By Libby
Some will probably use the NYT's latest piece on medical marijuana that details community complaints about the current businesses in operation in California as proof that a legalized cannabis industry won't work. However the complaints are mainly about the encroachment of grow houses in residential neighborhoods and people who have abused the current somewhat amorphous language to create commericial operations that go beyond the intent of the law. And a lot of people don't like the smell of the plants, although if you ever smelled a livestock farm for instance, it's far less offensive and in any event technology exists to mitigate odors.
These small problems don't so much illustrate a failure in legalizing marijuana, as they underline the danger of taking half measures. The laws are unclear and since the current legislation leaves the cannabis industry with only a quasi-legal status these problems are to be expected as people test the limits. In a fully legal environment, these problems could be easily solved with standardized regulations and zoning restrictions.
The bottom line is medical marijuana is a wanted and needed commodity with huge potential to generate much needed revenue. If we also legalized recreational use, the potential growth of the industry is almost limitless. The current problems are simply a result of the failure to fully commit to this plant as a legitimate agricultural crop. [Part one is here]
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