cannabisnews.com: Going To Pot Going To Pot Posted by CN Staff on July 31, 2002 at 09:38:35 PT By Francine Vida Source: ABCNews.com Wayne Justmann already smokes marijuana daily to ease the pain of neuropathy. But now he wants to get it from a new supplier — the city of San Francisco. Voters in one of the nation's most progressive cities will confront a unique ballot question in November. Should the city of San Francisco grow marijuana? The ballot measure is not the brain child of fringe radicals. It comes directly from the city's Board of Supervisors. The San Francisco initiative is the latest skirmish in a growing fight between the federal government, which opposes allowing for medical uses of marijuana, and some states and cities, which want to carve out new ways of dealing with marijuana."If the federal government insists on standing in our way locally, we must take matters into our own hands and protect the lives of our community members and protect their right to access life-saving medicine," said city supervisor Mark Leno, the initiative's author. ‘A Legitimate Concern’ One of those who Leno wants to protect is Justmann, 57, and an HIV-positive patient. Justmann smokes marijuana from a pipe to ease severe pain caused by neuropathy, a degenerative condition of the nervous system. "I think it's a legitimate concern since we have a state law that says we have a right to use medical cannabis in California," said Justman, who has been active in San Francisco politics, especially with medical cannabis issues. "I'm a patient that's at the right place at the right time." California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana use in 1996, but like other states that have permitted such use, it has had difficulty finding a way to distribute the drug to patients without the federal government's interference. After the Compassionate Use Act became law, many individuals opened up private distribution centers.To buy marijuana legally, a person needs to have a doctor's permission and must obtain a card from the San Francisco Department of Health. So far, since the identification program was established in July 2000, 37,000 cards have been issued. No Other Way? Justmann is the founder and director of a marijuana center, the San Francisco Patients Cooperative. It's one of 72 medical cannabis clubs in California that sells the drug to patients who have their doctor's permission to use it. "There are many people who are relying on centers to distribute cannabis. We don't know any other way to do it," he said.But, because the sale and use of marijuana remains a crime in the eyes of the federal government, the Drug Enforcement Agency is taking action against many of the clubs throughout California."The problem is they are engaging in illegal activity. They are committing a crime," said Richard Meyer, public information officer for the San Francisco division of the DEA.Federal law still prohibits cultivation, possession, and distribution of marijuana. The Supreme Court reiterated this position in a 2001 ruling. According to federal officials, state laws on medical marijuana use do not supercede federal drug laws. ‘We Are Not Criminals’ The California State Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the possession and cultivation of marijuana is considered no more criminal than the possession and acquisition of a prescription drug. However, Leno said the problem now becomes finding ways to allow the patients access to the drug, and he hopes that if the legislation is passed the city can use some of its available land to grow the drug.Justmann said he doesn't think it's right that he and the other patients are being treated as if they have done something wrong."We are not criminals, we are patients," he said.Leno said he realizes that the establishment of the marijuana planting business could directly challenge the federal law, but he will continue to fight for it. Still, the DEA plans to fight back."We'll take appropriate action when necessary," said Meyer. Other States Fighting the Battle July 31 — San Francisco is not alone in its pot struggle.In Nevada, voters will decide on a system of legally distributing marijuana to patients for medical use at a lower-cost. Although terminally ill patients now have the right to use marijuana with a doctor's recommendation under the state's law, they are still having problems obtaining the drug.The patients are either growing it themselves or turning to drug dealers on the streets, said Billy Rogers, a spokesperson from Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement. "Right now, the way the law is, it's difficult for seriously ill people to get their medicine. We want to assure that those who need medical marijuana are able to get it." As part of the Nevada marijuana initiative, Rogers said they also hope to make the state law less harsh by allowing adults to possess up to three ounces of marijuana as long as they keep it in their homes. The initiative would ban the drug in public places, and enforces the illegal distribution to minors. "Most people think that's a colossal waste of tax dollars, more importantly that's a waste of law enforcement's time," said Rogers. In Arizona, a medical marijuana initiative would create a registry card system for authorized marijuana users. If approved by voters, it also would establish a system for distribution of marijuana to these patients. Plus, the initiative would increase drug offender maximum sentences for crimes committed while on drugs by 50 percent. And voters in Washington, D.C, may also get the chance to weigh in on medical marijuana use. Complete Title: Going To Pot: San Francisco Voters To Decide if City Should Grow MarijuanaMessage Board: http://boards.abcnews.go.com/cgi/abcnews/request.dll?LIST&room=stossel Source: ABCNews.comAuthor: Francine Vida Published: July 31, 2002Copyright: 2002 ABC News Internet VenturesWebsite: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Contact: http://www.abcnews.go.com/onair/email.html Related Articles & Web Sites:NRLEhttp://www.nrle.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Nevada Becomes Marijuana Battle Groundhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13518.shtml Supes To Feds: Pot OK in The Cityhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11453.shtml Backers Again Seek Medicinal Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13538.shtmlSan Francisco Puts Growing Marijuana on Ballot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13517.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by TroutMask on July 31, 2002 at 13:37:48 PT The Bees Nest This story seems to have stirred up some bees. I encourage yall to visit the forums (link at bottom of the above article) and see what's up. Pretty interesting...-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by p4me on July 31, 2002 at 10:54:22 PT Who is committing the crime? "The problem is they are engaging in illegal activity. They are committing a crime," said Richard Meyer, public information officer for the San Francisco division of the DEA.OK, the reason California cannot grow marijuana for the sick and dying is because of the wrongful classification of MJ as a Schedule 1 substance or narcotic if you want to use DEA propaganda terminology. It is the Schedule 1 Lie and is supported by decades of propaganda payed for at taxpayer expense, and a criminal justice system that derives much of its funding to fight marijuana, a drug industry that is responsible for 2% of the GNP and more lobbyist than members of Congress and their bought and paid for politicians that ignore what is right because of their addiction to office and power.So, if DEAth enforces the Schedule and also controls the categories, is not blind evidence of seperation of powers that was the cornerstone of the constitution, isn't that some kind of crime in itself. If the DEA would properly remove MJ from the Schedule 1 status, there would not be a conflict. It is the Schedule One Lie that makes MMJ illegal. So if science ruled instead of greed and corruption we would have no problem. I wanted to mention something that appeared on BBC news last night regarding a Council on Foreign Relations report that says America's image abroad is suffering badly. Of course the US response is to hire a public relations firm. Here is one link on the subject: http://www.rferl.org/nca/features/2002/07/30072002152730.asp1,2 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment