elected, San Bernardino County Sheriff candidate Paul Schrader 
told the Daily Press this past week he would attempt to open a 
dialogue with High Desert city and town officials to allow medical 
marijuana dispensaries.

After Proposition 215 legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 
1996, enforcement of the state law has largely been left to the will 
of local municipalities. In recent years, the region's 
decision-makers have responded by pushing collectives out of the area.

"What I'm seeing is a lot of the dispensaries are being shut down," 
said Schrader, a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, "and my 
question is why aren't (municipalities) complying with the law? I 
think (sheriff's officials) need to start working closer with city 
governments to follow what the state law is."

Schrader, who recently attended a medical marijuana expo in San 
Bernardino, concluded that voters "deserve a Sheriff who is willing 
to defend their right" to safe access to medical cannabis recommended 
by a doctor.

"I'd rather see people getting access through a medical marijuana 
dispensary where we can see what's going on, (rather) than getting it 
out of the back of someone's car in a parking lot," Schrader said.

Amid those safety concerns, he went as far as to say sweeping 
legalization of marijuana "is worth looking at."

Despite the current ban on medical cannabis facilities in the High 
Desert, Sheriff John McMahon said that doctor-recommended users in 
the county are treated fairly.

"As long as they're complying with the law, we don't bother them," 
McMahon said.

Authorities instead have sought out marijuana sellers and large-scale 
growing operations, which often are set up in residences, warehouses 
or on absentee-owner private property, McMahon said.

"It's significant enough of a problem that we have dedicated 
detectives where that's all they deal with," he said.

While opposed to legalizing the drug for recreation in the county, 
McMahon said marijuana-related penalties may need further review.

"Do they need to, at some point, look at sentencing guidelines and 
maybe adjust those? That's something they could certainly look at," 
McMahon said.

For retired deputy and Sheriff candidate Clifton Harris, the issue 
boils down to authorities being educated on state law.

"I think it's a matter of education," Harris said, "and I would make 
sure my line of people who are facing these folks are doing it by 
law, and not by harassment."

A Field Poll conducted in late February showed California voters 
supported legalizing the sale of marijuana by a five-to-four margin, 
and 72 percent backed Proposition 215.

"It's been widely publicized, and many experts have testified, that 
medical marijuana has been effective in assisting people who have 
been experiencing medical problems," Harris said. "Whatever the body 
votes, I will support that."
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