cannabisnews.com: Council Could Lift Smoking Ban for Pot Fest Council Could Lift Smoking Ban for Pot Fest Posted by CN Staff on September 09, 2008 at 05:52:32 PT By Genevieve Bookwalter, Sentinel Staff Writer Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel Santa Cruz, CA -- The smoking ban in city parks could be lifted for the second time since it passed three years ago, as city leaders are considering allowing medical marijuana patients to light up during a festival at San Lorenzo Park at the end of the month."It's not like a recreational marijuana event," said Councilman Mike Rotkin, who supports the temporary lifting of the city's 3-year-old ordinance that bans smoking in parks. "It's not a smoke-in, it's not like the 4/20 thing up on campus," Rotkin said. That April 20 event attracts thousands of people to Porter Meadow at UC Santa Cruz each spring to celebrate the so-called 4/20 cannabis culture holiday. Instead, the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana would like the ban lifted so its 200 members can self-medicate while they enjoy the organization's annual festival.Wammfest, a medical marijuana, hemp and music festival, is scheduled for Sept. 27."As patients, its really important to have access to the medicine in the most indiscreet and reasonable fashion," said Valerie Corrall, co-founder of WAMM.The item will be considered on the City Council's consent agenda today. The council unanimously approved a similar temporary suspension of the smoking ban for last year's event.A closed tent will be available at the festival for those who need to administer their prescription drugs, and no pot will be for sale or distributed, Rotkin said. However, Sentinel reports from last year's festival showed that many participants did get stoned on the lawn, and some drove in from out of town for what they considered a recreational event by the river.Councilwoman Lynn Robinson said she supports WAMM and supports the event. However, "I'd be interested in seeing other options that don't require an exemption" from the city, Robinson said.Police Capt. Steve Clark said officers follow the orders of city government when it comes to marijuana, which is considered illegal for all purposes by the federal government."If this is a decision that council wants to take on, the police department is going to follow that direction," Clark said. "Our role is not to involve ourselves in the political equation, but simply to ensure the safety of the community is well cared for." Santa Cruz police reported no problems with last year's festival. But after Measure K was passed with 60 percent of the vote in 2006, Santa Cruz police are forced to make adult marijuana-related crimes on private property a low priority.WAMM is a cooperative started in 1993 for seriously ill medical marijuana patients to grow and share the plant. The cooperative has about 200 members.The smoking ban was created in 2006 to protect public health and safety at San Lorenzo and Grant Street parks.However, smoking has been a regular part of the WAMM Festival, an annual event for 14 years that raises money and awareness for medical marijuana issues and celebrates the community's support for the cooperative started by Santa Cruz residents Corrall and her husband, Mike Corrall.Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)Author: Genevieve Bookwalter, Sentinel Staff WriterPublished: September 9, 2008Copyright: 2008 Santa Cruz SentinelContact: editorial santa-cruz.comWebsite: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/WAMMhttp://www.wamm.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by FoM on September 09, 2008 at 09:01:57 PT greenmed I like that. I agree. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by greenmed on September 09, 2008 at 08:55:14 PT FoM Purity of spirit is the best armor against adversity. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 09, 2008 at 07:21:05 PT greenmed Here are two pages I made back in 2002. I will always keep them in my mind as a model of how it should be done.http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/valc.htmhttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/eventpics.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by greenmed on September 09, 2008 at 07:06:44 PT FoM Mike and Valerie are heroes of the medical cannabis movement, for certain. Most readers of CNews know of them, but for those who don't, here's an old article following the federal bust of the WoMan's Alliance six years ago:http://www.420magazine.com/forums/international-cannabis-news/6552-newsmaker-year-valerie-mike-corral.htmland the Corrals' web site:http://www.wamm.org/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 09, 2008 at 06:50:01 PT greenmed Ever since I heard of Mike and Valerie back in the early days of Prop 215 they have been my model for how I hope things will be for everyone someday. If I could meet anyone I wanted in the medical marijuana movement they would be it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by greenmed on September 09, 2008 at 06:42:48 PT lift the ban! Police Capt. Steve Clark said officers follow the orders of city government when it comes to marijuana, ..."If this is a decision that council wants to take on, the police department is going to follow that direction," Clark said. "Our role is not to involve ourselves in the political equation, but simply to ensure the safety of the community is well cared for." Santa Cruz is an enlightened community. To be ill is no "walk in the park" but the sense of community where patients can congregate and partake freely of their medicine must surely be a boon to their health. What a support group... fellow patients, caring citizens, and supportive politicians. Outstanding! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment