The Young Turks

And I know I will come off bossy ;)  But I began the Open Threads as topic-free posts for people to talk about whatever was on their mind.  When the thread includes topics, like you and nobias have done, it isn't really an Open Thread, is it?  I mean, this is something that deserves a post with a title!!!  I want to discuss Medical Marijuana.

I have been starting a new Open Thread when the current one drops to the #20 position, but now it seems people want one every day?  I am down with that.  I don't need to be the only person to start Open Threads, but I would like to see them be topic-free.  Another thing I try to do is make them nonpartisan by just including a photo.  I wanted to honor the fact that we have non-democrats here.

Now, on to the topic of medical marijuana!!

In case you missed it, the New Yorker had an article on medical marijuana in California about a month ago too.  I lived in Arcata (the town in the ABC article) for 5 years and have been going there for many more.  My company has an office overlooking the Plaza seen in the photos of the ABC article.  My desk had a window and it was hard to avoid watching bizarre things happen daily outside on the Plaza.  I have to say that Arcata is a magnet for reggae-listening 20-somethings getting it over on the man!  When I moved there, I had to consider that most white guys I might want to date there would have dreadlocks.  But that's also because it is college town.  We jokingly call the Plaza folks "soilers" for their dragging pant legs ;)  The rest of the population seems made up of Slow Fooders, and then the thousands of Geologists, and Fisheries Biologists that Humboldt State University churns out.

So, if you are looking for a serious discussion of medical marijuana, Arcata is not a good example.  It is a great example of how marijuana could boost small town economies if made legal.  It isn't fair to represent it as the face of medical marijuana.

The topic of Medical Marijuana should be addressed in a serious fashion, and the conversation should include health professionals, ethicists, law enforcement officials, etc.  I hate articles that make it look like some are taking advantage of the MMJ system we have now.  Of course there are people that will take advantage--isn't that true for just about anything?  Sadly, no politician is going to touch this on a national level anytime soon. 

I had been wanting to share this series with Turks, in case anyone else is interested in the subject of MMJ.

"In a unique new segment, Salem-News.com brings viewers the words and wisdom of one of Oregon's most famous doctors, Dr. Phillip Leveque, a man who fought in World War Two and now fights to make access to marijuana a matter of reality. He also was instrumental in the initial changing of Oregon law that allowed medical the use of Medical Marijuana in the first place."

I would love to see this man on The Young Turks.

Having lived in Arcata a bit myself, I think the way the article portrays this particular cooperative is a bit sensationalized. I have seen many people with obviously catastrophic conditions going there. This is likely because it has a good environment. The cooperative looks very clean from the outside and there are obviously posted signs prohibiting cell phone use, an identification requirement, as well as a sign reminding patrons not to litter on the property. The reporter must have shown up at 4:20.

The only disputes this cooperate had were the owner complaining to a neighboring shop of its patrons where blowing cigarette smoke into his door. They evidentally served Indian food there (wish I had known!) but were shut down by the City. The local anti-pot crowd have tried to shut down this particular cooperative due to them being an open and friendly place as opposed to the more impersonal doctor's office environment that they envision.

It is not ABC's fault as the local news reports with same slant plus a bit of Nixonian cultural bias.