www.gay-sd.com FROM PAGE 8 MARIJUANA
in 1996 through passage of the state’s Compassionate Use Act, Prop. 215. “We can’t say that it’s more
effective,” Grant said. “What I can say based on these studies we’ve done is that it’s probably of the same order of magnitude or strength, if you will, as some of the existing treatments … like certain kinds of antidepressants or anti-epileptic drugs.” Grant said the side effects
from marijuana use on brain func- tion and memory that he’s seen in his short-term clinical trials have been on the “mild side.” “They have been some of the expected effects such as a person will feel more sedated, maybe some of their cognitive skills like their quickness of move- ment or ability to remember new things may be slightly changed while they’re actually taking the marijuana. “Similarly, studies that have been done looking retrospec- tively at heavier marijuana users in terms of lung function have not discovered any particular connection say with emphysema, lung cancer or allergic disor- ders, whereas with tobacco we definitely do see a connection,” Grant said. “That doesn’t mean there are no side effects. Cer- tainly, if I had just taken some marijuana for my neuropathy I should not be driving this car, but neither should I if I just took some Valium.” Prop. 19, argued Cisneros,
actually strengthens laws and penalties related to driving under the influence of marijuana, while also forbidding its sale or use around minors. However, Dumanis said par- ents may not realize that mari- juana has increased in potency since its use first became part of mainstream culture.
“People that think the marijua-
na of the ’60s and the ’70s is the same marijuana as it is today; it’s not,” she said. “It’s much more potent … so the high that they’re getting is much different.” Grant said marijuana used in
CMCR’s research is provided by the federal government and may not be as potent as what is sold on the streets.
“It may be the case that every- thing I’ve said about marijuana not having really (severe) long-term, deleterious health effects could be different 20 years from now if the potency has doubled or tripled,”
Grant said. “We just don’t know the answer to that question.” Dumanis countered the claim
that Prop. 19 would free up law enforcement and the judicial system to work on more serious and violent offenses. Currently “less than an ounce of marijuana is $100 fine” and a misdemeanor, she said. “It is in essence decriminalized anyway … so you don’t need (Prop. 19).” A bill signed into law ear- lier this month by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger—Senate Bill 1449, which Dumanis helped pass—will reduce the penalty for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana to an infraction begin- ning in January, “which is like a ticket” and would not be reflected in a person’s criminal record, Dumanis said. The law was pro- posed by openly gay Democratic state Sen. Mark Leno (similar measures, such as Senate Bill 420, have failed in the past). However, keeping marijuana illegal, much like prohibition during the Great Depression of the 1920s, opens its sale up to exploitation by criminal elements, Kazan said. “When it’s illegal, ultimately who’s selling it is cartels and gangsters—the people you really don’t want to be making that kind of money,” he said. “When it’s illegal you create a black market.” According to Cisneros, “The FBI estimates 60 percent of Mexi- can drug cartels’ money comes from sale of marijuana.” Dumanis said it is “naïve” for
voters to think that drug cartels would not still have their hand in marijuana trafficking should its sale be legalized in California. “The violence that we see in
Mexico is a direct result of people competing for business, and if people in the United States begin competing for the business … of the cartels, there’s going to be further problems,” she said. “I don’t believe it’s going to eradicate or put the cartels out of business. It’s going to make California the drug dealer of the nation.” Regulation of recreational use
would also require more money for code enforcement at a time when law enforcement’s budget is already stretched thin, Duma- nis said. Though municipalities will be able to tax and regulate marijuana sales, the measure does not include concrete provisions for regulation or taxation, Dumanis added, noting that taxation and implementation could vary from city to city.
NEWS “All of them could have dif-
ferent tax schedules … and the county could have an additional tax,” she said. “It would create a confusing patchwork of ordi- nances that would vary from city to city, and county to county.” —GSD Reporter Dave Schwab contributed to this story.
FROM PAGE 14 NORTHERN Roberts: A community is
only as strong as its citizens and I am so blessed to have so many LGBT families in San Diego County that encourage my public service and leadership. Last year, I was selected as a (David) Bohnett (Gay & Les- bian Leadership) scholar to the Harvard Kennedy School where I was able to expand my LGBT contacts throughout our state and nation. At Harvard, I expe-
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October 8-October 21, 2010 GAY SAN DIEGO
23
rienced diversity and learned the value of listening first, before re- acting. Back home here in North County, our family has grown over the past 10 years to now include five wonderful children and my support structure is phenom- enal to provide a venue for me to participate in so many civic activities. And groups such as North County LGBT Coalition are critical to our success in expand- ing tolerance and understanding. Without this tremendous support, I would not be able to be an LGBT role model and elected official. I hope to see you all at Pride @ the beach! 2010 on Oct. 9!
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