I would love to sit down with someone opposed and discuss point by point what the issues they have are and be able to factually show them where their fears have not proven out. For instance they may think it will attract crime, when FACTUALLY, for the past 20+ years that has proven to be false for dispensaries.
Or they may have issues about kids use, when factually kids won't be allowed to even go into the shops.
Maybe they'll say the strength of cannabis has gone up since the 70s, but that only means one has to ingest less, and also remembering here is no such thing as a cannabis overdose.
Maybe they'll talk about the smells of smoke, when factually, one cannot ingest cannabis on site or outside. Edibles remove any arguments about the smell or smoke.

The problem is that even when faced with facts proven over the past 20 years, they'll still say "Well I just don't agree".
*That's where they become willfully ignorant.

They'll call users names like "Stoners", as if anyone who uses it, only uses it to excess (Is every drinker an alcoholic?)
They'll COMPLETELY ignore the huge amount of older medical users who have a hard time driving as well as the fact that non-intoxicating strains are also avail at the dispensaries and they are improving the lives of those folks, getting them off expensive liver killing hard pharma drugs.

They'll say lots, but luckily for the rational realists, the past 20 years of dispensaries operating in the area have factually proven their claims and fear mongering to be baseless. We have the actual data to back it all up now. That's the nice part.

When I walk near some drunk at least I do not have to smell the pretty strong and not that pleasant odor of cannabis. Sometimes I walk around the neighborhood and smell is so strong that feel a little nausea.

Cannabis is proven remedy for your nausea, nihilist. But if you feel so strongly, post your deets and go on the record.

People who do not smell a strong odor walking near a weed lover either have anosmia or it's time to trim the hair bushes in their nasal cavities.

Adam, it's easy to see why many who are in favor of restrictions would not want their names on the record. In this day and age, there is a certain amount of risk in taking a public stance on a subject like this. What purpose, exactly, is served by getting people to put their names out there? BTW, I don't oppose use or sales, but do feel that a go-slow approach to dispensaries would be best for our community.

I can tell you, "why ask for trouble?" I'm trying to assess whether there is real grassroots opposition to cannabis businesses in Mountain View. The people who want cannabis businesses in town are not shy about talking to me. They give me their names and contact information and invite me to talk to their friends and family. By contrast, I have been approached by some anonymous people who complain that their opposition to cannabis businesses has not been a part of my coverage on the subject. But they won't tell me who they are or even why they are opposed. I'm asking for our readers' help because if there is a movement against cannabis in Mountain View I want to speak to those people and include their perspective in my future articles.

There is a Chinese national (and international for expatriates) version of Nextdoor known as WeChat. It has many users outside of China and in particular in this area. A lot of this local opposition seems to be genned up on WeChat. People's Republic of China has a history of official persecution of marijuana use, more than your average nation.

The opposition can ONLY win by spreading half truths and lies, trying to stoke some fear of the unknown.
The problem is that there is no "Unknown" We've had over 2 decades to watch how/if these dispensaries affected the communities all over the bay area. The truth is they all seem to be running smoothly and without the issues falsely propped up by the opposition.

Lies are the only ammunition of those who try to oppose the proven truth.
The fact of the matter is everyone is willing to spread the lies but nobody is willing to attach their name as "The liar".

I think "why ask for trouble" hit it on the nail re people not wanting to go on record raising concerns about this issue. One person in a local group I am in raised questions about the possible location of the proposed MV stores on Castro Street and got slammed so hard that the individual left the group. Some of us have no problem with the concept of one or two stores in MV, but thought the process the former city council selected, a lottery system rather than an competitive process that would allow consideration of things like proposed location, accessibility etc, made little sense and ended up with the strong possibility that both shops would be on Castro. Crazy for many reasons, including access to downtown given the parking nightmare. Also the "family friendly" nature seems not suitable for a pot shop, a gun shop, a porn shop or a liquor store, even those are all legal. (Now I will get hit about the fact that liquor is sold on Castro already etc etc). The current council seems to be thinking about these issues and some hadn't anticipated so few applications with 4 of the 8 wanting downtown area. Why not El Camino where there are lots of empty locations, easy parking etc. But anyone who raises any questions about where, how many, etc will get slammed as "ignorant" etc etc. (yes, the former council rejected the competitive, rfp process, because some members didn't think they would be able to agree on the criteria...ah, anyone who has done an rfp process knows how to develop scoring and points if they want to).

Yah, about Castro being "Family Friendly", one only has to try and walk down Castro at night, past the people hanging around outside the alcohol dispensaries that literally dot the DT area. Slurry talkers, staggering walking/standing, foul language and constant cigarette smoke. Once in a while some drunk will leer at your underaged daughter then want to fight you for giving him a dirty look.
None of these issues are happening outside the cannabis dispensaries and there is no reason to think they ever will.

If we can replace one of these booze outlets with the less issue creating cannabis outlets, understanding the rules they must abide by, I'm for it 100%.

This thread was discussing why people (even those of us who support having a cannabis outlet somewhere in MV) aren't willing to go on record with their concerns and I pointed out how doing so brings out raving, screaming responses. I predicted that someone would immediately say Castro was a perfect spot for a pot shop because of all the drinking, hence it wasn't even a family friendly place. Not noting, of course, that the obnoxious drinking takes place after 9 pm in most cases. But that wasn't the purpose of the reply -- it was to avoid any kind of rational discussion of any changes to the ordinance -- like limiting Castro to one of the two dispensaries in the whole town, which makes sense from just an access perspective. This issue seems to bring out extremes on both sides so those of us in middle, who aren't opposed, but have concerns about locations and process want to stay as far away as possible.

There simply is NO grass-roots mountain view movement to keep all cannabis related business out of MV.
The opposition has already been identified as outsiders who organized from the Chinese national site WeChat.

BOOM!

There's your story!