Weed n' Feed

Sometimes being unemployed is a good thing.  Maybe not so much being unemployed but at least not being employed as a city planner.  Yes, that is what I meant.  Examples of such epiphanies include newspaper articles regarding zoning issues in the city where I used to work.  For instance, the hot button issue of current times is medical marijuana.  In Montana, it is legal to possess marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.  I will not get into the gist of what is required to obtain said card although I am sure the state legislature will be changing these rules as it seems that anyone can claim the need, with or without a debilitating illness (I know this for a fact as a number of the young men that have worked for my husband have received medical marijuana cards for “chronic pain.”  This “chronic pain” has never interfered with their ability to attend work, go folfing (aka frisbee golf), skiing, snow boarding, boating, partying, 4x4'ing, etc.  The only thing “chronic” about their pain is it is a pain caused by longing for smoking of the chronic.).


One controversial aspect of medical weed happens to be whether it is allowed by zoning.  Is it an agricultural crop?  Is growing it a home occupation?  Should dispensaries (stores where you buy medical marijuana) be allowed in all business zones the same as convenience stores and pharmacies?  Is it really a medical need drug – like Tylenol – or should it still be treated as an illegal substance (which by federal law it is still classified as such) –and if so, can it be sold in a store?  If my neighbor is growing it for others, do I have a right to now?  Should medical marijuana suppliers be allowed in school zones as it is technically not an illegal drug if used correctly with a doctor's endorsement.  The list goes on and on and on.  Not being required to answer those questions or really ponder the answers is another reason I am happy not to be a practicing planner.


Additional reasons for said happiness is that I no longer have to discuss the legal ramifications and “try” to explain all the issues to the general public at large.  Mainly, this is good because I no longer must spend hours speaking to mental midgets (and I am trying not be stereotypical here because I know many people who smoke out and are not mental midgets).  When a high person is in your office and is asking questions and spaces out during the answers and giggles every time you use the word “but” as a conjunction, it makes one's job rather difficult.  Also, I do not enjoy the smell of patchouli.  That is another reason I am glad I am no longer meeting with people about this issue in my office.  I am also not a fan of stinky dreadlocks.  Again, I shall reiterate, that I am not trying to be stereotypical as I know many who smoke and lead productive lives.  The truth of the matter is that every stereotype I mentioned is because I dealt with people like this will working as planner.  I also dealt with the people who wore those silly crocheted hats, the Rasta-kind I guess, you know what I mean, the kind that actually look more like a beret mixed with a hacky sack than a real functioning hat....


Bill O'Reilly was discussing medical marijuana the other day.  CNN brings it up constantly (which leads me to believe that they must have a number of staff members who are using medical marijuana as it seems to be a favorite issue of theirs, that and nasty ol' Lindsey Lohan).  Wal-mart fires workers who test positive even if they have a “medical” need for the card.  The issue is every where.  Well, everywhere except here since I really have no need to care anymore except for the fact that I am thinking about applying for a conditional use permit to operate an agricultural enterprise on my ½ acre to open my own ganja farm.  :)