Pubdate: Thu, 06 Aug 2015
Source: Reno News & Review (NV)
Copyright: 2015, Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.newsreview.com/issues/reno/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2524
Author: Victor Morin

SELF-SERVING POLITICIANS

Re "Liberals should learn from pot regulation" (Let Freedom Ring, July 30):

While I agree with Brendan Trainor's premise that government can 
screw-up policy implementation, I choose to not agree that all 
government participation in economic strategic planning is bad. Yes, 
Nevada has had numerous missteps rolling out the medical marijuana 
dispensaries, but does that really mean that they can do nothing 
well? What is the alternative to some degree of government oversight, 
a free-for-all? Government's role is to establish the rules of the 
game so people and the environment are not ruined by endless greed. 
Do they get too heavy-handed on occasion? Of course.

But do you really want lead in your paint and air, mercury in your 
drinking water, or BP dumping millions of gallons to toxic sludge in 
our front yard? I don't think so. I do not trust business or the 
marketplace to always make the best long-term choices. That is what 
government should do. A key issue is the people in government often 
forget the people they impact. The long delays in opening the medical 
marijuana dispensaries were inexcusable and resulted in many people 
suffering pain longer than was necessary. State officials claim it 
took over two years to implement the law because they wanted to get 
it right. Well, they did not get it right (see Clark County) because 
they were more focused on legal technicalities and dollar 
considerations than the patients. Greater responsiveness to the 
voters needs would have sped things up.

Victor Morin

Reno
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom