Editor:

I enjoyed Ryan Burns’ article “When Weed is Legal” (April 2) and I don’t have a problem with marijuana. In fact, I feel the government’s efforts to protect me has actually placed my family in a more dangerous situation.

My concern is that J. D. wired 9,000 watts of lighting by himself. He admits that his wiring experience comes from only four hours of Internet reading and he can’t fathom how so many growers burn their houses down. I’m sure if I spent four hours on the Internet studying how to grow marijuana, I could probably grow some plants but I certainly would not be an expert. The same is true with J.D. trying to wire a vital circuit. The main difference is that J.D.’s actions could be detrimental to others. What about his fiancée and two dogs? Or the innocent neighbors next door? Or the fireman who is injured – or worse, loses his life – trying to save your house?

Come on, J.D. Call a licensed electrician and make sure you have a dedicated circuit that meets today’s electrical standards. I’m not an expert but I do know that there are a lot of potential hazards when wiring 9,000 watts of lighting and an elaborate exhaust system. This is Humboldt County. All of us know licensed electricians that are interested only in protecting you – not what you are growing.

Robert Cherry, Eureka

Sweet Spot: Robert Cherry wins a Bon Boniere sundae for sending our favorite letter of the week.

Editor:

Prop. 215 vague and confusing? Really? It is written in plain English (not bullshit legalese) so anyone who speaks English can understand it. A person needs a doctor’s recommendation (a prescription is not specified, so a verbal recommendation will do). Limits to the amounts a patient needs were not included because the authors recognized that different conditions and physiologies would require differing amounts of medication. Laws relating to marijuana possession, use and cultivation would not apply to medical cannabis users. Doctors would not be liable to punishment for prescribing pot. What is confusing or vague?

The only people who find this vague and confusing are those “intelligent” people who are lawyers, politicians or law enforcement – people whose lives are consumed with rules, regulations and telling people what to do. These people freaked because they need to have control over everything, and this removed their authority to control a specific aspect of a certain subset of the population.

Legalization? No way! The government will overregulate it and probably make it illegal to grow your own. You would have to get your weed from some corporation, and we know how corporations cheapen and degrade every product to maximize profits for shareholders (corporations have forgotten that all their businesses are supported by consumers, not shareholders). Our pot will be full of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. The quality will be degraded. Finally, money will be taken from local individuals and given to giant corporations who hide their money overseas to avoid taxes. At least the locals spend their money in local stores that will pay sales taxes to benefit the local communities.

Rick Siegfried, Eureka