Pubdate: Tue, 28 Jul 2015
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2015 Albuquerque Journal
Contact:  http://www.abqjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10
Author: Kathy Falter

GOV. PLAYING POLITICAL PING PONG WITH LIVES

SO LET ME get this right, Gov. (Susana) Martinez intends to "out" 
producers and employees of a legitimate business in the name of 
transparency. I understand she is getting pressure to release the 
names of the producers. I get that. I get that it's important to 
prevent cronyism.

What I don't get is why Gov. Martinez is dragging the employees of a 
Licensed Non-Profit Producers into her political ping pong game. I 
have a close relative that works for an LNPP. Their workplace has a 
very sophisticated alarm system. My relative keeps a panic button on 
their person at all times. Not only that, but the regulations forbid 
the employees from carrying a firearm for protection! Believe me, a 
business would not spend money on this type of security if they did 
not need it.

To publish the production facilities' addresses and the names of all 
employees is akin to giving the criminal elements a key to the 
castle. The whole reason this law was enacted was to protect the 
facilities and their employees from crime. I don't want to see a 
headline that says "Medical marijuana employee kidnapped at gunpoint 
and forced to open facility," and I'm sure Gov. Martinez does not either.

I sincerely hope that the governor steps lightly and uses common 
sense when deciding this issue. These are brothers, sisters, 
husbands, wives, sons or daughters - real people who happen to be 
employees of an LNPP.

KATHY FALTER

Albuquerque
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom