OK, stick with me.
The best is yet to come. I would
like to discuss arguments 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 referenced and and then enumerated by me in The Oregonian
Editorial Board’s justification for passage of Measure 91 (the legalization of
recreational marijuana in our State). As
follows…
The Oregonian’s Editorial Board (This was previously
referenced and quoted as justification #4.):
“The potential
increase in intoxicated driving is, again, a reason for concern, and the
measure directs the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to recommend appropriate
changes to the vehicle code by 2017.”
True’s Comment:
2017? The Oregon Liquor Control
Commission (OLCC) requires two to three years to make some recommendations
in our vehicle code? Now, I realize the
OLCC has had their problems in the past; and I understand that they are a governmental
agency that is used to a more leisurely approach to carrying out their duties,
but isn’t that a little too leisurely?
How about six months?
The Oregonian Editorial Board (I am combining three
of the Board’s more astute justifications – referenced and quoted as #5, #7 and
#8):
“A completely legal
high is only a short drive away for anyone in the Portland Metro area.”
“As of July 1, almost
65,000 Oregonians had medical marijuana cards, and many of those 65,000 have
friends with whom – just a guess – they share the fruits of the system.”
“And then, there’s the
big pot shop across the river – aka Washington.”
True’s Comment:
This reminds me of Mom’s often stated advice. There are many variations of this, but I’m
sure we’ve all heard something similar from our parents. ‘Just because your friends are jumping off a
bridge that doesn’t mean you have to.’
Washington and Colorado have made their own choice. That doesn’t mean that choice is necessarily
a good one. Why do we simply have to
follow along? Maybe, it is so that no
one thinks we are unsophisticated or ‘uncool’?
Why can’t we make our own decision based on our own best interests for
our families? Why don’t we let
Washington and Colorado experiment with their own citizens, their own children? Why can’t we, at the very least, wait to see
how it works out in Washington and Colorado?
Regarding the regulation and control of medical marijuana in Oregon, what makes one think that recreational marijuana will be controlled any better?
The Oregonian Editorial Board (This was previously
referenced and quoted as justification #6):
“The Measure
appropriately leaves the task of regulating the new industry to the Oregon
Liquor Control Commission, which knows a thing or two about the distribution
and sale of intoxicants. The OLCC would adopt the necessary rules by
2016”
True’s Comment:
Those of us in Oregon know that the OLCC has been on ‘life-support’ for
some time. That organization is just one
referendum vote away from practically being put out of business. The OLCC, as it is currently structured, is
outdated and unnecessary. The OLCC has,
in other words, been hanging-on by a string.
I’m sure the administrators at the OLCC are praying that Measure 91 will
pass and give them some hope for a future.
Furthermore, lest we forget, the OLCC is the same agency
that hired Doitchin Krastev, aka Jason Robert Evers. Krastev, a Bulgarian in the U.S. illegally,
assumed the name of a murdered child (Jason Robert Evers) to fabricate his new,
fraudulent identity. Krastev, using the Evers
name, was hired by the OLCC’s Enforcement Division and later was promoted to a
supervisory position. Krastev was, years
later, ‘outed’ by a federal agency when he applied for a passport under the
Evers name. He was subsequently sentenced
to prison. OLCC’s explanation: Whoops!
The OLCC is, obviously, not very good at vetting their
applicants in a timely manner which may also explain why they need until
sometime in 2016 to figure out how they will regulate marijuana.
CONCLUSION: Some may
feel that I am a little overwrought about this marijuana issue. I suppose what got me going was The Oregonian’s
endorsement of legalized recreational marijuana, and the casual or ‘flip’
manner in which they presented their endorsement. I believe this is a serious issue. I believe that the voters in Oregon need to seriously
think about Measure 91. Is it something
they really want? Is it something that
is in the best interest of their children and grandchildren? And, why is it that almost every law
enforcement agency in this state is against Measure 91?
For all of you who took the time to read my posts on this
subject, thank you for your valuable time and your kind consideration. If I convinced one person that Measure 91 was
not a good idea, not now anyway, I feel my time was well spent.
True Nelson
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