PASSION SPRINGS FROM BOTH SIDES OF MARIJUANA ISSUE

Many people are weighing in on both sides of the marijuana debate
ever since the Lassen County Board of Supervisors passed the 45-day
moratoria on the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries and
the cultivation of medical marijuana in the unincorporated areas of the county.

There are solid arguments on both sides of the marijuana issue, which
is gaining popularity throughout the state as the November election
draws near. People don't want it grown near their children. It helps
people deal with chronic pain. It can be a gateway drug that can lead
to abuse. Regardless of which side you stand on, its obvious it's not
as cut and dry as could have been originally predicted in Lassen
County. Historically, Lassen County has been a conservative leaning
community. Any issue involving marijuana in the county has generally
been cut across Republican and Democratic party lines.

Granted, it could be a small number of people who are more vocal
about a subject than the majority, but it's surprising that more
people gave comments in favor of marijuana use than those who opposed
it at a study session held by the Lassen County Board of Supervisors
at Jensen Hall on Tuesday, May 11.

The important point to remember is to keep the debate in context. The
issue has been around Lassen County for a long time, from last year's
drug bust that ended in gunfire and a Sheriff's deputy getting shot
to the dispensary that opened six years on Johnstonville Road The
Lassen County Sheriff's Office is right in that areas of cultivation
have an increased risk of armed robbery, burglary, traffic and
exposing minors to marijuana. However, it may not be the devil drug
many make it out to be either, as it has obvious implications in pain
relief. The debate can get heated on both sides and tempers can
flare. As with any debate, it's important to look at all sides of an
issue before weighing in, and people from different walks of life are
going to have different opinions.

In these days of financial hardship and stress within the state of
California, there is almost no issue that can be classified as a
clear-cut case of right and wrong. The county has 45 days from May 12
to make a decision. The reason why it's up to them is because its
zoning and land use issue which is not affected by state or federal law.

Whether you are for or against the amount of medical marijuana that
exists in the community, just remember to keep a cool head and not
escalate the situation to a violent ultimatum. Context and moderation
in all things tend to lead to the best decisions.