Opinion
A4
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
OUR VIEW
Sending issue
to voters the
right call
T
he Union County Board of Commissioners
made the right — and at this point only
sensible — decision last week when they
voted 3-0 to green-light an ordinance to ban the
sale and manufacturing of psilocybin products in
unincorporated portions of the county.
Now, the ordinance will go before voters in the
Nov. 8 election. Voters should be the ones who
make the fi nal call on this issue. Yet there is a lot
to unpack with the psilocybin issues, more than
meets the eye. For one, it again clearly illustrates
the wholly diff erent cultures that live within the
state.
Oregon voters approved Measure 109 to allow
for the sale and manufacturing of psilocybin in
2020. The law will go into eff ect on Jan. 2, 2023.
The measure secured 56% of voter approval but
it stalled in many rural counties, including Union
County.
Psilocybin is the ingredient in hallucinogenic
mushrooms. Some research indicates it can be
useful in treating a host of conditions, including
post-traumatic stress disorder.
There is also some evidence that psilocybin
helps people with depression and other addic-
tions. Some argue — persuasively — that the
absence of psilocybin to help treat veterans with
post traumatic stress disorder is unfair.
All of those above points are excellent ones,
but the truth is Union County and Eastern
Oregon aren’t ready for the sale and manufacture
of psilocybin.
The majority of voters in Union County
already stated where they stand on the issue.
Another problem is the state has not yet crafted
detailed rules for regulating the manufacture and
sale of psilocybin. While there is every reason to
believe the state will create appropriate rules and
regulations, right now elected leaders don’t have
much to go on. The only thing local leaders know
for sure is the majority of Union County voters
are not buying the psilocybin narrative.
The entire issue also outlines clearly the gap
between certain portions of Oregon regarding
issues such as psilocybin. Rural areas of the state,
such as Eastern Oregon, do not view the world
through the same lens as say, someone who lives
in downtown Portland or Lake Oswego.
That’s neither good nor bad, but just the way it
is.
The commissioners did the right thing and
allowing voters to make a decision on the pro-
posed ordinance is the best way forward.
EDITORIALS
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opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of The Observer.
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YOUR VIEWS
Only Idaho Power
stockholders will benefi t
from B2H line
After moving to Baker City in
2008 from La Grande I have walked,
hiked and run the trails at the Oregon
Trail Interpretive Center, often sev-
eral times a week. It’s diffi cult to
describe the peacefulness and beauty
that comes with every season there.
When friends or family mem-
bers come to Baker City I am proud
to take them to this amazing heri-
tage site that sits outside Baker City
with phenomenal views of the valley
and our Elkhorn Mountains. This
amazing vista would be destroyed
due to the monstrously huge towers
that would obstruct the view and
destroy some of the historic wagon
ruts. The B2H line would destroy the
sweeping vistas of the carefully sited
Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
which was built at a cost of millions
of taxpayer dollars.
I’m even more concerned about
B2H because in order to construct
new high voltage power lines across
eastern Oregon, Idaho Power would
be allowed to seize the property of
private landowners — in some cases
taking land that has been respected
and cared for by the same families
for generations.
I also oppose B2H because of the
impacts such a transmission line will
have on the heightened possibility for
wildfi re in remote areas where rural
communities and landowners are ill-
equipped to fi ght a major fi re, but
bear the full risk of loss caused by
any fi res that do occur.
We in Oregon will not benefi t
from the B2H line, but Idaho Power
stockholders will. For more informa-
tion on the work that’s being done to
stop the Boardman to Hemingway,
Idaho, power lines go to www.
stopb2h.org.
Carol Glaser
Baker City
Someone was missing from
governor’s debate
I am writing to thank the Oregon
Newspaper Publishers Association for
hosting the fi rst gubernatorial debate
of 2022.
I was watching the debate you
hosted, and noticed someone was
missing. Of the multiple candidates
running for governor of Oregon, only
three of them were invited to attend.
A duly elected Libertarian candidate,
R. Leon Noble, had been excluded,
and I would like to know why.
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
U.S. PRESIDENT
Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Offi ce Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande offi ce: 541-962-7691
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
Bobby Levy, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us
Cliff Bentz
2185 Rayburn House Offi ce Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
Medford offi ce: 541-776-4646
STATE SENATOR
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-415
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
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Noble earned the nomination
of the Libertarian Party of Oregon
during the primary election held in
June. Unlike other “minor” parties,
Libertarians do not need to spend
millions of dollars on a primary
campaign in order to ensure ballot
access.
Could it be that Noble was
excluded because, in this day of “pay-
to-play” politics, he has yet to raise
the millions of dollars? Betsy Johnson
is still collecting signatures to appear
on the November ballot. Noble has no
such hurdle to overcome, yet he was
excluded from the debate.
Are you trying to silence candi-
dates who haven’t “paid their way”
into the governor’s race? Or are you
concerned that the people of Oregon
might hear a message that disturbs
the status quo? Most Oregonians can
agree that neither Tina Kotek, Chris-
tine Drazan, nor Johnson represent
them. Why can’t those disenfran-
chised voters hear from a candidate
who will?
For more information on the Liber-
tarian candidate for governor, please
visit his website, SetOregonFree.com.
Sharlyn Cox
Legacy media director,
Set Oregon Free
Roseburg
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