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6A – Daily News – Monday, April 19, 2010 Opinion Look for cannabis solutions with laws in mind 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 It’s time we address our own solutions regarding medical cannabis laws and how to imple- ment them, locally. But we need to be mindful of current state and federal positions as we proceed. Even so, we have a great opportu- nity this year to create equitable guidelines that will benefit our community in a number of ways. The most recent decision by California’s Supreme Court (Peo- ple v. Kelley) has helped a little, in that qualified individuals can once again grow the amount of cannabis and number of plants necessary to actually provide for the medicinal needs of the patient. It also affirmed that legitimate ID Card-holders are not to be arrest- ed, so long as they have physician exemptions in place and know how much cannabis they use. But, rather than striking the offending language from the statute, our Supremes decided that SB-420 was not an amendment to Proposition 215 at all, but was rather completely separate legisla- tion — which will come as a sur- prise to the legislators who wrote it. So, ID card holders are held to a stricter standard, that includes the physician exemption, while those without ID cards can assert their use amounts without requiring a physician exemption. This ruling is nothing short of bizarre, as is to be expected from California’s highest court. A recent letter to the editor was very educational as an expose into the minds of our law enforcement community. While I know that all officers are also individuals, with the ability to think for themselves, I think it still represents a good cross-section of the opinions with- in law enforcement about medical cannabis laws. Truthfully, obtaining a "better quality of life" is exactly the rea- son people choose to use cannabis for medicinal purposes. "Social degradation" sounds like "public opinion" to me, and according to polls, a majority of both California residents and American citizens think that medical cannabis should be legal. Cannabis is not addictive, in any physical sense, cannabis is known to help alleviate suffering for hundreds of medical condi- tions and cannabis is one of the safest medicines available today — including many over-the- counter medications. No, it’s not for everyone. Overdose is possi- ble, but never lethal. It’s very clear that cannabis pro- duction is a financial boon to any community. Rather than "leaving less money to purchase commodi- ties…," it generates significant increases to the consumption of local commodities. Consider the supplies and services needed throughout the year to grow, secure, insure, harvest, cure and store it, to manufacture cannabis derivatives, to feed hun- gry farmers and patients and to maintain proper- ties used for its produc- tion and distribution. Guest View Jason Browne Cannabis production is already the largest cash crop in California, when combining legal and illegal purchases, and Cali- fornia is one of the largest agri- cultural economies in the world. How could it not bring more commerce to any community? A glaring problem with our local policies on medical cannabis is this blatant disregard for econom- ics and the fiscal advantages to be gained from properly regulating, taxing and protecting this indus- try. I would remind readers that DUI-based cannabis prosecutions may be a ploy used in attempts to thwart our medical cannabis laws, rather than genuine attempts at keeping our roads safer. Studies done on driving while under the influence of alcohol and cannabis have shown that experienced adult users who are under the influence of cannabis are less likely to cause accidents than completely sober drivers. Inexperienced users and younger drivers were still at less of a risk than their counterparts who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Additionally, there is no impairment test for cannabis for CHP to utilize. Rather, they do the road test, and prosecution is usually based on people having cannabis in their system. The most likely way to test subjects for cannabis is a urine test, which only shows whether or not cannabis has been used in the past 30 days. Actual impairment from cannabis lasts only 2-4 hours after use. A good percentage of the reported cannabis related acci- dents are actually cases where the victims of the accident had cannabis in their systems, rather than those who caused the acci- dents. So, many cannabis based DUIs would seem to be attempts to violate patients’ rights or to rack up convictions, rather than protect- ing public safety. Jason Browne is a local medical cannabis advocate. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.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 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Thanks, Dusty; Left describes itself Commentary As the end approached, she mustered enough energy to get to the floor from the edge of the bed (which would have been an eager hop a year ago) and stumbled to the door of the bathroom before collapsing. Hearing an odd sound, I found her there apparently trying to get to Barbara showering on the other side of the door. We both realized Dusty was breathing her last and held her gently. Her little body seemed as free of pain as it had so far been, but also without any further will to live. Certainly, many readers know the sorrow of losing pets to old age and infirmity, and can relate to vet visits, tests, medicine and hop- ing for the best. When treatments seem to reward one’s hope, it becomes even harder to see relapse and decline. What remains for us are the 13 years of memo- ries, photos and the knowledge that our kitty lived a longer, healthier life being strictly indoors; we did all we could before she just stopped eating, drinking and, ultimately, breath- ing. Thanks, Dusty, for the warm companionship and playfulness, and for cheering us when we needed it. Candidates deserve credit for showing up at the Tea Party Patri- ots’ meetings, especially when they are running unopposed, as are Beverly Ross, running for Clerk/Recorder, and Dale Stroud, running for Assessor. For the approximately 130 folks at the Trinity Landmark Missionary Church, it was a marvelous oppor- tunity to get a sense of the candi- dates as they told their stories and answered questions. Both very kind and gracious. I will readily admit to being pleased and impressed with cur- rent District Attorney, Greg Cohen, for his job performance, as I’ve been aware of it. I found his personal story of education, family and career to be very illu- minating as a window into the man himself, as well as a prosecu- tor for the county. His personal, as well as professional, attitude toward his responsibility to punish those deserving society’s sanction is commendable. It seems we have a rather con- certed effort to malign, disparage, insult, slander and dismiss the Tea Party movement, and it serves, in my opinion, as an object lesson in several ways. If anyone wishes to find anything out for themselves, rather than rely on partisan hacks, propagandists, liars and media misreporting, check the meeting times and locations for Northern California Patriots. I can say with- out hesitation that the hysterical vituperation, ad hominem attacks, slimy insinuations and intentional misstatements regarding the Tea Party can be easily checked out by attending the meetings. The plain fact is that none of the charges and accusations are based in reality as it is found among the fine people you’ll meet. Were you to travel across America visiting Tea Party gather- ings, you’d find the participants are the same no matter where you go: polite, cheerful, responsible, caring and intensely concerned about changing the direction the current political leaders and majority party are taking us as a nation. You may have noticed how hateful the critics have become; how strident in their will- ingness to paint the Tea Party in the darkest way possible with their ready use of epithets like racist, nazi, violent, etc. I’m going to try to address some of these bizarre and ludicrous assertions and arguments, but I must explain that Tea Party critics have reached a "jumping the shark" stage of unbeliev- ability (look up the phrase). The liberal-left and their mouthpieces have truly become what they accuse others of being – they are now describing themselves and their political fringe with every word they throw at the Tea Party. Attend events and see for your- self the complete absence of what they state. Then draw your own conclusions about why they so vociferously malign what is now about one fourth of the electorate (Rasmussen polling: Tea Party identification is 24 percent, rising and over 50 percent with sympa- thizers). More Americans consid- er the Tea Party to represent their values than they do President Obama, whose approval has sunk to the mid-40s (more voters disap- Don Polson The way I see it prove than approve of him). Please consider: harsh, vio- lence-suggestive rhetoric has been almost singularly found on the left, even among Presi- dent Obama’s utter- ances. How else to describe his "get in their faces" advice to his supporters during the campaign, his say- ing a supporter named "Mr. Fergie" would "tear him (Sean Hanni- ty) up," his infamous "they bring a knife, we bring a gun" taunt? After Obama said to "punch back twice as hard" at last fall’s town hall protesters and AFL-CIO’s John Sweeney told union thugs to "get in their faces," black conserva- tive Kenneth Gladney got beat up and called the n-word (on tape). What else would you call it when Andy Stern, head union thug at SEIU (Service Employees International Union) boldly states that he believes when the "power of persuasion" doesn’t work, he’s for "the persua- sion of power"? Use the "Vio- lence" link at Polecat News and Views to educate yourself on the physical and rhetorical violence of the left. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988.He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.