Open Medical Marijuana Market says Attorney General Candidate

Ron Gold, challenging Kamala Harris in the November election for Attorney General has taken the side of medical marijuana vendors against the City of Los Angeles. A Superior Court Judge has issued an order to close down a weekend medical marijuana farmers market at the request of the City Attorney of the City of Los Angeles.

"The market removes the middlemen. Farmers and patients have direct contact. Medical marijuana is a legal drug for a legal purpose under current California law. The farmers market is an experiment in the development of a new, lawful industry. An overly restricted market invites black markets run by drug cartels and street gangs.

Gold also advocates full legalization of marijuana. He has said, "Like the failed prohibition of alcohol, it's time to change the failed criminalization of marijuana." Further, "It is common sense, reasonable and rational to change laws that have driven the market for marijuana into the hands of drug cartels and street gangs."

Gold compares '30s gangsters bootlegging alcohol with modern day Mexican cartels battling over control of markets for illegal drugs with consequent murders. Gold argues that marijuana use is largely a victimless crime that fills state prisons and county jails with small time marijuana users. The US has spent $1.3 trillion since 1972 on the drug war yet in 2014 drugs are cheaper and easier to get than in 1972. "It makes more sense to focus upon thieves, rapists and murderers than those possessing an ounce or so of marijuana," says Gold. Gold believes taxing marijuana will provide new revenue to "help fund our schools, improve correctional facilities, and provide funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation as well as better mental health care access."

http://www.rocklintoday.com/news/templates/community_news.asp?articleid=13205&zoneid=4
Does DU have a Marijuana/Cannabis group? I didn't see it.