Pubdate: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 Source: Chico News & Review, The (CA) Copyright: 2014 Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact: http://www.newsreview.com/chico/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/559 Author: Ellen Comp Note: Author's name is Ellen Komp Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n916/a04.html REGARDING MEASURE A Re "Pot 'O money" (Downstroke, Dec. 11): California NORML objects strenuously to Butte County's requirement that medical marijuana be cultivated in a contiguous space, and to the proposed "Stay in the Box" campaign advanced by the Butte County Sheriff's Office to ensure compliance with this scheme. Cal NORML is in favor of using square footage of plant canopy rather than plant numbers as a scientific measure of crop yield, as determined by DEA studies. To force plants to grow in some imaginary box, crammed together, will increase the likelihood of disease, making for an unhealthy product. Many patients, especially AIDS patients, have compromised immune systems and are especially susceptible to molds in particular. Furthermore, growing this way will interfere with a patient harvesting their required amount of cannabis. As far as I understand state law, [the county's $446,500] budget allocation [for Measure A enforcement] won't go into effect until the board takes a second vote on it. Locals should contact their supervisors. Ellen Comp Cal NORML deputy director, Berkeley - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom