In March, Proponents of Measure B mailed flyers throughout Mendocino County which rely on scare tactics to grab voters’ attention. Following the scare tactics, the flyers then proceed to make a number of statements which incorrectly and illogically infer that medical marijuana is the sole and unique cause of a number of issues in the county, as well as incorrectly claim that Measure B will correct those issues. The following are a few examples with quotations taken directly from the mailing:
“The strong odor from marijuana plants unreasonably impact neighbors who in some cases live only a few feet away.”
The age-old issue of neighbors and nuisance vegetation is NOT unique to marijuana plants. Every neighborhood has had issues with various forms of vegetation growing over fences or causing other problems. In my case, I have had trouble with neighbors’ trees making my allergies impossible to bear several months out of every year. Additionally, the trees are old, large and threatening to family property every time the wind blows. But I seriously doubt that anyone is about to propose a law to restrict people from growing trees on their property.
“Illegal diversion of streams, spills of diesel fuel, hazardous waste, fires, poisoning of wildlife, erosion and massive dumping of plastic debris and other trash is causing an environmental disaster in Mendocino County.”
Again, ALL of these environmental issues are not unique to marijuana growing, AND we already have laws against all of these behaviors. If a winery were to illegally divert a stream (or dump oil on the ground, or litter), would it make any sense to severely restrict or outlaw wine in Mendocino County? Perhaps it’s time that existing environmental laws are enforced.
“Schools continue to be impacted with several cases of backyard marijuana growing over the fence from local schools.”
I presume this statement intends to say that some marijuana was found growing over the fence from a residential backyard into a school yard (they gave one incident as an example). If this is the case, then the marijuana is no longer on private property and the owner is, in essence, providing the drug to minors. I thought we already have laws against this behavior? Why are these laws not being enforced? But even more puzzling, WHY is this even a Measure B argument? Measure B simply restricts the number of legally grown plants from 25 to six. So, Measure B wouldn’t fix this problem, would it? If six plants were growing over the fence, I’m sure that would be just as unacceptable.
“Speeding vehicles driven by growers, their workers and customers have impacted rural roads”
How do the Measure B supporters know that these people are always speeding, or that speeders are necessarily these people? But more puzzling, how do Measure B supporters come to the conclusion that our roads will be fixed if Measure B passes? The county road I routinely travel on has been poorly maintained for years . And I’ve only seen the road used by law abiding residents, logging trucks and gravel trucks. And of course these mundane, every day uses by law abiding people take their toll on the roads too. I guess it is easier to blame the shortcomings of the County transportation budget on shadowy marijuana growers.
I appreciate that people are scared of crime, confrontation, and filing complaints with the Sheriff. But if the legal county limit is currently 25 plants, and “commercial growers” have gardens of 300 or more plants anyway (as stated in the flyer), how can anyone possibly believe that Measure B will stop those commercial growers -- who have been here for decades prior to the medical marijuana laws? So why limit the count to 6 for otherwise law-abiding, medical marijuana patients? Seriously, what is the point of Measure B other than to whittle away at the rights of people suffering from disease?
Like many, I do not have a green thumb. Personally, if I were only allowed six tomato plants to help prevent prostate problems, I would be in serious trouble – and I might even have to rely on commercial tomato growers. Expecting a new cancer patient to have to deal with chemotherapy AND suddenly be a master gardener is not compassionate at all.
Measure B simply reduces the number of plants to six from 25, and nothing more. The six plant limit is NOT going to make the neighbor’s smell go away. It is NOT going to prevent stupid people from diverting streams or destroying the environment. It is NOT going to ensure that someone’s marijuana plant (any of the six of them) is going to stay entirely behind a fence. And it is NOT going to fix our roads, or keep people from speeding on them. The Yes on B flyer is simply wrong.
What Measure B is going to do is whittle away at your rights. YOU are not immune from cancer or some other debilitating disease. YOU could very easily be a medical marijuana patient some day. Preserve your options now. Or, at the very least, please use logic when casting your vote.
Ken Anton, Chair
Libertarian Party of Mendocino County