Pubdate: Fri, 15 May 2015
Source: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Press-Enterprise Company
Contact: http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/letters_form.html
Website: http://www.pe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/830

STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION ON POT

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors on May 19 will consider 
rule changes regarding the cultivation of medical marijuana. The 
current policy is de facto prohibition on the growing of marijuana 
for any purpose.

Amid fears that drug cartels are behind marijuana growing operations 
in the county's unincorporated areas, Supervisor Kevin Jeffries has 
proposed a set of ordinances that purport to give the county greater 
leverage against these growers. A key provision in these ordinances 
is an enforcement exemption for those growing marijuana for medical 
purposes pursuant to state law.

This latter component is an important protection for those engaged in 
lawful, above-ground activity. The proposed ordinances "should not be 
construed as ... legalization of marijuana under any circumstances 
but are an attempt to prioritize the county's civil abatement, 
prosecutorial and public safety resources with regard to marijuana 
cultivation," cautions a county Planning Department report.

The report goes on clarify that, "Under no circumstances will the 
county issue any types of land-use permits or entitlements 
authorizing marijuana cultivation."

The set of proposed rule changes have been in development since last 
year. In July of last year, county officials indicated their 
commitment to enhance penalties for the cultivation of marijuana, 
with greater penalties for higher numbers of plants. County 
supervisors at the time indicated enforcement efforts would primarily 
target large-scale commercial operations rather than individuals 
growing marijuana for personal medical uses.

The proposed changes would exempt from enforcement individuals and 
caregivers with medical marijuana ID cards growing up to 12 plants. 
If there is a fault to the proposal, it may be the large number of 
conditions imposed on such individuals, including a rule that 
prohibits growing on property inhabited by convicted felons, parolees 
or probationers, which could conceivably interfere with 
otherwise-responsible marijuana growing. There also hasn't been any 
particular evidence that drug cartels are behind larger growing operations.

That said, a degree of protection for small-scale growers makes 
sense. What would make even more sense is an end to the 
four-decade-long disaster that is America's "war on drugs." The 
number of people arrested, incarcerated and permanently incumbered 
with a criminal record over the use, growing, selling and 
transporting of marijuana is a national disgrace.

There is simply no better way of combatting criminal drug cartels 
than bringing the market above ground. Until drug warriors accept 
that reality, however, any move away from penalizing individuals who 
are doing no harm to anyone else is welcome.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom