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By Bruce Cain (about the author) Page 1 of 2 page(s)
For OpEdNews: Bruce Cain - Writer Why is it that no one (e.g., Anderson Cooper (CNN), Richard Lee (Oaksterdam University), High Times, NORML, MPP or DPA) will talk about the one real solution to destroying the Mexican Drug Cartels and providing cheap medicine to the sick? The term MERP is basically a one syllable contraction of the aconymn: "The Marijuana Re-Legalization Policy Project, or (MRPP). MERP is much easier to pronounce than MRPP, for most of us. Then read all the articles and watch all the videos concerning MERP. If you don't have the time just read this one article for an overview: Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people: Click here to see the most recent messages sent to congressional reps and local newspapers www.newagecitizen.com The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
The obvious solution is to allow all adults to simply grow as much Marijuana as they want without taxation, regulation or other forms of government interference. The drug cartels would be out of business in a week; the sick would have access to cheap medicine (free to $30 an ounce) and about 27 Billion dollars would stay in the US each year.
That, in essence, is the MERP Model which is supported by Bruce W. Cain, John Sinclair and many others. Note that John Lennon, of the Beatles, came to John Sinclair's aid in 1971 after he was put in jail for 10 years for 2 joints. For more:
goto newagecitizen.com
Then click on "MERP Headquarters"
“How to Make Marijuana Free and Legal for All Adults Within A Year”
Under MERP, personal cultivation is treated like a sacred inalienable liberty. The government cannot tax, regulate or interfere with personal cultivation. MERP does not preclude the government from issuing commercial licenses or taxing commercial sales. But it can do nothing about personal cultivation, which will insure modest prices. And that is exactly what is required if we really want to destroy the Mexican Drug Cartels and insure that medical patients -- many who are unable to work and living in poverty -- have free (Marijuana grown outdoors) or cheap access to their medicine (Marijuana grown indoors).
Some call MERP radical, but it is really no more radical than the way we treat beer and wine: you can produce both at home without taxes, regulation or other forms of government interference.
Richard Lee's upcoming initiative, in California, is more like the current hard liquor model: personal cultivation would still be treated as a serious crime -- just as with the moonshine distillers in the southern states (e.g., Tennessee).
Under Richard Lee's "hard liquor" model you will still be harassed and go to jail for merely cultivating you own Marijuana. Sorry Richey baby, but this is not acceptable.
Before launching your initiative Lee's model needs to be rewriten to meet the criteria of the MERP Model. Otherwise I think it should be rejected.
As a "Ken Kesey Unitarian" (e.g., Read "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test") and unabashed "intellectual hippie" I see through Lee's self-serving agenda and I really don't like what I see. The hippies had it right when they attempted to break away from government "control" by establishing their communes and insisted on having full access to "Mother Nature's" favorite plant.
You need to also consider that as the economy tanks, Marijuana can also be grown for hemp flour, hemp oil: both of which are some of the most nutritious foods on the planet. People will need to grow hundreds of plants for this purpose. Under Richey’s plan this will never happen.
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Do not tax or regulate the pesonal cultivation of Marijuana!
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