marijuana dispensaries
Los Angeles City Council Unanimously Approves Dispensary Ban
Yesterday afternoon patients were dealt what could be a devastating blow. The Los Angeles City Council decided to approve a measure to ban all medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits. Since the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996, lawmakers have done little to refine and adjust the program. Now they feel problems related to …continue reading
Medical Marijuana Causes Crime? Not so Fast says Study
One of the most popular criticisms by opponents of medical marijuana has to do with a perceived increase in local crime. Politicians and outraged community members frequently claim that marijuana dispensaries will increase local crime. Often, they seem reluctant to even accept the idea that this may not be the case even though nobody really knows the impact of dispensaries on crime as legalized marijuana is only in its infancy.
A new study recently published shows that the presence of dispensaries does not increase crime, at least in the Sacramento area. The July issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs includes the results from a study conducted by University of California researchers. In Sacramento, there was no evidence that indicated that violent or property crime rose in neighborhoods with a higher concentration of marijuana dispensaries. Nancy Kepple, who was in charge of the research said the study was a “good first step” but cautioned that it “was not designed to address the bigger picture of how these dispensaries might be affecting neighborhoods.”
While the results are encouraging more research is clearly needed in other regions. Could this just be a phenomenon in Sacramento or will future research produce similar results? It may be important to realize that criminals are everywhere and that a marijuana dispensary may not be anymore motivating than robbing a bank. If someone is looking for an illegal quick money grab, perhaps the type of business is not their primary motivation. Many businesses keep cash on hand but we have not tried to shut down or drastically limit jewelry or department stores. Even if future research shows that marijuana dispensaries are attracting criminal activity, there will not be a level playing field until caregivers have access to banks. In short, dispensaries have no other discourse other than stockpiling cash. Since they likely will not have the same protection of a bank vault, criminals may target a dispensary simply because they know the money cannot be placed in a bank.
Social progression can be compared to Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. Though this article will not attempt to dissect the entire theory, the basic premise of Einstein’s idea is that time and space are relative and not fixed. The speed of an object will appear slower for someone already in motion as opposed to someone standing still. If an individual’s thoughts are not progressing, but rather staying still, then new ideas will pass them by at a much higher speed than someone already moving forward. Opponents of reform may have a difficult time interpreting the changing world in front of them.
Congressman Bilbray’s Daughter Leader In Medicinal Marijuana Fight
Parents frequently come with an uncomfortable time once they discover their kids hold contrasting viewpoints to their personal. Unlike Congressman John Bilbray’s situation, these variations typically don’t play their way to avoid it in media.
John Bilbray is really a U . s . States person in the House of Reps serving California’s 50th district. He offered the 49th district from 1995-2001 and it has been at his present position within the 50th district since 2006. Lately, he’s been discussing the press spotlight together with his daughter Briana Bilbray. Briana is really a cancer survivor, getting pressed her Stage 3 melanoma into remission in August. Briana has stated “You seem like you want to die,” and “I didn’t even wish to breathe, I had been so tired” when explaining her encounters. In This summer she made the decision to talk out in support of using medicinal marijuana to deal with cancer and chemotherapy unwanted effects. Briana was trying to convince Imperial Beach City Hall to reconsider enacting their halt on marijuana shops. Although not successful directly, she’s directed considerable media and political focus on her situation and medical cannabis use.
John Bilbray has had a tough stance against medicinal marijuana (congressman Bilbray’s voting record) previously. Bilbray presently appears to become waiting his position on medicinal marijuana but mentioned “If this is actually the advantage that Briana thinks, we ought to have the ability to scientifically prove it making it available not only to California, however the relaxation of the nation too. But it ought to be according to science this is not on political pressure or slogans.” Many would reason that a lot of scientific evidence in support of marijuana has already been mounting. Bilbray doesn’t appear locked right into a position even while Republican strategists may worry that the situation similar to this weakens the party’s overall stance on medicinal marijuana. He was cited as saying “The truth is I had been a parent before I had been a congressman, with God’s help I’ll be a parent lengthy after I’m a congressman. And anybody that thinks that the political position is much more important than transpires with the kids clearly is detached from reality.”
Experts can discuss issues ad nauseam but frequently it takes a lot more than details to motivate change. The general public usually must link a face towards the title. Media surrounds us constantly and also the 24/7 news cycle delivers faster information than in the past but we are typically in will need a more personal connection. Lots of people support medical causes after a relative or public figure catches our attention. Possibly Briana Bilbray could be a catalyst for making congress interact and drive impotent federal law into remission.