Record Searchlight, 05 Oct 2010 – I unfolded the paper Wednesday morning expecting an article somewhere on the front page about the gubernatorial debate between Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown the previous evening. But there was nothing. Wally Herger and the wisdom of the Record Searchlight did what neither Whitman or Brown could do. Somehow Herger was able to make the front page with a free political ad. Not just the front page mind you, but about half the print space on the front page with an "action" picture depicting two park rangers in fatigues descending a hill on a hot day and two, bold, eye catching headlines. Herger was able to establish that he was a law and order dude, against marijuana and marijuana growing on public lands, he was tough on those dastardly illegals and the Mexican drug cartels, and he was deeply concerned for the "severe threat to the public and the severe damage to our forest lands." Herger is so committed he "dangled below a helicopter" and was flown into a pot garden to view first hand what "the boots on the ground are dealing with." This was such riveting news that I found myself humming the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" louder and louder as I neared the conclusion of the article.

Merced Sun-Star, 06 Oct 2010 – Editor: Re: Sun-Star’s editorial Monday, "Want legal pot? Prop. 19 isn’t the way." Opinions abound on this topic: lawmakers, the U.S. drug czar, President Obama, California’s Board of Equalization, yours and pot proponents.

East Bay Express, 06 Oct 2010 – Berkeley and Oakland would expand their taxation, while Richmond and Albany consider getting into the game. Voters in four East Bay cities will have the chance to expand the medical cannabis industry, tax it at a greater rate, and prepare for the possible passage of Prop 19 this November, part of a trend across Northern California.

The Santa Barbara Independent, 05 Oct 2010 – Marijuana Is Not Harmless I encourage people think before they vote for the legalization of marijuana, Proposition 19 in the November 4 election. This is a different view, coming from a physician specialized in psychiatry as well as addiction, and a resident of our beloved state of California.

Wall Street Journal, 06 Oct 2010 – Even if Californians vote next month to legalize marijuana, possession of the drug will still be a criminal offense under federal law, which trumps state law almost every time under the U.S. Constitution. But crackdowns on users and small-scale growers could decrease if Californians pass Proposition 19, the ballot measure proposing to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.

Los Angeles Times, 05 Oct 2010 – Though Less Hazardous Than Many Other Drugs, Marijuana Is Not Without Risk, and Prop. 19 Voters Need to Understand This. In the debate on legalizing marijuana, which Californians will vote on in November in the form of Proposition 19, the health risks of marijuana are often overlooked.

Merced Sun-Star, 04 Oct 2010 – A deeply flawed measure would create many more problems than it could hope to solve. California ought to have a serious debate on whether to legalize marijuana for personal use. If lawmakers won’t confront the issue, it might even be time for a ballot initiative to change the law.

San Francisco Chronicle, 05 Oct 2010 – There’s clearly been a change in Californians’ views about marijuana. Proposition 19, which would legalize possession for adults older than 21, is leading in the polls – an outcome that would have been unthinkable just 10 years ago. So perhaps Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who opposes Prop. 19, was trying to find a middle way between the costly status quo and a potentially damaging free-for-all when he signed SB1449 last week. SB1449, authored by state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, makes marijuana possession an infraction rather than a misdemeanor.

Los Angeles Times, 04 Oct 2010 – PRESSING HIS POT LUCK Amid a Hazy Maze of Federal, State and Local Rules, Richard Lee Has Become a Marijuana Millionaire and Major Voice for Legalization. Richard Lee rolled his wheelchair up the ramp and glided onstage, steering himself to a table draped in a green cloth with "Oaksterdam University" spelled out in gold, varsity-sweater letters.

Tahoe Daily Tribune, 03 Oct 2010 – Bruce Grego’s "Suffering slings and ‘pot shots’" is a perfect illustration of hypocrisy. Regarding cannabis (marijuana), Grego doesn’t like changing words, such as "drugs" to "medicine," "drug distribution center" to "dispensaries," or "drug users" to "patients." But it’s OK to refer to the God-given plant cannabis, not as a plant but rather a "drug."