The people we elect don't listen

http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_19637825

The people we elect don't listen

Letters to the Editor
Posted: 12/29/2011 01:57:13 AM PST

I am very disappointed in the Board of Supervisors' decision to limit the rights of California 215 patients in this county. I personally met with my district supervisor last Wednesday to explain to him that the proposed regulations were inadequate for a patient's right to sustainable access to their medicine. The limitation of a five by 10 grow space with a 1,200 watt maximum usage and one recommendation per residence is ludicrous. Sometimes two people that have recommendations live in the same house. It seems as though the county “powers that be” have lost sight of what the Compassionate Use Act really stands for and that is for the patients. The board is more concerned about protecting themselves against threats of federal charges rather than standing up for their constituents. Remember the federal government has just made threats, no action has been taken. Not to mention our own district attorney has set guidelines in place years ago that have been working just fine. Why change them now? With the implementation of the new ordinance, patients who have been abiding by those rules will be out of compliance and will be forced to downsize, cutting their yield to almost one-third of normal. Patients will be a slave to their medicine because they have to grow in such a small space and no alternative to gain access from a dispensary because the supervisors have placed a moratorium on those as well.

A local group that I am involved with was asked to give the board some guidance as to what would be generally acceptable for a patient to grow and maintain their medicine. We put together a packet with useful information, none of which was taken into consideration. It is very disheartening to see an elected group of people ask for help from the people that know and then not use the information. I can see now why most people don't stand up and speak out, it's because the people we elect don't listen.

Andre Carey
Arcata