In our opinion - Don't let them fool you

Ukiah Daily Journal Staff
Article Last Updated: 05/13/2008 08:22:07 AM PDT

Don't let them fool you

And so it begins.

The No on B campaign has sent its first large scale mailer out to voters with just the kind of misinformation we knew was coming.

Basically their message is: the passage of Measure B will prevent the sick and dying from getting their medicine.

The mailer tells five stories of medical marijuana patients or caregivers who, according to No on B, would be made into "criminals' by Measure B.

Not so.

The No on B mailer wants voters to believe that cancer patients and survivors, glaucoma and arthritis suffers and their caregivers will not be able to grow or access medical marijuana.

In fact, Measure B gives this county's medical marijuana patients the very same protections that thousands of medical marijuana patients up and down the state of California also have under state regulations.

That's not enough, says No on B.

However, Measure B also allows under California Health and Safety Code 11362.77:

(b) If a qualified patient or primary caregiver has a doctor's recommendation that this quantity (six mature or 12 immature plants) does not meet the qualified patient's medical needs, the qualified patient or primary caregiver may possess an amount of marijuana consistent with the patient's needs.

In other words, as much as they need.

Ah, says No on B, but doctors won't prescribe more than the six/12-plant limit under state regulations because they fear reprisals from the federal drug enforcement agencies.

That sounds good, but actually the U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a Ninth District federal court ruling which specifically protects physicians from prosecution for recommending medical marijuana.

Measure B is the most sensible and direct way to curtail the excesses of the commercial marijuana industry in this county which has exploded under the guise of "medical" marijuana.

Measure B is not and never has been about the merits of medical marijuana. No on B knows that, but they'd rather use these patients' stories to scare people with compassionate hearts into allowing the no-limits marijuana growing to continue.

Don't let them get away with it. Vote yes on Measure B.