The single, most one-sided, anti-marijuana/dispensary article ever....

what's really confusing kids is telling them the drug is harmfull, and then them seeing the despencaries opening to help people. If you told told them how harmless it really is, then I'm sure thatwould clear up the confusion. It's not the pot that confuses them, it's the "facts" that their parrents are telling them.

mixed messages and confusion will always be around... the thing about cannabis is that cannabis shouldn't be illegal in the first place and it is not a drug, its a plant/herb.

the fact that cigarettes kill hundreds a day and yet its still perfectly legal should be confusing, or the fact that more than half the over the counter drugs have worse side effects then the actual illness its meant to help combat.

people that are still in this reefer madness mentality need to wake up and smell the cannabis that will not only help the economy, but also help those who use cannabis for its beneficial effects, not to mention the environment since it is one of the greenest plants/herbs/products.

as far as D.A.R.E goes. they r a load of shit, plain and simple. all D.A.R.E does is use scare tactics to keep kids away from "drugs", when in actuality that doesn't work. D.A.R.E doesn't teach kids about drugs they just scare em out of trying them or at least they try...

i am so sick and tired of cannabis getting such a bad name although it has helped to do so many good things and its potential couldn't even be imagined. its not about health because if it was then cigarettes would be illegal, its not about crime because if it was then it would be legal... its all about money, money money money money money.

now the health and crime thing are holding us back because those two have been so twisted and misconstrued and feed to the people, most of them believed the lies and some still today fall for them.

cannabis activists or anyone pro cannabis have one of the hardest things to legalize/pass because we have to fight ill informed people, on top of the govt. that lied to us, plus the special interest groups that will stop at nothing to keep it illegal so they can make money.

although we are making ground on this whole thing, we cant just bask in little victories like no limits on growing medical cannabis in California, or the decriminalization of cannabis on a federal level. those are checkpoints to let us know we are getting closer but those are also points to keep us going and make us fight harder.

like I've said b4, we have to organize on a national or even international scale. we have to rally and debate at town hall meetings, county and state courts, city halls, committee meetings; on television and on radio basically anywhere-where your voice will be heard by the masses.

but do so in a dignified and intelligent manor, because stereo types displayed in various movies, shows, and music videos are just that; stereo types which in reality offends some users, like myself, because im not a lazy stoner that just smokes, eats and watches tv all day... i go to college for architecture i have a job and im a very active person, and im sure many others would agree that stereo types displayed that are supposed to represent the average stoner offensive.

bottom line, we gotta educate the people on both the positives and negatives about cannabis, take down big liquor and tobacco corps as well as many others that fund cannabis prohibition, basically crush the opposition in debates, and show the govt. that more money can be made by cannabis than any of those who oppose, such as liquor and tobacco.... i never said it would be easy but it has to be done to legalize a plant/herb that shouldn't have been illegal in the first place.

oh i almost failed to mention another BIG reason why the govt. wont legalize... they don't want to admit their are wrong, nor do they want to be investigated for any other things they got wrong, and they dont want to face the very justice they hide behind.

peace, much love
*2 fingers*

Dispensaries only send a mixed message to children because programs like DARE spend so much time misinforming them about marijuana.

I believe that children under 18 should not be allowed to smoke marijuana. It should be a choice that US citizens of legal age should be allowed to make, just like alcohol. However, school districts should not demonize it to the extent that they do.

Its really a ridiculous article.

The writers/community's argument holds no water and can be applied to conventional medicines as well. They are worried about the mixed message of legally prescribing something that would be illegal to use without that legal prescription. If the community really gave a rats ass about sending mixed messages they would address the issue with all prescribed drugs, not just cannabis.

Yet they don't address the many problems with pharmaceutical drugs, because as long as doctors and the government say that its safe then there isn't any problem.

What this boils down to is people fearing change. There is no reason to their fears or to the article.

I agree with the article too, but D.A.R.E sending mixed signals with dispensaries. Think about all the kids in the school on some kind of pill, talk about DARE

although i agree that this article is extremely one-sided and fails to give reasonable cause for its negative views on marijuana, I feel that the fear this town has is a reasonable one. medical marijuana is a legitimate medicine for some, but with the recent openings of medical marijuana dispensaries in more and more states, it is easier for people to falsely acquire it through prescription. This is beginning to look almost identical (although not nearly as detrimental) as the issue with pain clinics; doctors being paid by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe their medicine, and people abusing it. I also agree that this is causing confusion for children, however it is not because of the simple existence of medical marijuana dispensaries. What is confusing schoolchildren is the information they are provided about drugs. In this article, they describe their drug education system, which relies heavily on "prevention" of drug use as opposed to "education" on drug use. Until there is funding for testing on marijuana, and until there is a way to teach children, without religious, political or sociocultural bias, the true qualities of drugs and their true effects, I believe it is irresponsible to continue decriminalizing marijuana.

My only problem with the article really was the last quote;

Julia Carta: “I don’t understand how we, as adults, can say it’s illegal, but it’s OK for this,” she said. “We have to, as adults in this city, whether we have kids or not, say no. This is wrong. It’s an illegal, mind-altering drug. I just think it’s important for the kids.”

I mean this is such a close-minded argument that it boarders on absurdity. "It's a mind-altering drug..." Sure, and so are a million other pharmaceutical substances that are available with a prescription. I won't even get into the fact that it is far less "mind-altering" than many, if not any, other "drugs" out there, let alone the fact that it is completely organic.

Not to mention that alcohol, holding only the requirements that one be "of age" to drink it, is FAR more mind altering that marijuana.

Maybe miss Julia Carta should think for herself and realize that we have to, as adults in this nation/world, re-think where we draw the lines on what is and isn't illegal and why... instead of just buying into the propaganda spewed forth by "anti-drug" legislature.

I'm with existentialist. Granted, it didn't give the pros for having a medical marijuana dispensary, but that really wasn't the focus on the article. It was just stating that parents and police officers are that the openning of one will send mixed messages to kids. Trust me, there are articles that are like how you described this one in the title, but all this is is an article coming from people that are being introduced to something that (if you think about it) is a huge far cry from the norm and aren't that comfortable about it.

It actually wasn't that bad. The article just talked about how medical marijuana may send a mixed message to kids. Which makes sense. Kids are taught in school (or by their parents) to say no to drugs, but then a marijuana dispensary opens up and people are legally obtaining this drug that kids are taught is bad.

The point seemed to be that the federal government needs to hurry up and make a definitive decision on the legality of weed. Jon Quinn, a city councilman interviewed in the article, said, “I think right now, the truth is we have an awful mishmash of rules and laws at the state and local levels. It sends a mixed message to everybody. Right now, we’re in desperate need for guidance from the state and federal level.”

One lady interviewed said, "“I don’t understand how we as adults can say it’s illegal, but it’s OK for this. We have to, as adults in this city, whether we have kids or not, say no. This is wrong. It’s an illegal, mind-altering drug." Which was as close as the article came to being biased.

Right off the bat, the article talks to a parent that doesn't understand how marijuana dispensaries work. Dispensaries don't appear advertise their goods and services in neon green lights. And confusion doesn't happen when you sit down with your kid and tell them that some adults need medicinal marijuana for their ailments.

Such a one sided article that tries to appear fair and balanced. Its really silly if you ask me.

Un-berievable.