Is growing, use of marijuana a good idea?

Ron Fink

Proposition 64, the California legalization initiative, was passed by voters in the November election, but did voters really know what they voted for? And more importantly, does the Lompoc City Council know enough about marijuana to pass an ordinance?

This proposition does two things — legalizes the recreational use of pot, and may raise sin-tax money for state and local governments. A sin tax is levied on tobacco, alcohol, soft drinks and many other things.

Local governments were authorized to levy additional taxes/fees if they wanted to. Some politicians thought this would be a cash cow. Does anyone think for one minute that household growers will self-report, apply for permits or pay taxes unless they are caught? Or, do you think street sales will suddenly stop just because it’s legal to sell it? You’re dreaming if you do.

Many questions remain. For example, what effect does the smoke and odor associated with growing/smoking this stuff have on non-users? About $2 million per year would be provided to the UC San Diego Center for Medical Cannabis Research to study medical marijuana.

On the UCSD cannabis research website, Greg Miller cited a report published last month by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in Science Magazine stating, “The committee reports ‘substantial evidence’ linking early marijuana use with substance abuse later in life, and suggesting cannabis increases the likelihood of respiratory problems, motor vehicle accidents, and low birth weight in infants born to pot-smoking mothers.” That doesn’t sound good.

According to the fact-based article, “The 395-page report is the work of an expert committee that considered more than 10,000 research abstracts in their review of the scientific literature on cannabis …”

Unlike alcohol, which only affects the user, marijuana, like cigarette smokers, impact everyone around them. Next week we will talk about second-hand smoke.

The government’s role is to protect the community. During the December meeting the Lompoc city staff was recommending a series of permits and associated fees to assure that grow operations were conducted safely.

The draft resolution stated the “city retains its police powers and land-use authority to regulate or ban marijuana activities, including commercial marijuana operations, cultivation, distribution and consumption for the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Lompoc.” The council already banned medical marijuana dispensaries in 2007 and reaffirmed it in 2016.

At this hearing they rejected professional input from the staff and instead created another ad hoc committee to as council member Victor Vega put it “see if we can come up with a more sensible ordinance that’ll be good for everything.”

I would urge the City Council to fulfill its responsibility to the public on this matter. First, read the full text of Proposition 64 so you know what the rules are. Then, read the research to try and begin to understand the potential impacts of casual use.

There were too many issues raised by UCSD concerning the long-term effects of this plant to allow its immediate use near children and non-user adults and research indicates that it has serious consequences for both users and their unborn babies.

Is the staff proposal over-reaching? Google the UCSD report and the proposition text. Read the data and it will answer the question. Then decide for yourselves whether this is a good idea.