BY RUTH HILL R.N.
United States Senator William Proxmire, Democrat from Wisconsin, began to issue the Golden Fleece Award in 1975 in monthly press releases. In 1988, The Washington Post referred to the award as “the most successful public relations device in politics today” Proxmire wrote three books on the subject and presented a monthly “Golden Fleece Award” to “the biggest, most ridiculous or most ironic example of government spending.”
Proxmire gave a Golden Fleece award to the Federal Aviation Administration for spending $57,800 ($289,209 inflation adjusted) to study the measurements of 432 airline stewardesses, including the “distance from knee to knee while sitting” and measuring the “length of the buttocks.” Cannabis Corner wants to give the Golden Fleece Award to CA Assembly Bill 1894.
The following are reprinted sections of an article titled New Requirements for Vaporizer/Cartridge Labeling and Advertising by Calnorml.org. The law is the result of Assembly Bill 1894 (2022), which was introduced as a compromise following opposition from Cal NORML to another bill (AB 1690) from the same author that would have banned disposable vape pens altogether. Instead, the proposal was amended to require a consumer advisory about how to properly dispose of them.
“To distinguish from the various electronic cigarette products (vapes) on the market, vapes in AB 1894 are defined as a one-time-use, cannabis-oil-filled device with an attached Lithium-ion battery (battery and cartridge in one). The major components of vape pens are the battery, atomizer, e-liquid, cartridge, and aerosol. While vapes are made largely with recyclable materials, they contain elements of both universal wastes including the electronic and the battery, and cannabis which is ‘special regulated waste.’
The waste from vaping components creates significant environmental issues. Yet, there is no traditional recycling system to collect and properly manage cannabis vapes. While vapes are being marketed as disposable, they are not legally disposable. In order to educate consumers and prevent these vapes from going in the trash, we must stop the marketing of these products in any way that implies they can be disposed of in trash or recycling systems and are clearly labeled to ensure the consumer is aware they must be disposed of as hazardous waste.”
“Vaping devices have become an increasingly popular method of consuming cannabis. Powered by a battery, these electronics are considered hazardous waste in California and banned from disposal in the trash or recycling. However, many brands instruct consumers to simply throw them away, which results in vapes being improperly disposed of in our materials management system where they have the potential to cause explosions and fires that can endanger people, expensive infrastructure, and the environment. These fires have become more commonplace in the industry, and operators are at risk of losing their insurance coverage.”
Democratic legislators want to regulate every activity of CA citizens. This law is fluff. How pray tell will they enforce this regulation? The instructions on vape pen packages are so tiny most people cannot read them without a magnify device. Compliance with this law is a joke. Therefore, Cannabis Corner is giving AB1894 the Golden Fleece Award. Cannabis Corner feels the recycle bin scavengers will now look for vape cartridges along with aluminum cans.
There is competition for the award with AB 1975: Medi-Cal: medically supportive food and nutrition interventions. This law will, under the Medi-Cal program, pay for food for those with chronic conditions. A committee will be established to “determine conditions for covered interventions and delineate the services included in the definition of a medically supportive food and nutrition intervention.” Can you imagine the fraud involved in providing food for chronic diseases. Contact Gov. Newsom to veto these bills. What law would you give the Golden Fleece Award to? Send comments to hilruth@gmail.com
