Pubdate: Tue, 21 Oct 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: Jessica Allen

CONCERNS OF MEASURE A PROPONENTS ARE OVERBLOWN

There seems to be some confusion about the two local medical 
marijuana measures on the Nov. 4 ballot (Measures A and B). Perhaps 
it is because the people who want to limit Butte County residents to 
two plants on less than 11/2 acres have not been quite truthful when 
presenting their arguments. Many, like Larry Wahl, are merely 
masquerading as newly converted environmentalists, while some people 
seem to be genuinely confused.

How about some facts?

1) Measure A does not protect patient access; a limit of 2-6 plants 
(as outline by the sheriff at a supervisors meeting) for the 1 
percent who own larger land parcels is not the intent of Proposition 215.

2) Measure B is the same as Butte County's current medical marijuana 
ordinance. It does not repeal any public safety laws or allow grows 
near schools as opponents claim.

3) Marijuana is not the greatest environmental threat as we know it 
(I would go with fracking and the fact that Fukishima is still leaking).

It is discriminatory to attack people who are growing medical 
marijuana for destroying the environment without looking at the big 
picture (like the 1.1 million pounds of pesticides applied by 
"legitimate" Butte County farmers in 2012, or the 70,000 pounds of 
poison applied, mostly aerially, by the Butte County Mosquito Vector 
Control District in 2013).

Yes, we do need change in our environmental regulations, lots of 
change (Larry Wahl, we are waiting). In the meantime, vote no on A 
and yes on B. Visit www.buttecitizens.org for more info.

- - Jessica Allen, Chico
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom