I am more than a little tired of the fooforaw and concern over marijuana.
Make no mistake, I”m not a fan of marijuana as a recreational substance, I don”t like it the way it is being handled by the authorities, but I do feel it has gotten to the point where prevention is costing far more than the benefits gained.
A recent article in the newspaper reported that actions of our Sheriff is the basis of a propose legal action naming the Sheriff and Lake County as defendants.
Apparently the Sheriff acted badly ? at least to the point where legal action maybe warranted. How much will it cost the county? Probably a lot more than the $3 alleged “buy” that got the Sheriff involved!
Perhaps I am naive, but I don”t see marijuana as a major dangerous drug on a par with meth, coke, heroin, crack, etc. On the contrary, to me it is a peer of wine, beer, distilled spirits, and tobacco and should be handled in the same way. Marijuana as a problem is not going to disappear.
“Control” is a vilified term, but it is the best we can do. As I understand it, with the proper permits I can distill hard spirits, brew beer, ale, or mead, or make wine for my own use.
While I may give some away to friends, I may not sell it. If I wish to sell my product, I face a whole new set of rules, and properly so.
I really see no reason why the country should not treat marijuana in the same fashion. I suspect that “pot” and its reputation is more the result of prejudice and ignorance than anything else.
I, for example, have no idea how much marijuana a “user” uses, either medicinal or recreational. I simply have not found a knowledgeable source. But that has to be the basis for any planning and/or control action.
To allow the number of plants an approved grower may have on the basis of how much land he/she has available is ludicrous. Medicinal usage should not be a function of availability, which is the basis for the requirement that a prescription is between the demand for, and supply of, non over-the-counter medications.
Just how specific and quantitative are marijuana prescriptions?
Since the substance is dry and non-compacted, is the permitted quantity in grams or volume? And how much is used at one time? What constitutes an overdose? Seems to me that the public needs a lot more knowledge and understanding before it can make valid decisions!
This brings me to the last consideration: I suspect that the county, state, and country would not have to spend a whole lot of money if we changed our attitudes and took steps to eliminate a major problem!
Guthrie “Guff” Worth
Lakeport
