Mendocino supervisors OK new pot limits
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Mendocino supervisors OK new pot limits
By MIKE GENIELLA
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
UKIAH -- Mendocino County supervisors, citing the county's national reputation as a marijuana-growing haven, voted Tuesday to impose new limits on surging pot production for medical uses.
The 3-2 vote concluded a rancorous two-hour hearing. It underscored deepening divisions among board members, rural residents and medical marijuana advocates over the proliferation of commercial-style pot-growing operations, and an influx of outsiders seeking to cash in on a medical marijuana boom.
Ukiah resident Dennis Smart said the county is experiencing a "marijuana gold rush."
Supervisor Jim Wattenburger, who proposed the new restrictions, agreed.
"The situation is out of control," he said. "It's time to act."
As adopted, the new county ordinance will allow state-issued medical marijuana card holders to grow 25 pot plants per parcel of property instead of a current policy of 25 plants per user.
But even with the revised limits, Mendocino County policies still will allow four times the volume of medical marijuana production recommended by the state for implementation of Proposition 215, a 1996 voter-approved initiative legalizing marijuana for medical use.
For example, Mendocino card holders will be allowed to grow 25 plants or possess up to eight pounds of processed pot, compared with the state's recommended six plants or two pounds of dried marijuana.
On Tuesday, Wattenburger underscored the difference by noting earlier medical testimony that said a user would have to smoke 13 marijuana cigarettes 365 days of the year to consume two pounds of pot.
To critics of the county limits, Wattenburger retorted, "We're allowing four times the state guidelines. Now you tell me how restrictive we're being."
Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said he supports the new local limits because he believes it will allow local law enforcement to spend less time monitoring medical pot gardens, and instead focus on large, commercial-style growing operations.
"It's a step in the right direction," Allman said after the board vote.
Wattenburger's move to adopt the new pot-growing limits was supported by Supervisors Kendall Smith and David Colfax. Supervisors John Pinches and Mike Delbar voted no, though for different reasons. Pinches wanted to allow more plants, while Delbar said he had issues with the county's medical marijuana card process.
Medical marijuana advocates said they feared Tuesday's board action would only fuel a public backlash against legitimate marijuana uses.
Among those were Steve Smith, a new county resident who said he runs a medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco. Smith said board members should ignore the public fuss, and let the federal government -- which doesn't recognize medical marijuana use -- track down large growing operations.
Supporters of a proposed local initiative to bring local medical marijuana standards in line with state guidelines vowed to continue signature-gathering efforts to qualify the measure for the June ballot.
Ukiah City Councilman John McCowen said he was sympathetic to the local initiative effort because he believes state guidelines are reasonable.
"What's going on now in the county is a smoke screen for commercial marijuana production," McCowen said.
You can reach Staff Writer Mike Geniella at 462-6470 or mgeniella@pressdemocrat.com.
By MIKE GENIELLA
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
UKIAH -- Mendocino County supervisors, citing the county's national reputation as a marijuana-growing haven, voted Tuesday to impose new limits on surging pot production for medical uses.
The 3-2 vote concluded a rancorous two-hour hearing. It underscored deepening divisions among board members, rural residents and medical marijuana advocates over the proliferation of commercial-style pot-growing operations, and an influx of outsiders seeking to cash in on a medical marijuana boom.
Ukiah resident Dennis Smart said the county is experiencing a "marijuana gold rush."
Supervisor Jim Wattenburger, who proposed the new restrictions, agreed.
"The situation is out of control," he said. "It's time to act."
As adopted, the new county ordinance will allow state-issued medical marijuana card holders to grow 25 pot plants per parcel of property instead of a current policy of 25 plants per user.
But even with the revised limits, Mendocino County policies still will allow four times the volume of medical marijuana production recommended by the state for implementation of Proposition 215, a 1996 voter-approved initiative legalizing marijuana for medical use.
For example, Mendocino card holders will be allowed to grow 25 plants or possess up to eight pounds of processed pot, compared with the state's recommended six plants or two pounds of dried marijuana.
On Tuesday, Wattenburger underscored the difference by noting earlier medical testimony that said a user would have to smoke 13 marijuana cigarettes 365 days of the year to consume two pounds of pot.
To critics of the county limits, Wattenburger retorted, "We're allowing four times the state guidelines. Now you tell me how restrictive we're being."
Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said he supports the new local limits because he believes it will allow local law enforcement to spend less time monitoring medical pot gardens, and instead focus on large, commercial-style growing operations.
"It's a step in the right direction," Allman said after the board vote.
Wattenburger's move to adopt the new pot-growing limits was supported by Supervisors Kendall Smith and David Colfax. Supervisors John Pinches and Mike Delbar voted no, though for different reasons. Pinches wanted to allow more plants, while Delbar said he had issues with the county's medical marijuana card process.
Medical marijuana advocates said they feared Tuesday's board action would only fuel a public backlash against legitimate marijuana uses.
Among those were Steve Smith, a new county resident who said he runs a medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco. Smith said board members should ignore the public fuss, and let the federal government -- which doesn't recognize medical marijuana use -- track down large growing operations.
Supporters of a proposed local initiative to bring local medical marijuana standards in line with state guidelines vowed to continue signature-gathering efforts to qualify the measure for the June ballot.
Ukiah City Councilman John McCowen said he was sympathetic to the local initiative effort because he believes state guidelines are reasonable.
"What's going on now in the county is a smoke screen for commercial marijuana production," McCowen said.
You can reach Staff Writer Mike Geniella at 462-6470 or mgeniella@pressdemocrat.com.
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a derivitive of nature.
nature is god
god is love
love is light
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