Just Say No (updated)

Update:

I am voting for M91, as explained here.
My criticisms of the law remain.
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With a heavy heart, O my brothers and only friends, I am coming out against Measure 91 to legalize recreational marijuana.

Measure 91 allows an adult to cultivate up to 4 plants and allows possession of up to 8 ounces, and you can do what Anthony Kiedis always told ya--

It creates a regulated industry.  Adults 21 and over can purchase up to an ounce at a licensed retail shop.  Wholesalers will be taxed at $35 per ounce, which is roughly 50% on outdoor weed, and approximately 35% on indoor.  Tax revenues would be apportioned to education and law enforcement and health departments--

But unlike other legalization measures which were proposed, M91 does nothing to fix what is inarguably the greatest harm caused by marijuana prohibition.

Marijuana prosecutions ruined tens of thousands of lives over the years, including those  actually prosecuted and their families and loved ones.  Even the totally legitimate medical user can lawfully be fired in Oregon--and hundreds have.

Measure 91 leaves all of these people high and dry.  

It also sets the medical and recreational programs on a collision course.  Recreational businesses will likely be very profitable at first, but there will come a time when the untaxed medical market and the unregulated home-grow represent not only a threat to those business profits, but they will by definition represent a drain on state coffers.

Eventually, the more regulated recreational market will come after the medical system.

The law should at least explicitly provide for amnesty, return of seized property, expungement of all criminal records, and absolute preservation of patient access under the medical program--

But the people in prison will languish until someone springs them one at a time...and that may end up being my life's work, whatever happens November 4.  If Measure 91 passes, we'll try to wield it for that purpose.  

If it fails, we'll write a better one.

More tales from the Oregon and California hinterlands soon, after laying in the winter wood supply. 

The rain, she comes.

Peace.