cannabisnews.com: Santa Rosa Issues Resolution Supporting Med Pot





Santa Rosa Issues Resolution Supporting Med Pot
Posted by CN Staff on December 04, 2002 at 07:35:04 PT
By Mike McCoy, The Press Democrat
Source: Press Democrat 
Santa Rosa's City Council on Tuesday joined a small but growing chorus of California cities supporting the medicinal use of marijuana. But the council didn't go as far as Sebastopol, which urged its police force not to cooperate with federal drug agents.That was included in a resolution prepared by the Sonoma Alliance for Medical Marijuana, which is concerned about recent federal raids targeting marijuana buyers clubs and pot gardens, including one outside Sebastopol.
California voters approved an initiative that allows growing and using marijuana for medicinal purposes, but it conflicts with federal law.Sonoma alliance spokesman Doc Knapp said 330 county residents have authorization to use marijuana to control pain or for other medical reasons. He said they could be prosecuted under federal law, "which doesn't allow medicinal marijuana use to be used in testimony."Santa Rosa Councilwoman Noreen Evans, who helped write the city's resolution, said, "We're not going as far as Sebastopol.""We work with the Drug Enforcement Administration on a number of drug-related issues and so far there hasn't been a problem with the prosecution of medical marijuana cases in Santa Rosa," she said.DEA agents did raid a marijuana buyers club on College Avenue earlier this year. The club subsequently closed.Santa Rosa's resolution, a cooperative draft prepared jointly by the alliance, Evans and City Attorney Brien Farrell, urges federal drug officials to meet with California Attorney General Bill Lockyer to resolve their differences.Despite the federal government's outright ban on all forms of marijuana use, eight states have approved medical use of marijuana while 35 states have acknowledged its medicinal value.San Francisco has gone farther than most California cities in its support. Voters in November authorized city officials to explore a medical marijuana growing and distribution program.Council watcher Jack Osborne called Santa Rosa's vote "an exercise in futility.""It's the federal government that has to change the law," he said.Knapp and fellow alliance spokesperson Mary Pat Jacobs said they will seek support from the Board of Supervisors and a few other cities, including Petaluma, Sonoma and Healdsburg.Not all county cities will be approached, however. "We have only so much time and energy," Jacobs said.Complete Title: Santa Rosa Issues Resolution Supporting Medical Pot Source: Press Democrat, The (CA)Author: Mike McCoy, The Press DemocratPublished: December 4, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Press DemocratContact: letters pressdemo.comWebsite: http://www.pressdemo.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmRaids Spur Calls To Quit Working With DEA http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/pr.htm Medical Pot - Press Democrathttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14816.shtmlSebastopol OKs Pot Resolution http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14793.shtmlCouncil Passes Proposal Supporting Med Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14792.shtml
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