TOWN NOT REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE DRUG DEALERS

The Twentynine Palms City Council made it quick and painless. You
want to use medical marijuana - grow your own. Can I hear an amen!

After months of listening to mostly non-residents try to justify
their use of "collective" marijuana, the Yucca Valley Town Council
finally made the right decision. Thank you!

Let's set the record straight. As a California health care provider,
I can say with first-hand knowledge that unfortunately, anyone can
find a physician who caters to the pot crowd and get a prescription
for medical marijuana, most of the time without the required
thorough medical history and good-faith examination - though this is
certainly no different than the half-dozen local doctors who have
been involved over the years in the unethical and inappropriate
prescribing of narcotics.

Contrary to what a resident of Morongo Valley stated in last week's
editorial page, Californians do not have a constitutional right to smoke
pot. It is only legal because people who voted for Proposition 215
were suckered into it thinking they were voting "to ensure that seriously
ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical
purposes" (Ref: California Health and Safety Code '11362.5 (b)(1)(A)).

Proposition 215 authors told voters that cancer, anorexia, AIDS,
chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis and migraine were
examples of legitimate use. For many of these conditions, this would
necessitate only occasional or short-term use and this is what the
slim majority of Californians voting approved.

The California Legislature then created the "Medical Marijuana
Program" (SB 420) that allows the use of pot for a "serious medical
condition ... AIDS, anorexia, arthritis, cachexia, cancer, chronic
pain, glaucoma, migraine, persistent muscle spasms (ie: multiple
sclerosis), severe nausea, (or) any other chronic or persistent
medical symptom that either substantially limits the ability of the
person to conduct one or more major life activities as defined in the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) (that)
if not alleviated, may cause serious harm to the patient's safety or
physical or mental health."

I attended several of the Yucca Valley Planning Commission meetings
wherein a few locals and a lot of out-of-towers brought their stories
of why they needed pot, to the mike.

In my trained observation, only a handful of individuals appearing
had conditions that truly warrant legitimate use under SB 420.

I can recall in particular a smiling woman in her late teens or early
20s, dressed in medical scrubs, testify to the commissioners that she
is a local resident, holds a valid marijuana ID card and smokes pot
for a chronic condition. She lied about residency, either to the
commissioners or to the issuing authority, since San Bernardino
County didn't issue ID cards at that time, and she couldn't possibly
have a condition so serious that she requires medical marijuana and
can still hold a job in the medical field.

Honestly, would you accept medical treatment for yourself or your
child from someone who was under the influence of marijuana? I wouldn't.

By the way, California law does not allow the sale of marijuana,
under any circumstances. There goes the "tax-the-sale" revenue scheme
proffered by collectives. That is why the Los Angeles County District
Attorney and others are vigorously pursuing prosecution of
collectives where money changes hands. Bottom line is that legitimate
users and their "primary caregiver" are permitted to grow pot for
medical use. Period. So grow your own if you need it.

EDITOR'S NOTE - This Guest Soapbox was edited to fall within the
600-word limit.