[420 Girl]

It's high time we Californians start thinking outside the box when it comes to finding ways to get our state's finances back in the black. I'm sure that most of us think about what state-funded programs should be cut or what jobs could be reduced. We all gripe about our Legislature and their inability to turn this state around.

Instead of cuts and personnel reductions, I have my own suggestion on how to fill the ever growing budget gap.

California has already legalized the use of medical marijuana by those that carry the state approved, doctor prescribed "get-out-of-jail free" card. California allows medical dispensaries in several counties to sell marijuana to those card-carrying folks. I'm not proposing a change in the law at this point, although I do believe additional legalization would create a whole new spectrum of state-run departments to govern the sale of marijuana. And, even after the cost to run such departments, we'd still have plenty of profits to plump up our state checkbook.

In 2009, California law organizations seized 4.4 million plants from illegal growers, with a street value of $17.8 billion — yes, billions. In just the past month, officers in Stevinson uprooted and burned over 9,000 plants with a street value of $9.4 million. It took over eight hours to pull and burn the crop. More recently, in a field near Los Banos, they burned another $3.6 million worth of illegally grown plants.

This is such a lost opportunity to refill the bone-dry coffers of our state and county.

Medical marijuana dispensaries can purchase product from state licensed growers of their choice. I see no reason why they could not also purchase such product from our law enforcement agencies. Why watch millions of dollars worth of confiscated marijuana go up in smoke when it can be funneled into our local and state financial systems? Granted, the dispensary won't pay the current street value of the marijuana. But our government agencies could take in millions and reap the benefits of the illegal growers with little more investment of time and effort than what they already are doing.

The state, or counties, could create a department dedicated to overseeing the sale and distribution of the confiscated plants. We'd create jobs and collect huge profits with a mere change in law enforcement practices and policy.

The state and counties are already collecting permit fees and taxes from the dispensaries. County and city police departments should consider doing business with them vs. against them. The millions generated could provide programs and services in our communities or fund additional positions in law enforcement agencies.

Sounds crazy: cops selling pot for profit, but how crazy is it to burn something that is considered legal when distributed to a state-approved dispensary? Our honorable officers succeeded in eradicating an illegal crop and kept it off the streets from illegal buyers, but the only thing they accomplished by burning it was maybe making some nearby residents mellow and hungry for Twinkies and potato chips.


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Modesto Bee
Author: Sue Vidauri
Contact: The Modesto Bee
Copyright: 2010 The Modesto Bee
Website: Why burn confiscated marijuana? Sell it as meds


http://www.420magazine.com/forums/in...sell-meds.html