Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/46085
6A Daily News – Monday, October 31, 2011 Opinion Does marijuana policy trick or treat? D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 This Halloween has some won- dering if the intent of Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, was to trick or treat the people of California. On one hand is the opinion that the act is a trick to decriminalize the production, sale, and distribution of a nefarious controlled substance. On the other hand doctors and patients say that marijuana effectively treats nau- sea, premenstrual syndrome, unin- tentional weight loss, insomnia, lack of appetite, spasticity, neuro- logic pain, movement disorders, asthma and glaucoma. Eight out of ten Americans support the medical use of mari- juana, and nearly 3 out of 4 sup- port a no jail fine for recreational users. Most significantly 52% of Americans currently favor legaliz- ing and taxing marijuana. Coinci- dentally marijuana arrests accounted for 52% of all drug arrests nationwide in 2010 with a total of 750,591 arrests for simple possession and 103,247 arrests for sale and trafficking. Since Prop 215 went into effect more than 10 million Americans have been arrested for simple pos- session and more than a 1.36 mil- lion for sales and trafficking due to the prohibition of a plant that near- ly 100 million Americans have used. To make matters worse pro- hibition sustains a lucrative black market that enriches drug cartels and abets violence associated with the production and distribution of illegal substances. We waste bil- lions of dollars every year appre- hending, adjudicating, and incar- cerating marijuana offenders while forgoing the significant sales and income taxes that would pro- ceed from legal marijuana transac- tions. Red Bluff, Chico and non- incorporated areas of Tehama and Butte County do not allow mari- juana purchases or dispensaries. Those needing marijuana for med- icinal purposes must grow their own (if permitted), travel afar, or support the black market. Consid- er the recent case in Tehama County of a 56-year old woman denied an exemption to grow med- ical marijuana because her home is within 1000 feet of a school. Although no one voiced com- plaints to her directly she was compelled to stop by law enforce- ment officers. A neighbor who just happens to be a Sheriff on the Marijuana Eradication Team told Supervisors pondering the matter "She's a nice lady. But it is a nui- sance. Maybe it does help. I don't know, but its' way too close to the school." Excuse me, but exactly what is the problem here, and what is the rationale for the policy? Might children catch a whiff of the evil weed and become addicts? No. Will they get caught in the cross- fire between her and the police? Not likely particularly if permit- ted. Or are the sensibilities of patronizing legislators offended? Bingo! This is reminiscent of char- acters and plot of the movie Reefer Madness (originally released in 1936 as Tell Your Chil- dren) revolving around the melodramatic events that ensue when high school students are lured by pushers to try marijuana — from a hit and run accident, to manslaughter, suicide, attempted rape, and descent into madness. The federal govern- ment classification of marijuana as a Sched- ule 1 controlled sub- stance of no therapeutic value is appalling in light of the experience of over 14 million reg- ular users, the victimization of 11 million Americans since 1996, the recommendations of doctors including the California Medical Association, and the disregard of the states that have joined Califor- nia to legalize medicinal use. The same local office holders that deride "nanny-state" federal gov- ernance are themselves embracing it by placing the arcane dictates of the FDA and DEA above the con- sidered judgment of the people they represent. Perhaps they ratio- Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point nalize that marijuana is a "stepping stone" to the abuse of harder drugs by failing to understand that the only reason this may be true is the fact that marijuana is prohib- ited in the first place. Let's put this horren- dous error of public pol- icy behind us to recog- nize that marijuana pro- hibition is ineffective and incongruent with guarantees of American liberty and pursuit of happiness. Let's realize that marijuana dispen- saries pay taxes, serve only adults and help end the suffering of patients, the costs of prohibition, and the black market for a God-given plant. Our marijuana policies should help treat the ill, not trick us into believing that prohibition is an effective and necessary deterrent for a crime whose only victim is the offender. Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He makes his home in Los Molinos, where he is striving to manifest a sustainable and spiritual lifestyle and operate a BBQ equipment and supply business. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445- 7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: governor@gover- nor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893- 8363. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Mont- gomery St., Suite 240, San Francis- co, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Cheerleaders, brick throwers, ideologues Commentary Since this page now apparently has not one, but two local colum- nists with a combined 2000 words devoted to liberal themes and argu- ments, I'll do my level best for my side. Syndicated conservative Susan Brown is also outnumbered by liberal/progressive Tina Dupuy and the mislabeled "Raging Mod- erate" Will Durst (whose disparag- ing words aim only at Republi- cans). My ideological allies and foes among the letter-writing pub- lic keep each other in check, for the most part, with one fact-filled letter after another from the right balanc- ing letter after letter of socialist, class warrior, redistributionist clap- trap from the left. Most recently, a critic of the Tea Party Patriots delved into gram- matical errors at their website. The writer, unfortunately, had at least two errors of his own: In one sen- tence, an extra "have" appeared, rendering the sentence incorrect (first lengthy sentence of the sev- enth paragraph). A sentence in the last paragraph read, "Our history has showed (sic) that the 'cure' of the free markets is often worse than the 'disease' of a little regulation." It should have read, "Our history has shown …"; I simply point out how silly it is for anyone, including me, to obsess over such trivia obscuring larger issues. That larger issue could fill a book, let alone an essay or column, but the writer used a typical straw man, or false choice, technique to suggest that free market advocates are opposed to "a little regulation." Really? America's regulatory behemoth has morphed into a giant job-killing multi-snake-headed monster that defies comprehen- sion, let alone quantification and objective analysis. Think tanks that have made the effort put the cost to our economy in terms of business resources and assets spent comply- ing with and protecting against the heavy hand of government regula- tions at over $1 trillion – per year – out of a $14 trillion economy! I was criticized for supposedly "(expending) a considerable num- ber of words poking fun at the Occupy Wall Street movement" and making unfavorable compar- isons to the Tea Party movement. The writer provided no quotes so let me characterize my own words: I don't find much to laugh about in the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. My views are not based on sanitized, favorable cov- erage from network news (it's not "press coverage envy" to contrast that with the blatant falsehoods spread by news media about the Tea Party rallies). I rely on the news reports, local station coverage, interviews, web videos and polling of the partici- pants, much of which you can read or watch for yourself at "Polecat News and Views" in the online Daily News blog section (no charge), or enter DonPolson.blogspot.com in a search box. Scroll down the right side to the category "Occupy movement" and find nearly 50 arti- cles, most with full text, photos, some videos and many links to original sources and additional material. Make up your own mind after becoming informed; don't rely on writers with agendas and propaganda to peddle. Another columnist called it "hogwash" to provide readers with fac- tual accounts of what we see almost daily at the numerous Occupy encampments (things you never saw at Tea Party events) and proclaim our side superior. I never claimed superiority, just stark, clear differences and some commonalities. By the way, the total numbers of people that have involved themselves in all of the Occupy events is still a fraction of the people that have turned out on any single day of national Tea Party rallies. Hundreds of thousands have gone to Washington, DC, repeatedly, peaceably assembling to petition the government for redress of grievances. Occupy grievances? People owe money for what they freely purchased or bor- rowed (homes, education) and rich people got a lot of money that the Occupy folks think should be spread around to them. I have visited the local Occupy protesters, who have a facebook page you can access, if you know how; I will post a link at my blog. I will also post a link to the umbrel- la website, "OccupyTogether.org" as well as a website clearinghouse for the news not making it to primetime shows, "OWSex- posed.com". It is so threatening to the Occupy folks to have unflatter- Don Polson The way I see it ing coverage that hackers repeated- ly attacked "OWSex- posed.com" to effect a denial of service issue, shutting it down. I will continue to visit the local folks with some questions posed by a Democratic pollster, Doug Schoen, to the group at Zucotti Park, and will attempt to fer- ret out ways in which locals are different from or similar to the Occupy groups in the news. Just in case my opponent chooses to mount a defense of deficit spending, Key- nesian economic stim- ulus, briefly consider that the states with the worst eco- nomic problems have, mostly, been those spending the most beyond their income. Not deter- minative enough for you? How about the financial disaster across the pond, in Europe, a "case closed" judgment against coun- tries living beyond their financial means? Sadly, no real world financial disasters will dissuade the ideologues from advocating spending money we, as a nation, don't have. Tea Party Patriots will host our state Sen. Doug LaMalfa, Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Grange. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.