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veggie

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,504
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Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA]
#7795512 - 12/24/07 12:34 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Mendocino County's decriminalization of personal use has fueled backlash against surging production December 24, 2007 - The Press Democrat
UKIAH -- A campaign is under way to repeal a landmark Mendocino County measure that decriminalized the personal use of marijuana, a first in the United States when the local initiative was passed by voters in 2000.
Measure G won by a 58-42 percent margin and was seen then as a way for local people to use up to 25 marijuana plants per individual for medical reasons without fear of prosecution.
Former District Attorney Norman Vroman and former Sheriff Tony Craver embraced the measure, easing local enforcement efforts against dope growers claiming to be medical marijuana providers. In doing so, Vroman and Craver ignored sharply lower state limits imposed by voter-approved Proposition 215, a statewide medical marijuana initiative.
But since then, the county's pot-growing notoriety has fueled a backlash against surging production under the guise of medical marijuana.
Now, a coalition of county lawmakers, business leaders and community activists are pressing for Measure G's repeal. They say it's time to "take back our county" from an influx of outside marijuana growers and field workers. An estimated 2,000 marijuana "trimmers" are believed to have shown up for this fall's pot harvest.
The anti-Measure G group is petitioning the county Board of Supervisors to voluntarily put the issue back on the ballot, and let local voters take a second look at a proposition that critics believe helped foster the county's national reputation as a haven for marijuana growers.
Organizer Dennis Smart said county supervisors will be asked at the board's Jan. 8 meeting to allow Measure G repeal advocates to avoid a lengthy and potentially costly signature gathering drive by agreeing to place the repeal on the June 3 primary ballot.
Two weeks ago, the county board split 3-2 to limit medical pot cultivation to 25 plants per parcel of land.
In recent years, illicit marijuana production has created a flourishing underground economy in the county that now dwarfs in dollar value longtime agriculture-related operations such as timber production, wine grapes and pear orchards.
County Supervisor Jim Wattenburger, a supporter of the anti-Measure G drive, said an outside consultant hired a year ago to assess the county's economy found that marijuana-related revenue accounts for as much as 75 percent of income generated locally.
Ukiah City Councilman John McCowen, an opposition candidate to Wattenburger, said he's in agreement that voters take a second look at Measure G and its role in fueling a pot-based economy.
"It's clear there's a great deal of public frustration with current levels of abuses associated with the widespread commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana in the county," McCowen said.
He said the issue transcends politics. "As far as I know, all of the announced candidates are in favor of putting the Measure G issue back in front of voters," he said.
Ron Orenstein, a former Willits councilman, wrote in public commentary published last week that it's time for a second look.
The "benign intent" of Measure G has "turned into a nightmare," Orenstein said.
Orenstein said "growers abused the good intentions of voters by growing as much marijuana as they wanted, wherever they wanted."
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deadheadjpc2000
Blade



Registered: 02/27/06
Posts: 1,277
Loc: Emerald Triangle, U.S.A.
Last seen: 15 years, 6 months
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] [Re: veggie]
#7795794 - 12/24/07 02:14 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Mendo Buds, Baby!! Peace
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EntheogenicPeace
Scholar



Registered: 10/04/05
Posts: 3,926
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] [Re: veggie]
#7796051 - 12/24/07 04:11 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Edited by EntheogenicPeace (02/12/21 06:15 PM)
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ReposadoXochipilli
Here, there, inbetween



Registered: 08/30/05
Posts: 7,501
Loc: Sand and sunshine
Last seen: 19 days, 6 hours
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] [Re: EntheogenicPeace]
#7796277 - 12/24/07 05:39 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Haha, one of my friends spent over a month there this fall trimming, best job he ever had he says. Way to use your degree!
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Crake
Stranger


Registered: 12/04/07
Posts: 194
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They complain about the "influx" of workers... This sounds like the prohibitions tactics to expel the Mexicans ONCE AGAIN. The United States politics are as mature as a 3 year old boy... They just can't seem to get over themselves. Mayhap becoming a 3rd world country for awhile is precisely what is needed for further political maturation. Probably not...
-------------------- MANGO Snowman wakes before dawn. He lies unmoving, listening to the tide coming in, wave after wave sloshing over the various barricades, wish-wash, wish-wash, the rhythm of heartbeat. He would so like to believe he is still asleep.
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impgl
CrimethINCspecial agent


Registered: 02/07/06
Posts: 2,462
Loc: california!
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] [Re: Crake]
#7799007 - 12/25/07 06:47 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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didnt this article just say that these citizens of mendocino county that were FOR the the decriminalization of weed in their area a few years ago had a problem with it now? are people so irrational that they cant stop and think, hmmmm maybe these humans have a reason to regret making their county a "safe haven" for pot growers? i mean shit, think about it. its not entirely people growing in mendo that are all organic vegans growing weed their. its a lot of commercial growers that are taking advantage of what open minded people had intentions of doing. dont be so quick to judge, check shit out their first. not everything that disagrees with an alternative idea is wrong, be rational and think for your self.
love and peace
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EntheogenicPeace
Scholar



Registered: 10/04/05
Posts: 3,926
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] [Re: impgl]
#7799106 - 12/25/07 07:24 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Edited by EntheogenicPeace (02/12/21 06:16 PM)
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Component
Stranger


Registered: 05/31/02
Posts: 216
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] *DELETED* [Re: EntheogenicPeace]
#7799407 - 12/25/07 09:19 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Post deleted by ComponentReason for deletion: ...
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impgl
CrimethINCspecial agent


Registered: 02/07/06
Posts: 2,462
Loc: california!
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] [Re: Component]
#7801687 - 12/26/07 06:50 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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okay entheogenicpeace, i may have jumped the gun a bit in saying that a few citizens from mendo that were for the decrim were now against it.... i just took the information that i personally know from up there and spit out what i felt. it sucks when your town is over ran by scummy scum gutter crust kids for a little while, *MOSTLY* not giving a fuck about your town, stealing shit left and right from your local co op grocery store. besides all that, this area DOES attract some shady cats, alot of whom make said area a capitalistic endeavor (it fetches a big price, especially because everywhere else, laws arent as laid back). dont get me wrong. im for the decrim of pot EVERYWHERE, but, when its just one area, it attracts a lot of negative shit, usually a shady crowd. i mean, i remember a few years after prop 215 passed, their werent many security gaurds around at the dispensarries, but after people found out that robbing these places was a lot more lucrative then a 7 11..... well years later, you dont dare have a dispensary with out security. peace and love, just me giving my 2 drunken stoned cents
-------------------- omg really?
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EntheogenicPeace
Scholar



Registered: 10/04/05
Posts: 3,926
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Re: Landmark marijuana measure under fire [CA] [Re: impgl]
#7801876 - 12/26/07 07:55 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Edited by EntheogenicPeace (02/12/21 06:25 PM)
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