Sending Mixed Marijuana Messages

I'm not sure Michael Self can put together a complete sentence without Francisco's help.

We can only hope that the election in Nov. brings us a Yes vote on Prop.19 making all of these power plays moot. We are continually lectured on how the US is a Capitalist Society right up until the profit vehicle is Medical Marijuana, even if it is a nonprofit business. Have we limited Coffee Shops, Fast Food, or clothing stores ? Of course not, they pay the taxes that run our City. We should stop the Dispensaries either unless we are will to cut the number of Alcohol outlets to the same number. Anything short of that shows the spin and judgments being imposed on the citizens of SB.

I'm wondering if it's OK to flip these guys the bird. They've got more important thing to do like order more brick crosswalks, or do lunch at Pizza Guru.

Finally someone who is willing to stand up to Helene Schneider. Thank you Michael Self.

As I understand it, the State Proposition 19 on the ballot for the November election only legalizes pot possession and cultivation under State law. Under that proposal, local government still would have individual authority to allow or prohibit pot stores.

Accordingly, the Santa Barbara City ordinance and upcoming ballot measure still would be highly relevant regardless of the outcome of the State Prop. 19. The only practical difference may be whether the charade of a physician "recommendation" for pot still is part of the game.

With passage of that State Proposition, I would expect a thriving e-commerce and delivery industry to develop rapidly, thereby competing with any storefront retail model for pot stores. The retail advantage of the pot stores will become instant satisfaction for the product instead of waiting for delivery. Of course, resale will happen too, where investors order pot at wholesale prices and then deal it locally at a price markup but still undercutting the price of the retail pot stores.

The Hidden Hand of the economic market will function as the market adjusts to supply and demand. Prices will drop, but will demand stay flat?

Whatever retail model ensues with both the State Proposition and SB City ballot measure, I would hope the pot sellers also compete on product quality as a cartel-free supply chain, California-grown origins, and also based upon organic growing and environmental quality of the pot farms to protect and restore nearby creeks in the watersheds of the pot plantations.

In any case, the State Proposition to be successful will need to persuade voters that the State will make a lot of money on the fees and taxes.

Unfortunately, it will be nearly impossible for the state to make a lot of money on pot the way Prop 19 is written. It actually prohibits a state tax on pot. There is a $1.4 billion revenue estimate, widely quoted, but that estimate was provided by the Board of Equalization for Ammiano's bill, which died earlier this year, and would have taxed legalized pot. Prop 19 punts the whole question of allowing sales, regulating them, and taxing them, down to local jurisdictions. It's taken 14 years for medical marijuana to wade through local jurisdictional regulation, including ours, so expect a similar path should prop 19 pass. Net is that there will be no windfall to the state should legalization pass. Additionally, the state faces $19 billion in deficit next year. Even if the initiative passed, and every jurisdiction were ready with an ordinance taxing marijuana sales the day after the election, AND if something like $1 billion in revenues from legal pot sales were realized next year, it's nothing against a $19 billion hole. This is yet another silly CA ballot initiative designed to mislead voters.

I have lived and worked in Santa Barbara for 19 years and
I am exhausted and disgusted by the way this council does not represent me or anyone I know.

The last straw was when I was mailed an attack ad by a group called SB Citizens Against Marijuana Dispensaries.
I certainly hope this group, sponsored by the Council of Alcohol and Drug Abuse does not receive public money because it was a hate filled piece full of lies and fear mongering.

How much does it cost to buy a Santa Barbara Council member? Just ask Michael Self, Frank Hotchkiss, and Dale Francisco. They are bought and paid for politicians.

I encourage all SB voters to remember these members and vote them out!

Self is up for reelection in Nov. 2011
Hotchkiss is up for reelection in Nov. 2013
Francisco is up for reelection in Nov. 2011

Register and vote! The only way to beat these crocked politicians is to vote them out!

PS- I was neutral to this issue until I saw how power hungry and hate filled these "representatives" of our community have become.

Take back City Hall!

and they call this a free society. HA!

Living in paradise it's not when politicians are bought and paid for by pot shops and unions.

"pink," I didn't realize Randall Von Wolfswinkel was in a union AND ran a Pot Shop!

Is your heroine Michael Self a member of either?

Do tell!!!!

Remember people, pot use will lead to other drugs and our community is dedicated to family values and sobriety. If we allow pot shops, pretty soon these folks will be demanding places where they can go for the sheer purpose of drinking, then you will see drunk people all over State Street urinating in public and getting into fights.

Pot use leads to abuse of other substances (this is what they tell me and I never question what I'm told) and I don't want to see Santa Barbara turn into a pot-laden drunkfest.

Remember: pot has always been illegal and should remain so!

Unrelated Sorry BUT the park ranger at Las Positas Park is sneaking up and ticketing people for taking a toke while they watch the sunset. It happened to us! He hasn't heard about the "lowest priority" rule the city supposedly adopted. Spread the word.

A park ranger at Las Positas Park with ticketing authority?

@ Bill Clausen: With all due respect, I cannot tell if you are being factious or are just out plain of touch with reality.

Pot has not "always" been illegal and this issue has no relevance to alcohol or an SB "drunkfest:. Stop your fear mongering or at least get educated!

And BTW- have you not noticed that our town is currently already a party town as evidenced by all the alcohol sponsored events this past 4th of July? Is alcohol OK because it is "legal". How about prescription pills? My generation is more hooked on pills than any other substance. These drugs were prescribed "legally" by doctors influenced by Big Pharma. And the old "gateway" argument is tired and makes no sense so don't throw that old chestnut out.

I challenge you to leave your old way of thinking with the Bush Administration and embrace a non hypocritical approach to this issue.

I think Mr. Cl;ausen was being sarcastic, but at least it lent "Living in Paradise" a platform to voice their common sense views.:)

If they legalize marijuana in November there will be a $25 dollar excise tax per ounce(28grams) sold and sales tax would be included too. Gas stations would be able to sell under the language in Proposition 19.

CADA Stands For
(Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse)

How is this different then a cannabis Tax
CADA is hypocritical. If they cared about people they would say ban all liquor stores in Santa Barbara

instead this is how CADA feels about Alcohol

CA's Senate Democrats have proposed an increase to the state's alcohol taxes to help close the budget deficit. The budget proposal would raise an estimated $210 million from alcohol taxes. While this increase would add less than 2 cents to the cost of a beer, it would go a long way toward preserving critical services and programs. The last time the state increased its tax on alcohol was in 1991!
URGENT - Contact our Assembly Member, Pedro Nava, to tell him to support this!

found at
http://cadasb.org/home.aspx

Section B of Proposition 19
(#7 is the most important about possession and consumption)

B. Purposes
1. Reform California’s cannabis laws in a way that will benefit our state.
2. Regulate cannabis like we do alcohol: Allow adults to possess and consume small amounts of cannabis.
3. Implement a legal regulatory framework to give California more control over the cultivation, processing,
transportation, distribution, and sales of cannabis.
4. Implement a legal regulatory framework to better police and prevent access to and consumption of cannabis
by minors in California.
5. Put dangerous, underground street dealers out of business, so their influence in our communities will fade.
6. Provide easier, safer access for patients who need cannabis for medical purposes.
7. Ensure that if a city decides not to tax and regulate the sale of cannabis, that buying and selling cannabis within
that city’s limits remain illegal, but that the city’s citizens still have the right to possess and consume small amounts,
except as permitted under Health and Safety Sections 11362.5 and 11362.7 through 11362.9. (up to a 1/2 pound for medical marijuana patients)

The rest of the Proposition 19 can be found at

www.taxcannabis.org

ACCORDING to CADA THEIR poll in the last month 76% of high school students chose Not use Marijuana(maybe you have seen their commercial on the local T.V. stations)

- http://cadasb.org/home/advocacy/marij...

Marijuana dispensary have been in santa barbara for 5-10 years.
The National Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the CDC found 37% High School students said they had used marijuana. ( http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/2... ) Thus Santa Barbara is below the national average of High School Marijuana Use(AND WE have marijuana dispensaries)

Ok, listen up people! I was being sarcastic in my post. I'm making fun of the hypocrisy of the anti-marijuana Crusaders.

For the record: I think that ideally we should be totally drug-free, but sometimes we need drugs to heal us or offer palliative care. Also, I am well aware (and have argued numerous times) that pot was legal before 1937.

Digressing somewhat, while I've attacked the "wine tasting"/booze culture many times in my blogs, I nonetheless oppose any form of prohibition on alcohol or drugs.

Photo caption for Francisco: "look at my hand, steady as a rock".

In response to the comment by sixdolphins, I present this audio/video nine-second commentary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KF6tR...