...will you find the bizarre confluence that produces drugged-out health nuts.
The Associated Press reports that pot growers in Mendocino County wish to have their marijuana certified as "organic", indicating that it was not treated with synthetic pesticides. A formal request was filed with the state Department of Food and Agriculture, by the Mendocino County Agricultural Commissioner, on behalf of two pot growers who are concerned for their clients. Even more distrubing is the fact that a department spokesman said that the secretary is studying the request, instead of circular-filing it, which would be the proper response to such an asinine request.
Look, I'm all for legalizing marijuana, and would take a look at some other drugs (as long as the penalties for crimes committed while under their influence were radically increased). However, the fact remains that marijuana is illegal under federal law, despite what the state of California wants (hey lefties, you're the ones who wanted a strong federal government; deal with the consequences). Until those laws are repealed, marijuana growers should be prosecuted, not aided and abetted by elected officials. Of course, in Mendocino County, it's likely that all the county officials are a bunch of potheads too, since the county is filled with "vegans, vintners, libertarians and aging hippies", who vote accordingly.
I won't even go into the whole issue of organic certifications for drugs with known dangers. Organic wine and organic beer exist, but there does not appear to be much of a market for organic tobacco, for example. This article from a magazine called "Natural Life", briefly discusses "Organic vices", such as the three I listed (plus sucrose, another pariah amongst the granola cognoscenti). What's next, organic coca leaves? Organic poppies? I can just see farmers in Colombia and Afghanistan rushing to fill those particular niches.
posted on February 20, 2005 12:52 PM
