cannabisnews.com: Medical-Pot Guidelines Might OK Less Than 3 Pounds





Medical-Pot Guidelines Might OK Less Than 3 Pounds
Posted by CN Staff on January 21, 2003 at 08:10:32 PT
By Ray Huard, Union-Tribune Staff Writer
Source: Union Tribune 
The amount of marijuana that sick people could keep to ease their symptoms will likely be less than the three pounds a citizens task force recommended, when proposed guidelines go to the San Diego City Council for review next month. "We should start at a smaller amount," said City Councilman Ralph Inzunza Jr., one of the strongest council advocates for adopting guidelines for medical use of marijuana.
Inzunza and Councilwoman Toni Atkins, also a medical marijuana supporter, said too many people, including Mayor Dick Murphy, oppose allowing people to keep that much marijuana on hand, even if it is for medical use. Atkins said the amount of marijuana someone can keep is less important than providing patients with some assurance they won't be arrested by local police for using a drug recommended by their doctor. The guidelines would provide no protection against arrest by federal agents. A citizens' Medical Cannabis Task Force formed by the council in 2001 to implement Proposition 215 – a 1996 ballot measure that allowed the medical use of marijuana but set no guidelines – has recommended that sick people be allowed to keep up to three pounds of marijuana upon a doctor's recommendation. "There is room for compromise," said Juliana Humphrey, head of the task force. Humphrey said the task force recommended three pounds because that is about a one-year supply for someone using the typical dosage recommended by doctors – three to five cigarettes per day. She said patients need a year's supply at once because marijuana has only one growing season in San Diego. Critics oppose the guidelines, saying they send a message to young people that using marijuana is acceptable in San Diego. "This is drug legalization," said John Redman, executive director of the San Diego Prevention Coalition. "If you increase availability, increase access, you will increase substance abuse. If you decrease the perception of risk you will increase use. These guidelines do both." Council adoption of the guidelines is far from certain, with five votes needed to pass the plan. The council is tentatively scheduled to review the proposal Feb. 4. The council's Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee voted 4-1 in October to recommend that the full council approve the guidelines. The committee's makeup has since changed. Brian Maienschein, who voted against the guidelines in the committee, was appointed chairman in December by Mayor Dick Murphy. Elected in November, Councilmen Charles Lewis and Michael Zucchet said they haven't made up their minds on the guidelines. Zucchet said, "I do support the city doing something to follow the will of the voters with Proposition 215." But he said he wasn't certain how much marijuana someone should be able to keep or who should be allowed to grow it. Lewis said he supports medical marijuana in concept but was troubled by the task force recommendation on allowing patients up to three pounds. Councilman Scott Peters, who voted for a trial needle-exchange program for intravenous drug users as a health measure, said he opposes the medical marijuana guidelines in their current form. Peters said the medical community was solidly behind the needle exchange program as a way to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases. But he said doctors are divided on the value of medical marijuana. "It's my job to look out for the quality of life of people in my district, and I don't see how this proposal helps support that," Peters said. Note: City Council review set for next month. Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)Author: Ray Huard, Union-Tribune Staff WriterPublished: January 21, 2003Copyright: 2003 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.Contact: letters uniontrib.comWebsite: http://www.uniontrib.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmS.D. City Panel OKs Medical Pot Rules http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14477.shtmlCity Leaders Push Action On Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14471.shtmlTask Force Issues Its Cannabis Proposalshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14469.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by freddybigbee on January 21, 2003 at 09:51:21 PT:
Substance abuse?
"This is drug legalization," said John Redman, executive director of the San Diego Prevention Coalition. "If you increase availability, increase access, you will increase substance abuse. If you decrease the perception of risk you will increase use. These guidelines do both." There may be drugs for which the equation "use = abuse" would hold true (Viagra perhaps?) but the herb cannabis is not one of them. Why all the hubub about quantity? If the citizen says it is good for them, it's noone's business but their own. The annual supply criteria was reasonable. Why water it down? I have two pounds of nettle leaf in my refrigerator. It looks like a lot. Gee. Maybe I should get rid of half of it so it won't look like so much. Does that make any sense at all? No, it's just silly, like asking the Feds to obey the law in Nevada.
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