Every seat was filled in the Board of Supervisors chambers last evening for the League of Women Voters Forum on Measure W. The measure would uphold a current ban on outdoor grows of marijuana in the county, and limit the number of plants allowed to be grown indoors to twelve. Don Bessee, Executive Director of Smart Approaches to Marijuana of Northern California was presenting the “Yes” side .on Measure W,  and Hezekiah Allen, Executive Director of the California Growers Association argued the “No” on W position. Allen says Measure W if passed could strip the county of the ability to modify regulations in the future.

click to listen to Hezekiah Allen 

Bessee supported measure W as a zoning issue.

click to listen to Don Bessee

Measure W would ban all outdoor grows but Bessee argues patients would still be able to grow indoors .  He quoted a marijuana trade magazine that stated for $500, a medical marijuana patient could purchase  an indoor grow unit with 12-hundred wattage lights. Allan countered that the sun is the best method of growing cannabis that provides the medicine patients need.