“Well, well, them’s some mighty fine outdoor marijuana plants, Mr. Medical Marijuana Patient. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to them. Tell you what I’m gonna do; me and my boys here can offer you the peace of mind of a little protection for your plants… for a fee, of course.”
(Ukiah Daily Journal) Sheriff Tom Allman’s voluntary medical marijuana zip tie fee of $25 per plant was added to the master fee schedule by a unanimous vote of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
County Counsel Jeanine Nadel said the details of the change in county code were still being debated in committee, but that the board could adopt the fee separately.
“In the meantime since it didn’t appear we were going to have the ordinance resolved before July,” she said, “we decided to bring the zip ties in to the master fee process so that zip ties can go on sale by July 1.”
Fourth District Supervisor Kendall Smith said the committee would bring forward its recommendations, but that it wouldn’t be until after the start of the 2009/10 fiscal year.
“We’re only talking about a $25 fee here,” she said. “We’re not talking about a lot of money.”
Yeah, it’s only $25/plant in a county that allows patients to grow up to 25 plants. Fortunately, patients won’t be asked to “voluntarily” shell out $625 for 25 zip ties, because the county will only sell you six. So for $150 dollars, patients can “voluntarily” protect six of their 25 allowed plants.
But just what are these zip ties “voluntarily” protecting the plants from?
(Emerald Triangle News) Sheriff Allman … said “In summary, what we’re trying to do is give a very clear opportunity to people who are legitimate medical marijuana growers and give them some comfort,” he said. “This will speak for them in the same way a prescription bottle speaks for itself.”
Medical Marijuana Patients in Mendocino County will be able to purchase 6 “marijuana zip ties” with a standard Medical Marijuana Card or doctors recommendation, additional Medical Marijuana Program zipties will be available with a doctors approval recommending more marijuana than the typical state approved and Mendocino Measure B backed 6 plant limit. The current law in Mendocino county states that a patient may currently have 25 plants. Other amendments made Monday to the county’s marijuana ordinance include the addition of a $25 fee for dispensing tags to medical marijuana growers, with a half-priced rate for patients on Medi Cal and disabled veterans. The tags — zip ties with serial numbers on them — are voluntary.
[One supervisor] said that legalization was the ultimate answer, but failing that was throwing his support behind the program.
“I look at it as a real protection for the medical marijuana growers,” he said. “Without the zip ties they’re susceptible to losing their medicine and being subject to criminal prosecutions. I’ve been wrangling with this issue since 1995 and the sheriff on his own came up with an innovative ideas. I think we ought to at least give it a chance.”
Ah, the $25 zip ties you have to buy from the sheriff are to protect your outdoor marijuana plants from the sheriff. Yeah, I’d say the sheriff has a pretty innovative idea there, except for the fact the Mafia came up with it centuries ago and called it “a protection racket”.
Loading ...
So you’re the voice eh Russ? Okay, but that doesn’t really make me want to jump on this bandwagon. However, I would like to take the time to point out some good things about the tag system. I am a patriot. I have paid a whole bunch of taxes in my day. I am 59 years old and was a business man for 30 years, and I have a 215 that I abide by. I follow the rules. Now that you have my qualifications: The tag system should work like this in Humboldt County.
If you want to grow outdoors you go in to the courthouse and pay 50 dollars for every pot plant that you want to grow. This is called taxes. These taxes go to wherever it is agreed upon. I suggest funding CAMP. Anyway, paying your taxes makes you one of the good guys. So now you are free to make your fortune. OH! Okay, I wont talk about that part, as is it not cool. Lets talk about the Sheriff. His job is to run around and pull up every plant he can find with no tag on it. All of them dammit . Hire more guys.
This system can control the quality of the product and eliminate the non compliant grows that are ruining the market and reputation of the product. You guys better start greasing some wheels pretty darned quick or when the feds get involved you are going to wind up working for RJ Reynolds. They won’t screw around once they make a move. Put the pressure on the Supes to get going on this. They can fill the potholes with their doe or feed the homeless or just help some dumbass that is too lazy to work.They are all that stands between you and legal hell. THAT’S the American way, and it works.
Seriously, this is either business or bullshit.
This Prophet asked God about Marijuana, saying, “God, I know that you have made it lawful where I live to make use of Marijuana with this Medicinal Right here in California, that while delivering your Message I may be veiwed as being lawful and upright in all of my doings! And, much of my society has been trying to give me shame for making use of that which you created. God, I do not want to be doing anything that you do not want me to be doing! Is it alright with you that I make use of marijuana?” God seriously answered, saying, “Mark, I have many many things, and put them upon the earth, for the children to make use of, to enjoy, and be content with! There is one thing that I see that may be very important for you to know! Mark, marijuana will not be in Heaven when you get here!” After hearing this, my thoughts went right to a verse in the Bible that asks us to, not lean upon the things of this world for when we get to heaven it will not be there and if we are still leaning upon it we may fall.
Now, I share this Testimony with cigarette smokers, coffee drinkers and man-made drug users
humbly, Prophet Mark
Is the Sheriff an elected official in Mendocino County? I will run for sheriff if the people would vote for me. I would promise to protect all citizens and make it known to criminals that you picked the wrong county to rob houses in. I would also fire deputies who believe that marijuana is worth using company time to bust. I am amazed that on CNBC the sheriff was ashamed that 65% of the jobs in the county were marijuana related. If that is true, then why couldn’t someone with better policies get 65% of the vote? Hey Mendocino County, Mikey for sheriff anyone?
A positive sign… at $25 per plant. Why is that, because zip ties are so expensive and clearly labeled plants save the police from wasting our taxpayer money? No, this is an effort to squeeze bucks out of sick and disabled people, intimidate them into growing less plants, and provide a convenient defense for cops who do rip up legal gardens (“Well, we gave them the option to zip tie their plants; how were we to know they were medical?”)
This is the police getting involved instead of just raiding when they feel like it. It’s a bit backwoods but somehow I see this as a positive sign.
I got it, No One buy the tags and then they wont even get to implement the program and they will give up the plan!
This is a joke, like those cops are doing it to help medical card holders, no way, they hate medical marijuana and everyone knows it!