MARIJUANA SUPPRESSION GRANT QUIETLY PASSES

Usually someone pulls it off the consent calendar for discussion or to cast
a no vote.

But at Tuesday's Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting, the annual
grant application for marijuana suppression money passed unanimously on the
consent calendar without a word.

Last year, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to apply for the California
Against Marijuana Program money, with supervisors John Woolley and Roger
Rodoni dissenting. Woolley represents the more liberal Arcata area, while
Rodoni represents southern Humboldt County, which for years has been
considered the marijuana-growing capital of the county.

Supervisor Paul Kirk later said he was surprised.

"I believe it's the first time I can remember it went through without any
discussion," he said.

Supervisor Rodoni on Wednesday said his decision not to pull the item this
year doesn't mean he's changed his position. Rodoni said he believes the
so-called war on drugs is a waste of tax dollars.

For the past few years he and Woolley's no votes have been "symbolic," he
said, intended to raise awareness of their position. But until a third board
member joins them, or changes happen at the federal level, it doesn't make
much sense to keep pulling the item up, Rodoni said, especially when the
county has other business to attend to.

"It's the rules of the game; you have to count to three in this business,"
Rodoni said.

Woolley said his position is similar to Rodoni's, saying pulling the matter
and discussing positions that, "people already know would just drag it on ad
nauseum."

Woolley said he still believes marijuana enforcement merely pushes up the
price for marijuana, and that the money would be better spent on prevention
and treatment.

The county receives roughly $271,000 per year from the state and federal
government to participate in the California Against Marijuana Program. The
grants, which come from the state Office of Criminal Justice, the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Forest Service, pay for four full-time
sheriff's positions plus two half-time district attorney positions.

Last year the marijuana suppression program resulted in 66,153 plants
seized, 77 arrests, and more than $2.2 million in assets seized.