VIDEO: Council Candidates Express Medical Marijuana Opinions, Respectfully

Every candidate respectfully expressed an understanding that seriously ill residents need and use cannabis. Two candidates even shared personal stories about cancer patients need for safe access in Imperial Beach.

At no time did candidates refer to marijuana derogatorily as 'pot', or dispensaries as 'pot shops'!

Use of hate-driven, derogatory terms by the candidates would have been as inappropriate as the terms used by Mayor Janney - in his official capacity - and the groups "Citizens Against Proposition S" and "No on S" which, according to Patch include former mayor Diane Rose, former councilmembers Dee McLean, Mayda Winter and Patricia McCoy.

Over the past three years, there have been countless city council meetings about medical marijuana, where at no time did officials use the term 'pot' to describe cannabis. 

However, so far, derogatory name-calling and hate-speech is written into all of the official opposition documents, which include; official ballot Arguments Against Prop S, official ballot Rebuttal to Arguments for Prop S, and a flier distributed at an official school board meeting.

After I officially worked, for years, with three of the six opposition leaders, it is my heartfelt opinion that our current and former city officials owe the public an educated, informed, rational and honest debate regarding this health care issue!

Respected officials, and trusted citizens, should not provide residents with hate-filled words to use against neighbors - who may be seriously ill patients - using a scientifically sound medical treatment that is never referred to scientifically, medically, legally, or professionally as 'pot'!

Imperial Beach City Council candidates expressed their position and views on the use of medical marijuana, absent the term 'pot', at the Candidates Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and held at the Imperial Beach Boys and Girls Club on Tuesday, September 25th.

If you see Mayor Janney, tell him he should not sign his name and title to derogatory name-calling.  Ask the mayor to avoid providing hate-speech to his neighbors about such an important community issue. Tell Mayor Janney that he really should respect patients in his official arguments.

If you encounter any of Citizens Against Prop S, ask them to debate this issue respectfully, too.