Pubdate: Sat, 20 Aug 2016
Source: East Bay Times, The (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Digital First Media
Contact:  http://www.eastbaytimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/314
Note: Oakland Tribune till April 2016
Author: James Smith

VOTE ON FACTS AND NOT ON EMOTIONS

Prohibition, by any meaningful measure, appears to have failed. 
Overcrowded prisons, over burdened court systems and a dramatic 
socio-economic impact on those prosecuted. Compared to the 
Netherlands, the U.S. exceeds in marijuana usage.

Cartels are destroying our national forests to compete locally with 
California's Emerald Triangle. Local growers liken themselves to 
eco-conscious hippies, yet documented forest and watershed damage 
disproves this.

Every county heavy in the pot trade voted no to legalization in 2010. 
Untold millions of untaxed dollars would shift from their pockets to 
the state coffers. California's economy is sixth globally, without 
reaping a single tax dollar from this enormous black-market trade.

We should vote on facts and implore all voters to do their own 
research. Although there's an emotional aspect to politics and 
marijuana, let's reframe that emotional question.

Who should benefit from this product already illegally and 
unabashedly produced in record quantities: a criminal black market or 
our entire state?

James Smith

Hayward
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom