Big Lie politics hits Mendocino, courtesy of the marijuana growers

The No on B campaign put out its first mailer this week, reportedly produced by an Oakland political consultant and paid for by a huge contribution from NORML, a national pro-marijuana group.

It's a perfect example of the work of cynical political professionals who believe they can get away with any kind of lie, as long as it is repeated often enough in a 4-color glossy brochure.

The No on B mailer features four patients and repeatedly says that Measure B would deny them marijuana and criminalize them. "Measure B would turn easing my pain into a crime," says marijuana grower Randy Wharff. But the truth is that Measure B can't deny medical marijuana to any legitimate patient, because state law holds that a patient have any amount that a doctor says they need for their condition. It's clearly stated in Health & Safety Code Section 11362.77, which anybody can read online. What Measure B will do is help stop the rampant abuse of the compassionate medical marijuana program as a shield for large-scale marijuana growing for profit. That's why 56 local doctors have endorsed "Yes" on B. The opposition to Measure B isn't about medical marijuana. It's about greed and contempt for the rights of innocent neighbors.

Another Big Lie of the No campaign is that Measure B will "make it a felony to grow 7 plants" because the state guideline is only 6 mature plants per patient. Although it is technically true that it will be a violation to exceed the medical marijuana limit without a doctor's recommendation to do so, it is absurd to claim that anyone is going to be arrested for having a few extra plants. Both District Attorney Meredith Lintott and Sheriff Tom Allman have repeatedly said they have no intention of targeting small growers. For many years, the only sanction applied to any minor violator of a plant limit has been confiscation of the extra plants.

Still more dishonesty comes in the mailer's distortion of the position of Sheriff Tom Allman--and the No campaign may come to regret it. The sheriff's photo is used in the mailer, without his permission, together with an out-of-context quote attributed to him in 2007. The quote implies that Tom Allman dislikes Measure B because it will be a "burden" on his deputies that will distract them from "any other public safety issue." When the No Campaign first tried to use this distorted quote, Sheriff Allman issued the following statement on March 11, 2008 to set the record straight: "I support legitimate medical marijuana. I oppose commercial cultivation and sales of marijuana. Measure B will not change our focus. Investigating violent crimes will remain our top priority. We do not and will not target small grows. We will continue to focus on large grows and complaints about growers who create a public nuisance, endanger public safety or trash the environment." Sheriff Allman highlighted the same concern that is the cause of the Yes on B campaign--the need to address "growers who create a public nuisance, endanger public safety or trash the environment."

Besides the Big Lie campaign against Measure B, there has been an unprecedented assault on freedom of speech. Our count of stolen or defaced "Yes on B" signs now stands at 144. It's much more than petty vandalism--it's a criminal attempt to silence opponents of commercial marijuana.

What you can do. The quality of life in Mendocino County hangs in the balance. So does the integrity of our democratic system.

• Vote This isn't a ballot you want to forget to mail.
• Talk to others about Measure B.
• Write a letter to the editor.
• Give. Don't let outside marijuana dollars steal our election. Help us counter the Big Lie through radio, direct mail or other media. Donations are still needed at Yes On B Coalition, 759 S. State Street #114, Ukiah 95482.

Thanks!

Yes on B Coalition