Proposition 19

I attended a very interesting debate today, sponsored by the Escondido Rotary Club. Prop 19 deals with the legalization of marijuana.

Approaching the meeting I was leaning toward being in favor of the legislation but after hearing the arguments, both for and against, by outstanding speakers, I've decided to oppose this present proposed legislation.

It's just not very well crafted; too many loopholes.

If they come back with properly crafted legislation, I could see me supporting it. As presently drafted, large corporations, with zero tolerance laws, would be required to fire you if you had any trace elements of marijuana in your system. Normally, it stays with you for a week or more; follicle testing will stay with you for a month. That would both be an invasion of privacy in that you were not smoking pot at work, it's something you did at home, on your own time, in the privacy of your home. Yet if you were randomly tested, and showed traces of TCH in your system, you'd be fired by a corporate or governmental agency.

I also have a problem in that school bus drivers and other mass transit folks could, theoretically, be driving their rigs while under the influence. That puts kids and members of the general public at risk.

The proposed legislation did not only address medical marijuana (which I generally support; if it relieves pain in cancer patients and other patients with catastrophic illness. . . go for it) but a broad variety of issues. Too broad in my judgment. I don't think it was thought through sufficiently.

Back to the drawing boards. Next time? Maybe. We'll have to see.

Thanks to the Escondido Rotary Club for a fantastic meeting - great program, great people.