Porterville Recorder, 19 Oct 2010 – The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department is requesting the Board of Supervisors approve an operational agreement for the South Valley Marijuana Suppression Program. To underwrite these efforts, both Tulare and Fresno counties use a combination of general fund and grant money. The state’s Marijuana Supression II Program requires that counties create a joint marijuana suppression team to apply for funding with one county serving as fiscal agent for the grant, a staff report states.

Daily Forty-Niner, 18 Oct 2010 – Voter turnout among 18 to 29-year-olds is generally a low number and fluctuates depending on the election. The percentage of youth voters has slightly increased over the years, but it has never passed the highest rate of 55.4 percent in 1972, when 18-year-olds were able to vote in the presidential election for the first time. The second largest youth voter turnout was during the 2008 election of Barack Obama, where 66 percent of the votes from the that age group were in favor of Obama. This year’s upcoming November election is expected to have an increase in young voter turnout because of the California measure to legalize the cultivation, possession and transportation of marijuana. In fact, votes from youth will be crucial for the bill to pass.

The Orange County Register, 19 Oct 2010 – Given that it was written partially in response to opinion polls, rather than as an exercise in pure theory, Proposition 19, which would legalize the possession and use of up an ounce of marijuana (cannabis) for adult Californians, contains provisions that an advocate of pure devotion to liberty might not have included. Some of these provisions have raised questions, some justified and some exaggerated out of any relation to reality. We thought it appropriate to deal with some of these issues, chiefly the reasons for having a "local option" for sales and cultivation and the possible implication this proposal would have on the ability of employers to discipline people who are impaired at work due to cannabis use, and of police to handle drivers similarly impaired. Prop. 19 would establish a statewide policy, to wit: adults may possess up to an ounce of cannabis and may cultivate a patch of plants amounting to 25 square feet. But it contemplates that there will be a demand to purchase cannabis, as well, so it allows localities to develop their own policies for regulating cultivation and sales (and collecting taxes on them) or to prohibit any sales or cultivation beyond the 25-square-foot limit.

Record Searchlight, 17 Oct 2010 – The legalization of marijuana? Yes or no? Here are some points not often considered. Hundreds of illegal aliens together carry tons of marijuana across the border into the California each year. Trucks and cars drive marijuana across the border into California daily. They most often deliver their cargo to dealers here, who are in place to resell to local (retail) dealers. These illegal aliens do not want us to legalize marijuana. To legalize marijuana would drop the price per pound from an average of $4,000 now (retail) down to somewhere around $500 a pound. It would not be worth the risk even to drive it across the border. All of those who make their living this way would be out of luck and out of work. To legalize marijuana would take that opportunity away from these smugglers.

San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Oct 2010 – The Obama administration’s opposition to Proposition 19 and Attorney General Eric Holder’s pledge to "vigorously enforce" the federal ban on possessing, growing or selling the drug if voters approve the ballot measure, run contrary to all their promises. Candidate Barack Obama supported state’s rights, saying he’d leave it to us to determine whether cannabis would be legal or not.

Daily Forty-Niner, 18 Oct 2010 – When referring to drug use, yours not mine, it is important to look at these things in context. One of the biggest issues in this coming election will be the decision on Proposition 19 which "legalizes marijuana under California but not federal law." It also "permits local governments to regulate and tax commercial production, distribution, and sale of marijuana." As you all will remember The Dirge mentioned in the Welcome Back edition the best way to experiment with drugs during your college experience was to "Mooch." However, the law is changing again meaning you can buy your own under the same rules as booze.

The Orange County Register, 15 Oct 2010 – Before we take an official position on Proposition 19, which would make it legal for adults to possess and use up to an ounce of prepared marijuana and grow as much as will fit in a 25-square-foot patch, and authorize local options for larger-scale cultivation and sales, we thought it would be prudent and responsible to discuss some of the issues involved. We invite discussion by our readers. Prop. 19, as major proponent Richard Lee of Oakland told us early on in the process, is not a simple "now it’s legal, have the police do other things" statute. It was crafted to a great extent in response to public opinion polls that showed what aspects and methods of regulating and taxing marijuana (or cannabis) would be likely to garner support from mainstream voters, so it includes compromises and provisions that raise legitimate questions. Nonetheless, passage would be a major step in America’s policy toward certain drugs.

The Modesto Bee, 18 Oct 2010 – The law enforcers act as if they should influence the law itself. Possession of cannabis has been further decriminalized, but cultivating your own is still a felony. How will one obtain cannabis flowers? If they don’t want to risk the felony charge, they can buy from someone who is willing to risk prison time. Mike Harden and the rest say that people will be allowed to carry and use the substance at work. There is very little, if any, reason to believe that. The law says that employers cannot discriminate against cannabis users unless it impairs their work performance. If there is no impairment, what is the problem?

The Modesto Bee, 18 Oct 2010 – Marijuana myths are out of control. Prohibition has always put money into the pockets of criminals. The prohibition of marijuana has made it the "gateway drug" it is today. Parents should know that it’s much easier to call a friend to buy weed than it is to find a stranger to buy alcohol. The problem is drug dealers often sell more than just marijuana. Marijuana has numerous medicinal uses while alcohol just kills and destroys lives. Society has it backwards. This is the system we’ve created. Teaching our children the truth doesn’t mean we have to glorify the drug.

The Modesto Bee, 18 Oct 2010 – Dr. Howard Zinn, who died last January, said, "All wars start with a lie." So what about the war on drugs, specifically the war on marijuana? Early government-sponsored lies include statements that marijuana will cause a person to become insane, to become violent, or be incited by lust.