I had another Letter to the Editor published in the Albany Democrat-Herald today (5/2/15). They are great about publishing them, and I appreciate that. You should write one, too – the city pays particular attention to when opinions are posted in there about their actions, and in fact the articles are cut out and filed.  My source of the number of alcohol licenses is this OLCC link: OLCC Licenses in Oregon

Monday, May 11, 2015, we have been invited back to City Hall to the City Council Work Session to discuss why we should be allowed to be at the address we’re interested in purchasing.  It’s across the street from a place that is licensed to sell alcohol, and next to another one that could be.  It will require a change to or repeal of the ordinance they put into place last year.

Cannabis is forever being compared to alcohol, and will soon be controlled by the OLCC, just as alcohol is, so one would think that the same zoning laws would apply to both within cities, right?  Change must happen!

Here’s my letter that was published 5/2/15 in the Albany Democrat-Herald:

Every day someone dies as a result of alcohol. Alcohol also kills relationships, jobs, hopes, dreams, and ambitions. People do and say things while under the influence of alcohol that they would never consider doing otherwise. Tens of thousands of children have been molested or otherwise demonized while their monster was under the influence of alcohol.

Yet you can find alcohol across the street from schools, next to each and every residential neighborhood in the form of a “kwik-e-mart”, bar, winery, distillery, restaurant, or grocery store. Right next to homes, single family as well as apartment complexes that are full of families and children. There are more than 130 OLCC-licensed businesses in Albany, 387 in Linn County and more than 15,000 in the state.

Tell me again why a medical cannabis business can’t operate anywhere in town when the location is approved by the state? Cannabis cannot cause death by overdose. Stop the “Reefer Madness” and let the country heal!

Rhea Graham
Albany’s Canna Kitchen & Research/Gramsterdam
Albany (April 26)

If you would rather not attend and/or speak to the councilors, please send them an email instead. Perhaps we can get them educated as to the virtues of this non-toxic plant.  Inform them that unlike alcohol and opiates, Cannabis cannot kill you as we don’t have receptors on our brain stem for it.  Our City Manager, Wes Hare, was unaware of that fact so surely Mr Collins, Mr Kellum, Ms Johnson and the mayor don’t know that either.  As negatively as they react to the subject of Cannabis, you would think it caused cancer instead of killing it.  

Please remind them that OMMP patients are deserving citizens of this city … just as they are, and that they should not have to visit the industrial areas of town to purchase their Cannabis Remedies.  If they were treating those same ailments with alcohol, they could walk down the street to the kwik-e-mart and buy it … or right downtown (HELLO!!!) at the liquor store.  If that’s not close enough, there’s another one across the way.

Remind them, too, of the legitimate jobs that are being created.

It is time to put an end to this madness and discrimination.  Dick Olson, Ray Kopczynski, and Bill Coburn have all three shown great support for OMMP patients and legitimate businesses who are trying to help them.  Please give praise where due – we need one more vote from the other four.  

Their email addresses are: 

sharon.konopa@cityofalbany.net; 
pfcollins@comcast.net;
bessie.johnson@cityofalbany.net;
rich.kellum@cityofalbany.net 

rsolsen@proaxis.com;
ray.kopczynski@cityofalbany.net;
bcoburncc@gmail.com;

Thank you ever so much for your support, and we look forward to seeing you soon!