SOLANO COUNTY SAYS NO TO POT MEASURE

Solano County leaders are not high on the idea of legalizing marijuana
and decided to oppose an initiative on the November ballot that would
do just that if approved by voters.

Proposition 19, or the "Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of
2010," supports legalizing marijuana. Supporters believe that doing
so, among other things, "will put dangerous, underground street
dealers out of business, so their influence in communities will fade,
while creating an easier and safer access for patients who need
cannabis for medical purposes."

But that sentiment is not shared among some local cities -- both the
Suisun City and Rio Vista city councils have opposed the measure. On
Tuesday, the Solano County Board of Supervisors joined the chorus of
public agencies opposed to the measure, voting 3 to 2 to oppose it.

Supervisors Barbara Kondylis and Linda Seifert dissented, but for
different reasons.

Kondylis explained that although she is not a user of marijuana, she
would like to see efforts and funds used for prevention instead.

"I think it will happen no matter what," she added about marijuana
eventually being legalized.

Seifert said, putting aside personal beliefs, the board shouldn't
state positions on issues that neither impact the county or county
coffers, as is the case of Proposition 19.

Nonetheless, proponents of the bill say taxing and regulating cannabis
will generate billions of dollars for California and local governments
to fund jobs, healthcare, schools, roads transportation and more.

They also argue that money will be saved by freeing up police
resources and saving millions of dollars each year by not arresting
thousands of non-violent cannabis consumers but instead focusing on
apprehending truly dangerous criminals.

Members of the Solano County Reducing Rates Coalition
disagree.

The coalition is a countywide group of community volunteers who
provides advice on alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues to the
Solano County Board of Supervisors. It is charged with reducing the
rates of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and the devastating problems
associated with use in Solano County.

Tamu Nolfo, Ph.D., a consultant for the coalition, said legalizing
marijuana is likely to have the exact opposite effects that proponents
of the proposition are banking on.

"Sixteen percent of marijuana users meet the medical criteria for
dependence and because of adolescents' developing brains and other
vulnerabilities; they are even more susceptible to becoming
dependent," Nolfo said, adding that the number of marijuana-dependent
people is two times the number of prescription drug abusers and three
times the number of cocaine abusers.

Nolfo told supervisors that results of a needs assessment showed that
one in four Solano County youth have used marijuana at some point
before age 17 and one in five high school juniors are current
marijuana users. The coalition believes that legalizing marijuana will
make it more affordable and accessible, and result in the number of
adolescent users increasing drastically.

"Prop. 19, a poorly conceived proposition to legalize marijuana use,
will create an enormous obstacle to achieving the RRC's mission," she
said.