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| Medical Marijuana Limits Upped by County |
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Posted by CN Staff on May 02, 2002 at 10:32:23 PT By Jennifer Grimes, Triplicate Staff Writer Source: Daily Triplicate 
Medical marijuana users in Del Norte County can now relax knowing exactly what is expected of them from local law enforcement and the county Board of Supervisors. Yesterday, the supervisors voted 3-1, with one supervisor absent, to back a new policy allowing users to grow 99 plants and keep one pound of the processed drug on hand. Supervisors Jack Reese, Clyde Eller and Martha McClure voted yes while David Finigan voted an unprecedented "none of the above," choosing not to abstain or vote yes or no. Supervisor Chuck Blackburn was not in attendance. "The goal was to find something that was workable and would help us deal with this poorly written (state) law," said Del Norte County District Attorney Bob Drossel. Drossel was one of a seven-member committee that put the new policy together. Sheriff Jim Maready, Crescent City Police Chief Bob West, Department of Mental Health Director Mick Miller, and county counsel Bob Black were some other members of the committee. The need for a new set of guidelines arose when local law enforcement officials, judges and the users themselves didn't agree on the old policy set by Del Norte's district attorney's office. Six plants, three in the growth stage and three in the budding stage, and one ounce of processed drug were the allowances in the old policy. Users said that wasn't enough for some chronically ill patients and, because a policy of enforcement was not clearly marked and agreed upon, courts weren't able to make charges stick. Public complaints to Reese inspired him to form the seven-member committee and to ask his board to support the policy the committee drafted. "Why would some fool politician take on such a hot potato? People were telling me the policy wasn't working and that they were being mistreated ... and evidently the courts were having trouble with it. "The laws were vague and the state attorney general refuses to comment on it," Reese said to an audience of about 25 interested citizens waiting to hear if the board would support the new, more lenient guidelines yesterday. Sheriff Maready and Drossel both warned that marijuana is still an illegal drug and every attempt will be made to prosecute violators of the law and that legal users with prescriptions will be punished for violating the new county policy. Even with a prescription, no one is allowed to drive under the influence, illegally transport or sell marijuana. Ex-sheriff's deputy and drug task force agent John Fay voiced concern about the number of plants allowed in the new policy and against marijuana use in general. And front-lines narcotic enforcement officer A.C. Fields told the supervisors his job will likely get harder with a more lenient policy. "There's no doubt it's a pickle you're in. I believe in medical marijuana, but not Prop. 215. It makes it hard with 99 plants and a pound for us to go in a house where we've done several controlled buys and can't make an arrest," Fields said. Reese noted that though 99 plants are allowed, the growing area must be 10 feet by 10 feet. "Anyone who grows anything knows you're not going to get much out of 99 plants in a 10-by-10-foot area," Reese said. Drossel agreed with Reese's assessment. "We rely on our experts that with that area, you would only be left with six good plants," he said. The supervisors' opinions varied on the topic of legalizing medical marijuana and the new local policy. Finigan commended Reese and the local law enforcement leaders for addressing the problem, but said he didn't feel it is an issue for the supervisors to decide. "I don't think this is an appropriate forum. It's a medical issue, not an issue for politicians. It should be between a doctor and their patient as to amounts," Finigan said. Supervisor McClure said all of the constituents that have called her were for the new policy and her own experience with friends and family who benefitted from medical marijuana drove her to support the new policy. "It's high time we, as a nation, ‘fess up to the fact that it brings relief," McClure said. In response to those concerned about allowing 99 plants, she said she is willing to take the political heat for giving those in need of the drug all the leeway they need. "It sends a clear message that we are not going to mess with these people – that's why the numbers are high," she said. Supervisor Eller said he leans to the conservative side regarding the legalization of medical marijuana, but briefly said he is in support of the new policy. All seven of the committee members who drafted the policy will meet again in six months to decide if changes need to be made. Source: Daily Triplicate, The (CA) Medical Marijuana Information Links CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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Comment #4 posted by SoberStoner on May 02, 2002 at 19:42:17 PT:
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| I used to live in peoria..In fact, i used to go to Limestone High..we all just called ourselved LimeStoners tho:) Of course right down the road there was Morton High, who had the nickname Potters...who naturally became the Morton Potheads.. Peoria aint buying it either SS [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #3 posted by paul peterson on May 02, 2002 at 18:28:44 PT:
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| Walters knows he's history. He's obsolete, he's extinct, he is so passe he's not worth the space to print, other than the fact that the press still thinks the press has to listen to his dribble. Sorry, even the CBC & BBC is starting to give press to the WAWOD's (warriors against the war on drugs). Whole areas of our land are yielding up to the strength of the movement's numbers. The entire emerald coast (those five fearless counties on the coast of California) recently ejected DA's & Sheriffs of Nottingham, and even SF & Berkelely have just said no to the DEA's despicable raids on sick patients who merely use MM to quell their nausea over having to listen to people like John (and he's not even king yet, nor ever will he be). The brave men and women in green (tights and all), can breath easier out there, thank you. The new leader of the band of warriors, even donned the mantle of religious freedom, in raising the staff to heights never heard from a DA, even in SF, when he stated that religion is involved in busting pot people. Now, even in the far of north, that Crescent County (Del Norte), far from the madding crowd, just drew a square and deligated the space to grow this mystic weed, as large as 10 by 10 (almost putting us on the realty map) and even in the east, up there in the Victory state (Vermont), a resilient legislature refused to concede defeat in the wake of the passing of the hours, to breed compromise which even the Dean of resistance agreed to allow to pass, unimpeded, for an "affirmative defense", which would send the minions of repression away in angst! Not even ASA could stop them now, like he did in Maryland, where his empty threats of war allowed defeat a mere month ago for our forces. REMEMBER NEW MEXICO! must be on their minds. REMEMBER MARYLAND! should be our cry right now, as this minion of darkness clings to the despotic crust of Mordor. Federal Circuit Riders of darkness, those judges which were appointed by kings or Ore, are even waking from the stupor of war, to again speak of spake not heard for some time, shouting FIRST AMENDMENT TRUTHS-like that "content based censureship" argument that should have been noticed a few small years ago in DC (and I'm not talking about that comic book empire, either). So now, even John sees the horizon, and as well he should! He should have seen the "red sky at morning" and seen it coming, but at least he sees it in the night (our sailor's delight!). DC is coming, and congress can not disregard it, either. Not this time, not this season. Every state that the New Riders of the Purple Sage try to ride herd on, and in, are bringing their purple wounds back to fester. John Ashcroft saw it in Oregon, where he tried to meddle in the medical rights of death with dignity-A federal judge told him he "ain't no doctor"-get outa town! Two federal magistrates in California recently refused to invoke federal jurisdiction to refuse to return private property to citizens in need. Those 9th Circuit judges in San Francisco won't back down-they want doctors to be doctors, not afraid of the dark, that is! A Hawaii judge right now is shiting bricks about his duty to avoid curtailing religious freedom to smoke-he's a month or two late handing down his edict (and knows just how much of a bombshell it will be-Terry Hilanan knows also!). An LA County jury just let a brave MM lady go with her 250 pounds of pot-and the federal judge that is riding herd on that Supreme Court mistake even stated that he didn't know what to make of "JURY NULLIFICATION-should I be concerned?" Everywhere in this nation the fires of feedom are burning. Everywhere there are good people having bad things happen to them, and good people watching and wondering when this shall pass, and pass it will, and soon! So, Sir John, why don't you read all about your friend Nixon, the tricky Dick-why don't you go back to high school and read about his Shafer friend, that wanted to see and hear and do justice, and was debased when his honesty was defriended. Why don't you look into your own crystal ball and see that your era has passed, and will pass, and so shall you, into the same dustbin of history that should already have claimed your ilk (but will soon enough!). Will you look as stupid or silly as Nixon does now, now that you still drip the same dribble-and how stupid does it look to just about every other person outside of the uptight grandmothers that still eat this dribble up as truth-you probably still read well in Peoria, where those grandmotherly types still spray the same hair spray, and still buy the same Babbo, and still babble the same barble, and still believe the same stuff you seem to still assemble in your dribble? I'm done now, and please you be done with your thing also-OK? PAUL paulpeterson@ILLINOIS-MMI.org [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by idbsne1 on May 02, 2002 at 12:06:15 PT |
| GO CANADA AND THE UK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope our politicians who keep saying there is no medical use for cannabis see this....I wonder if they'll understand how STUPID it makes THEM look..... idbsne1 [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by darwin on May 02, 2002 at 11:43:48 PT |
| Check out this CBC story.
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/05/02/marijuana_020502
Game me a little grin to read this. It was quite a mood lifter to see both the BBC and CBC websites have links to articles on their front page regarding softening of cannabis laws. [ Post Comment ] |
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