Poll: Cannabis sativa, medical marijuana and cities

I’ve inhaled once, the year was 2005 and I was 38 at the time (There Is A First Time For Everything). I was with three friends, all very responsible adults, and I was curious.  I see marijuana as less destructive than alcohol or tobacco.

DENVER — Medical marijuana dispensaries are springing up in Colorado’s major cities like coffee shops, nail parlors, tanning salons or taco shops.

It’s been 10 years since Colorado voted to allow the use and sale of marijuana for medical reasons. But in the past six months, the number of patients and dispensaries has skyrocketed.  (USA Today)

I should note that a friend, who is a doctor, sent me studies showing connections to cancer.  I don’t doubt the connection.  She questions the need for many that have prescriptions, where legal. As states begin to legalize medical marijuana the cities in those states are faced with policy issues about dispensaries.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Like hip-hop, health food and snowboarding, marijuana is going corporate.

As more and more states allow medical use of the drug, and California considers outright legalization, marijuana’s supporters are pushing hard to burnish the image of pot by franchising dispensaries and building brands; establishing consulting, lobbying and law firms; setting up trade shows and a seminar circuit; and constructing a range of other marijuana-related businesses.  (NY Times)

Cannabis sativa is often misunderstood:

Cannabis sativa is an annual plant in the Cannabaceae family. It is a herb that has been used throughout recorded history by humans as a source of fiber, for its seed oil, as food (see hemp), as a drug (see cannabis (drug)), as medicine (see medical cannabis), and for spiritual purposes (see spiritual use of cannabis). Each part of the plant is harvested differently, depending on the purpose of its use.

While hemp is not a drug, growing it is illegal.  Environmentally friendly hemp products are imported or hemp material is imported so products can be made.Federal lawmakers need to allow farmers to grow industrial hemp.

The poll this week is designed to get your thoughts on Cannabis sativa.  I hope I have a good variety of answers.  This week I’m testing the ability for you to select up to three answers.

– Steve Patterson

Readers want more frequent transit service, additional light rail

The poll last week asked, “Now that Prop A has passed, what do you want to see in our local transit system?”  Here are the results:

1. More frequent service 47 [ 27.98%]

2. schedules & maps at bus stops 37 [22.02%]

3. Other answer… 35 [20.83%]

4. GPS on buses to indicate next arrival time at bus stops 33 [19.64%]

5. Doesn’t matter, I still won’t ride public transit 8 [4.76%]

6. don’t know/unsure 5 [2.98%]

7. With the old routes restored the system will be perfect 3 [1.79%]

As you can see above “other” was the third most popular answer.  This is primarily due to my failure to include an option for new rail lines.

Here are all of the other answers from readers:

1. MetroLink to Westport, Text message schedule information

2. another metrolink line

3. A north-south Metro line up Gravois and Natural Bridge

4. more metrolink line

5. begin planning and build north-south metro line

6. Light rail from South County to downtown.

7. Expanded Metrolink

8. Expand MetroLink

9. wireless

10. all of the above

11. Metrolink Fare Enforcement.

12. MORE STOPS / ROUTES

13. A north-south line within the city – Jefferson to south 55

14. Expanded Service

15. extensions out to other major areas and restorations, more frequent routes

16. expansion

17. expand metrolink

18. weekend circulator route serving high-density business districts

19. BRT (with dedicated lanes and higher frequency) on Grand!

20. Trolleys!

21. weekend circulator route serving high-density business districts

22. Weekend circulator route serving high-density business districts.

23. The north-south Metrolink line

24. Light rail in South City, more frequent service, schedule and maps, better signs

25. responsible fiscal management

26. more lines

27. Restored service and upgrades of exsiting stations, like BATHROOMS!

28. metrolink expansin

29. north south metro expansion in the city

30. Expansion.

31. Expanded light rail system. This time lets be a little more strategic

32. restoration of old routes expanded Link service

33. Metrolink Expansion

34. Expansion

35. services aimed at not just the transit-dependent

I personally wouldn’t build another light rail line in our region, especially not one on local streets.  What I would do is build a network of modern streetcars to serve more local service.

I like the idea of at least our longer bus routes having WiFi such as Madison County Transit’s “WiFi on Wheels.”

– Steve

Light posting schedule now through mid-June

Due to my employment with the U.S. Census Bureau I will most likely not be able to maintain the post-per-day schedule that I have had for quite a while now. At this point the only thing I can commit to is a new poll on Sundays and the results of the prior poll on Wednesdays.  As I have posts from contributors I will post those. If I have other posts they may be less involved than usual.

My role will be to train and supervise a crew of Enumerators.   At the conclusion of this temporary job I will resume full daily postings.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Thoughts on the $630 million dollar Mississippi River bridge

On Monday officials will “break ground” for the new $640 million dollar bridge across the Mississippi River.  The ceremony will take place on the historic Eads Bridge.

Sadly I will not be able to attend the event.  The poll for this week asks your thoughts on the new bridge which is expected to be complete by February 2014.  The poll is in the upper right sidebar.

– Steve Patterson

Urban Review STL Android app now available

I am pleased to announce the availability of the free Urban Review STL app for Android app.  This new app joins the iPhone app made available in January 2010 (post).  An App for BlackBerry will be available, although the schedule is determined by MotherApp.  Sorry, they do not indicate support for Windows Mobile, WebOS, or other platforms.

– Steve Patterson