Medi-pot candidate gets serious

Medical-cannabis advocate Andrew Merkel has resigned as leader of the political action group Butte County Citizens Against Irresponsible Government (BCCAIG) to fully pursue a seat on the Butte County Board of Supervisors.

BCCAIG is pushing an initiative that would prohibit the supervisors from making further changes to the county’s existing medical-marijuana ordinance. Merkel, a Chico-based real estate agent and pot grower, contacted the CN&R by phone to announce fellow medi-pot advocate Denice Lessard will lead BCCAIG moving forward. Merkel says he’s turning his full attention to vying for Supervisor Larry Wahl’s seat, which is up for grabs in the June primary election.

On Wednesday (Jan. 22), BCCAIG launched a radio campaign made up of six different 15-second ads urging medical-marijuana supporters to show up to the supervisors’ Jan. 28 meeting. Meanwhile, the group’s referendum—intended for November’s general election ballot—remains in the drafting process and has yet to begin the signature-gathering process.