Questions dog marijuana business

Questions dog marijuana business

Re “Pot industry ready for budding market” (Insight, Oct. 19): Unless California’s law regulating cannabis pressures the federal government and the FDA into a complete rescheduling of pot and its decriminalization, it falls far short of sane or humane policy.

Weed, or any other substance when used as medicine, should be treated like all medicines. It should be sold in any pharmacy by prescription, dispensed by health professionals, untaxed, and totally removed from the notion of dispensaries, which force our elders, terminally ill and people beset with pain to find their way to some remote location, where someone tells you that exorbitantly priced Supernova Blue buds are dynamite.

That is what California and legalizing states are pushing as they create their regulations for a profit-taking industry in weed retailing. The sick don’t need that and don’t deserve it. It is a callous policy that would use ersatz dispensaries to minister to the sick.

Crime spike comes as no surprise

Re “Keep calm and be smart on crime” (Editorials, Oct. 13): Crime has spiked not only in crime-ridden areas in Sacramento, but throughout our state. Should we be surprised?

The Washington Post called Proposition 47 a virtual get-out-of-jail-free card. Robberies have increased 23 percent in San Francisco. Property theft is up 11 percent in Los Angeles. And this is only reported crime.

Criminals are issued citations when they are arrested for stealing property valued at less than $950. Multiple citations have been issued to a multitude of criminals who know they won’t face jail.

In Palm Springs, a gang member in possession of a stolen gun valued at $625 was given a citation rather than jail time. In Santa Barbara County, there has been a 45 percent increase in the number of failure-to-appear warrants issued for criminals with citations.

No one really knows how much additional crime the early release criminals are responsible for. I can guarantee the public they haven’t joined the local choir. Thanks to Proposition 47, we should expect crime to continue rising.

Law permits gun liability

Re “A gun exception that just proves the rule” (Editorials, Oct. 16): Regrettably, The Sacramento Bee’s editorial board panders to ideology rather than factual reporting.

The verdict that a gun-store owner was liable for violating provisions of the Protection of Lawful Commerce of Arms Act was neither astounding, nor notable as an exception. The facts of the case led informed proponents and opponents of gun control to correctly predict that the case was, indeed, a slam dunk, contrary to The Bee’s opinion.

Gun control feels good, does little

Criminals don’t obey laws. Criminals will obtain firearms, ammunition and armor illegally to carry out their crimes. All the gun legislation in the country won’t do a thing to stop criminals from committing crimes with guns. Government can legislate and pass the most stringent gun laws. Law-abiding citizens will honor those laws.

The horrific actions at Umpqua Community College and at the movie theater in Colorado were taken by people for whom the law means nothing, especially gun laws.

Do we need to further restrict law-abiding firearms owners, or would this be feel-good legislation?

Gun advocates refuse to budge

Our gun laws are not about prevention. They are gun availability laws. Mass killings prove that people can get their hands on all the firepower they want, conveniently and cheaply.

Gun owners are desperate to have you and me believe they are not the problem. They are. They refuse to give an inch on even the most modest of reforms. They want all the rights of gun ownership, but none of the responsibilities. What about our right to safe communities, safe malls, safe movie theaters and safe college campuses?

Let’s impose a maximum wage

Re “Business alliance rejects plan to raise pay” (Page 1A, Oct. 20): What we really need is a maximum-wage law. These administrators and chief executive officers making $500,000 to $30 million are taking wages away from the rest of us and not really doing any work. Everyone should make the same wages.

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Questions dog marijuana business."