cannabisnews.com: City Leaders Push Action On Medical Marijuana City Leaders Push Action On Medical Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on October 16, 2002 at 16:21:30 PT Task Force Recommends Allowance Of 3 Pounds Source: SanDiegoChannel.com A plan to regulate the use of marijuana for medical purposes is a first step in resolving a dispute over implementation of Proposition 215, two San Diego City Council members said Wednesday. "Our citizens came to us five years after the passage of the Compassionate Use Act and asked us to do our jobs as policymakers," Councilwoman Toni Atkins said. Atkins and Councilman Ralph Inzunza held a briefing before the council Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhood Services received a report from a city task force on proposed law enforcement guidelines for "medical marijuana" use. The proposal was drafted by city's Medical Cannabis Task Force. The dispute over the proposition that California voters passed to allow the medical usage of marijuana is with the federal government, which does not recognize exceptions to U.S. drug laws. Three weeks ago, federal agents uprooted 25 marijuana plants from the front yard of activist Steven McWilliams' home in Normal Heights. McWilliams, 48, was arrested on federal drug charges last Friday, but is now free on bond. The city has asked California Attorney General Bill Lockyer for help in mediating the dispute with the federal government. Medical marijuana advocates say cannabis helps relieve pain and other symptoms for patients with AIDS, cancer and other conditions. Task force member Ann Shanahan said marijuana was "tremendously helpful" during her recent battle with breast cancer. The drug allowed her to eat and maintain weight during chemotherapy -- making the experience bearable, she said. The proposed city guidelines include giving special identification cards to people deemed to need marijuana for medical purposes, something the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to oppose earlier this month. The guidelines also would allow patients to have no more than a year's supply of processed marijuana or 3 pounds, whichever is less. Caregivers would not be allowed more than 12 pounds. Patients also would be allowed as many as 72 indoor plants or 20 outdoor plants in a secure area. Caregivers would be allowed 90 plants, indoors or outdoors. "We're not trying to push this on minors," Inzunza said about use of the drug. "We're not trying to legalize this." However, San Diego Police Chief Dave Bejarano opposed the guidelines in an Oct. 3 memo to Atkins, suggesting that allowing patients and caregivers to amass such quantities invited theft. Atkins believes the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will test the city if the guidelines are adopted. Meanwhile, McWilliams is due back in court Friday for a motions setting hearing. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. Source: SanDiegoChannel.comPublished: October 16, 2002Copyright: 2002 TheSanDiegoChannel.comWebsite: http://www.thesandiegochannel.com/news/Related Articles & Web Site:Americans for Safe Access http://www.safeaccessnow.org Task Force Issues Its Cannabis Proposalshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14469.shtml McWilliams Out on Bail After Federal Charges http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14437.shtmlPot Grower Gets Letter of Warning from DEAhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14191.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by delariand on October 17, 2002 at 11:19:27 PT Woohoo! "Our citizens came to us five years after the passage of the Compassionate Use Act and asked us to do our jobs as policymakers," Councilwoman Toni Atkins said. Politicians doing their JOB? In my home town yet?!YAAAAAAY!!!!! ;) [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 16, 2002 at 19:55:30 PT Thank You puff_tuff That was really good. Please post the one tomorrow. You set your post up very nicely too. I can't believe how different it is up in your neck of the woods. It is really something to listen too. Maybe someday for us I hope. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by puff_tuff on October 16, 2002 at 19:34:13 PT Smoke and Dollars (Part 2) Wednesday, October 16, 2002Smoke and Dollars (Part 2)CBC Radio / World at Six And, continuing our series: "Smoke and Dollars." This week, we've been examining British Columbia's booming, but illegal, marijuana industry. Tonight, Chris Brown focuses on the game of cat and mouse that's being played between the people who grow pot, and the police.http://media.cbc.ca:8080/ramgen/radio/news-audio/worldat6/October2002/bro_w6021016.rm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If you missed Part 1 [thanks FoM :)]Tuesday, October 15, 2002Smoke and Dollars (Part 1)CBC Radio / The World at Six And, we begin our series "Smoke and Dollars": a look at how marijuana has become part of the economy in British Columbia. We'll be reporting on the economic impact of the marijuana trade, and on police efforts to control it. Tonight, Chris Brown reports on the growers themselves. http://media.cbc.ca:8080/ramgen/radio/news-audio/worldat6/October2002/bro_w6021015.rm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment