No on Measure B Coalition
705 North State Street #115
Ukiah CA 95482
707-489-2792
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 12, 2008
Media Contact: Laura Hamburg / 707 489-2792MEASURE B TARGETS LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS INSTEAD OF CRIMINAL, COMMERICAL GROWERS
Measure B is drawing widespread concern from Mendocino County citizens who believe it wrongly targets small-time, personal use growers instead of the large-scale, criminal operators it is supposedly meant to control.
“Measure B does nothing to stop commercial growers. Instead it makes criminals out of residents with small, personal use gardens,” said Laura Hamburg, campaign coordinator for the No On Measure B campaign. “It would make it a felony for legitimate medical marijuana patients to grow more than six plants in their own homes.”
Opponents have organized a campaign committee, No on Measure B, www.nomeasureb.org to tell the voters why “B is Bad” for Mendocino County.
Measure B, which is slated for the June ballot, would divert law enforcement resources from the real problems in the community – domestic violence and other types of violent crimes and hard drugs such as methamphetamine, Hamburg argued.
Sheriff Tom Allman has said that enforcing B would be a burden on law enforcement. He has also proposed a new program to raise funds from medical marijuana cultivation, funds that will expand enforcement efforts against those who abuse the law. “Let’s give it a chance to work,” Hamburg said.
Measure B would also overturn Measure G, the Personal Use of Marijuana Initiative, which was passed overwhelmingly by the voters in 2000. Measure G allows for the cultivation of 25 or fewer plants for personal use only and leaves commercial cultivation and sales illegal.
“We need to enforce Measure G, the law the voters passed,” Hamburg said, “not go backwards and criminalize our friends and neighbors.”
In response to Measure B, a coalition of residents including patients, doctors, and citizens from across the County have launched a campaign to uphold and enforce the current law. County residents who oppose B and have signed the ballot argument against the measure include: Peter Keegan, MD; Kate Magruder, cancer survivor; Keith Faulder, former Assistant District Attorney; Lynda McClure, union representative and William Courtney, MD.
“The citizens of Mendocino County deserve clarity with respect to marijuana cultivation limits and enforcement against abuses,” Hamburg said. “But Measure B is a bogus diversion that does neither.”
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10 Comments
I’m 50 years old and have been a connoisseur of marijuana for over 35 years. It’s nice that finally after all this time I can possess and cultivate my own for both recreational use and medicinal. Marijuana needs to be legal across the globe and it’s up to the intelligent folks of the country to set the standard. Measure G is a good start. We don’t need to go back in time making possession and growing a crime. Other states are adapting similar laws and keeping the herb free. We need an idea on licensing, taxing and permitted legal distribution. Already the market is flooded and prices are dropping, within a few more years there will not be a commercial market at the current revenue level. We must continue to keep marijuana use and cultivation free and legal. There would not be illegal dumping of waste oil and fuels with more open and legal growing, it will not be profitable to even try. I do agree the city limits of most towns are not good places for more then a couple of back yard out door growing of plants, just like not having horses or chickens inside the city limits. However, indoor grows with carbon air filters should be allowed with the 10 x 10 rule, per person. The people that make these decisions on just how many plants need to differentiate between in-door or small yielding plants, green houses and out door on acreage - out of the city limits. Also, there needs to be a permit for breeders, growers that need to have dozens of female varieties and half a dozen or so male plants for making seeds. Regarding ranch roads and water trucks, these folks should be paying a commercial road due assement rate if water trucks are coming in every other day, but this is up to the various ranch road associations. I’ll vote No on B. By the way, cows are stupid animals and a waste of good land and water. To the Yes on B folks; you should just learn to grow your own, if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em. If you need help learning to grow I’m sure there are many people that will be glad to share their knowledge. Full Sun for Everyone!
measure g was intended to free up mendocino resources to address other issues affecting our quality of life in mendocino . there are many laws already in place to address the illegal aspects of marijuana .there are many subjective opinions for support of measure b . that does not alter the fact that measure b is about criminalizing a lot of innocent people .this measure b ,if enacted, would allow profileing by law enforcement .which is already rampant in this county . i am struck by how easily the proponents of measure b can do this. measure b would split this county in half at a time of economic crisis.what would happen to the county budget with 58% of its population involved in the courts and probation department .their postureing does’nt include a budget to cover these cost.
i dont care how many “examples”(which are to few)these people come up with.measure b will criminalize 25000 or more people.their blanket statements clearly indicate a prejudice against anyone associated with medical marijuana.this isnt about law.its about lifestyle issues.
mendocino sheriffs deputies are already conducting paramilitary raids with an unnecassary brandishing of weapons.some of these raids have resulted in death. the victim being accused of suicide by cop.others have died in the mendocino jail after being booked.measure b would open a floodgate of incidents against a basicaly non-violent portion of mendocino county
the bos were so proactive on measure g but now that its an election year,they’ve elected to tell half the county to go to hell.i think the merlot gang is full of sour grapes.
it is immoral that the yes on b proponents are playing politics with human suffering.no on b
measure b would marginalize iraqi troops returning home who have enough problems as is.it would put us right back to 1972. combat veterans pushed aside because someone doesnt like marijuana.if you dont agree that marijuana is effective for treating ptsd,ask a vet.measure b is bad for vets.
why cant i find how much measure b is going to cost. sheriff allman says” i would have to have a six person marijuana team , year round , for two years.” january,08, congress cut byrne justice assistance grant by two-thirds.this money paid for drug interdiction in mendocino county. will it require an increase in property taxes, sales taxes , fuel tax? who pays for measure b ?
i havent met anyone who supports measure b.rather than spin my wheels on measure b,im turning my attention to the supervisors race.
If voting yes on measure B would mean the legal system would go after the Big time commercial indoor and outdoor growers, who exceed the Measure G limits greedily by growing thousands of plants seasonally, and the indoors ones who grow triple that amount, then I would say yes on B. BUT from what I have researched, read until My eyes are sore, and concluded, Measure B does none of that but repels Measure G and allows that the small time legal limit grower who uses it medicinally could be arrested for felony growing along with the big time commercial growers who are only growing for profit. I do not see that Measure B would stop home invasion or crop stealing, as those who are only interested in profit would not be happy growing only 6 plants as they would then be setting up shop as rippers from smaller legal grows to finance their needs for money and profit.
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