As I was reading from your paper about a marijuana dispensary
that may open in Gilroy by two Morgan Hill men, I recalled a story
I saw in 2007 in the San Diego Union Tribune.
Dear Editor,
As I was reading from your paper about a marijuana dispensary that may open in Gilroy by two Morgan Hill men, I recalled a story I saw in 2007 in the San Diego Union Tribune.
It related the events surrounding two students who showed up on an El Cajon campus high on marijuana. When questioned, they produced a medical marijuana recommendation from a Mission Valley clinic, claiming their drug use was permitted.
The students were suspended and the district sent a letter to parents reminding them that marijuana is prohibited on any school campus, doctor’s note or not.
The incident got the attention of the chief of the narcotics division of the San Diego County District Attorney’s office, who said he’s been frustrated that he is powerless to prosecute doctors who might be signing off on marijuana use for anyone willing to pay.
The 1996 passage of state Proposition 215 allows the use of medical marijuana, and a subsequent federal court ruling prohibits prosecution of a doctor for recommending medical marijuana.
The state medical board does not investigate physicians who recommend marijuana as long as they examine the patient, develop a treatment plan, periodically consult with the patient, and keep proper records. A parent must provide consent if marijuana is recommended for a minor. In the El Cajon case, one student was 18 and did not need parental consent and the other had visited the clinic with his mother.
It was unclear whether either student had a medical condition that warranted a recommendation from a doctor.
The district attorney also said that a December 2005 federal raid of marijuana dispensaries in this area showed that most patients who got medical marijuana recommendations were younger than 30, and most patients said they suffered from anxiety, insomnia or depression. Very few received marijuana for cancer, glaucoma or AIDS.
Could the minors get their hands on the supposed medical use only materials? Would our school district need to send out the same note that El Cajon high school did? With limited resource in city government and the school district, is this the right time? I am hoping the local policy makers take all aspect of this issue into consideration to reach a sound decision.
Hedy Chang, Morgan Hill
A lot of hardworking professionals looking forward to changes at SCVWD
Dear Editor
This is a reply to the editorial titled “Time for the Water District to Answer A Few Questions.”
You have every right to question how our very precious taxpayer dollars are spent, especially during these challenging times, and good reason to take the time to write such an angry editorial.
It is acknowledged that the Water District has been through some very rough waters these last several years, which coupled with the poor economy, has caused scrutiny, negativity and a well-deserved microscope on the district’s activities and decisions.
Here’s the good news: You may know that the new CEO, Beau Goldie, a Morgan Hill resident, was appointed by the Board of Directors with a 7-0 unanimous vote after reviewing 59 applicants, and a very wise decision was made. What you may not know is the support, enthusiasm and respect for this appointment is unprecedented, with all due respect to our previous leaders. Goldie, a home-grown and unique individual whose ascent through district ranks started 25 years ago, is extremely hard-working, knowledgeable, fiscally responsible, a swift decision maker and a friendly leader who will get things done. He is most deserving of this position, daunting as it may seem at this time. Since this decision by the board, comments can be heard in the hallways such as, “I’ll work my butt off for Beau,” “He pushes people to excellence,” “Whatever he needs me to do, I’ll drop what I’m doing and make it happen,” “He’ll roll up his sleeves and work in the creeks with us,” and how about this one – “This appointment is an answer to prayer.”
It has been painful to read the scathing and negative commentary written about our elected board and the water district in recent months. Beau has been officially on the job just five days as of the date of this writing. Let’s give him a chance. We’ll leave the decisions to the board members you’ve elected to decide which projects are most important to work on. In the meantime, rest assured that you will have an adequate supply of clean and safe water to drink, and we hope you are enjoying the new trails we are working on to enhance your communities and promote better quality of life.
And when the floods come, don’t fear: the water district is still here. Our people are trained and prepared, on the ready, and will be out there in the rain to help keep you safe.
So not to worry, South County, Beau’s got your back, and we’ve got his. You deserve your money’s worth and this very talented and diverse workforce is energized, dedicated and more purpose-driven than ever. So with everyone’s support, we’ll get ‘Hey Noah’ to turn this Titanic around.
And no, this was not written by any high paid attorney, and not even on district time, because we’ve got plenty of other work to do behind the scenes.
Sue Turner, Morgan Hill, SCVWD employee for 28 years and just one of many faithful “people behind your water”
