The Union, 01 Oct 2010 – Let me start by saying that I am not a lifelong marijuana activist. In fact, I spent many years as a police officer arresting drug users, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the harms that drugs cause our society. But it was my experience policing the streets that showed me how much our current prohibition of marijuana harms society and puts our children at risk.

Los Angeles Times, 01 Oct 2010 – The value of plants confiscated in broad areas across the region has soared to $130 million, nearly three times last year’s haul. The Santa Monica Mountains and other rugged terrain across the region have become fertile ground for illegal marijuana growers, with authorities reporting a major uptick in the discovery and eradication of pot-growing farms.

The Oakland Tribune, 02 Oct 2010 – In November, Californians will have an opportunity to make marijuana legal. But a new state law is already doing everything but legalize it — making possession of less than an ounce of pot no more serious than driving faster than the speed limit. A bill signed Thursday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reduces the crime from a misdemeanor to an infraction, meaning that those caught smoking merely need to pay a $100 fine, won’t have to appear in court and won’t have a criminal record.

The Union, 01 Oct 2010 – Proposition 19 will allow every city and county in the state to have completely different ordinances regarding growing and taxation of marijuana. It will not reduce the cost of marijuana, it will not eliminate the cartels, there is no guarantee of an increase in tax revenues, it will jeopardize safety in the workplace, and it will increase the work load for law enforcement.

Pasadena Weekly, 30 Sep 2010 – Reading ex-law enforcement officials support Proposition 19 ("Cops for pot," Sept. 16) helps create trust with the law enforcement community. It also helps people understand that many law enforcement personnel are afraid to speak out. Ultimately ending cannabis prohibition is a matter of what’s right and wrong. Caging and punishing responsible adult humans for using what God says is good on the first page of the Bible is wrong, plain and simple. STAN WHITE, DILLON, COLO. – — MAP posted-by: Jo-D

The Santa Barbara Independent, 30 Sep 2010 – Grant Money To Help Pay For Crackdown On Cultivators In less than two years, the amount of marijuana seized in Santa Barbara County during raids of both indoor and outdoor illegal grow operations has increased nearly 350 percent, according to Sheriff’s Department data. With the majority of those busts coming during the summer months, when funding for such sweeps and arrests comes from the multi-agency CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Planting) program, the Sheriff’s Department recently applied for and, as of this week, received a state grant earmarked specifically to help find, raid, arrest, and prosecute illegal marijuana growers for the rest of the year.

Stanford Daily, 30 Sep 2010 – Students and Profs Weigh in on Calif. Proposition to Legalize Marijuana On Nov. 2, California might just become the envy of Bob Marley fans across the country. Proposition 19, a measure that proposes legalization of marijuana possession for adults 21 and over, has blazed up more emotional reactions than iPod lighter apps at a Palo Alto High School dance.

Sierra Sun, 01 Oct 2010 – How would you feel if someone planted a GPS device under your car when it was parked in your driveway and afterward tracked your travels? Does it change your answer if the GPS installer is the government? What if the car owner is a suspected marijuana grower? GPS Planted

The Santa Barbara Independent, 30 Sep 2010 – Support for Pot Prop. 19 Grows as Public’s Backing for Legalization Climbs Higher In the haze of memory, aging liberal boomers may recall California in the 1960s as a permissive playground of public forbearance and freedom to consume mass quantities of marijuana.

Daily Pilot, 01 Oct 2010 – Concerns Abound That Initiative Could Allow a School Bus Driver to Be Under the Influence of Cannabis. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education has directed its staff to draft a resolution opposing Proposition 19, a November ballot initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults.