cannabisnews.com: Law Officials Oppose Pot ID Cards on Their Watch Law Officials Oppose Pot ID Cards on Their Watch Posted by CN Staff on January 09, 2003 at 09:12:04 PT By Donna Horowitz, Staff Writer Source: Daily Review Alameda County police chiefs overwhelmingly oppose Supervisor Nate Miley's proposal to issue identification cards to medical marijuana users and their caregivers. Eight chiefs and the county sheriff say they wouldn't honor the cards, and the county police chiefs group sides with them. Only Oakland Police Chief Richard Word supports the idea. Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty asked Miley to poll the chiefs and sheriff on the issue when it came before the board's Public Protection Committee in October. Sheriff Charles Plummer and police chiefs for Fremont, Newark, the East Bay Regional Park District, UC Berkeley, Livermore, Pleasanton, Alameda and Piedmont all have written letters opposing use of the cards. "Talking among the chiefs, nobody is against medical marijuana," said Pleasanton Police Chief Timothy Neal, reached Wednesday in Bodega Bay at a county police chiefs' retreat. But he, like the others, said the conflict between the federal law, which bars possession of marijuana, and state Proposition 209, which allows medical marijuana use, puts them in a quandary. And Neal, more than anyone, has been touched by the issue. He said his mother, who died a week and half ago of pancreatic cancer, increased her appetite by using Marinol, the prescription form of marijuana. "We had nine months to say goodbye," Neal said. "You begin to cherish every week and month you get to say goodbye." Neal noted in his letter to Haggerty that the prescription form of the drug serves the same purpose as ingesting the drug by smoking it. "I do not believe that a legitimate need exists for the use of unregulated, unlawfully grown marijuana for medical purposes," he wrote. "It is tantamount to growing one's own opium to deal with pain when prescribed equivalents are available for the legitimately ill." But Joe DeVries, field director for Miley, said Marinol tablets do no good if the cancer or AIDS patient is too nauseated to hold down any food. "If we're going to have police make a determination that a patient can't use marijuana as medicine, then maybe we should have doctors make a determination that police can't use bullets because they have a negative effect on health," DeVries said. DeVries said he's not surprised by the police chiefs' and sheriff's view. "It's very hard for them to distinguish that there's a legitimate use and an illegal use," he said. "That's the point of this system. If we have cards for people, police can leave those people alone and focus their attention on the illegal drug trade." Supervisor Gail Steele, who also sits on the board's Public Protection Committee, said she doesn't know where she stands on the issue yet because she wants to do more research, saying, "I think this is a tough one." Haggerty didn't return calls seeking comment. Steele said Haggerty told her he wasn't ready to put it on Monday's agenda for the board committee. When Miley was a member of the Oakland City Council, he backed efforts to allow distribution of medical marijuana, including setting standards on how much could be cultivated on a plot of land. Oakland's Word pointed out in his letter that the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative issues identification cards that help officers determine a patient's status. He said an identification card issued by the county would be given similar consideration. DeVries compared the controversy to the uproar about 10 years ago over needle exchanges. Originally, he said police were against distributing the needles to drug users to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS.Note: Federal-state conflict more than chiefs, sheriff want to juggle.Source: Daily Review, The (CA)Author: Donna Horowitz, Staff Writer Published: Thursday, January 09, 2003 Copyright: 2003 MediaNews Group, Inc.Contact: revlet angnewspapers.comWebsite: http://www.dailyreviewonline.com/Related Articles & Web Site:O.C.B.C.http://www.rxcbc.org/Supervisor Proposes IDs for Pot Users http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14506.shtmlFederal Judge Rules Against Medical Marijuana Clubhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13127.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by Imprint on January 09, 2003 at 16:47:21 PT p4me Thanks. I think I remember reading this. This is great and it’s welcome. But the fact remains this is not the rule. It’s a very rare exception and that is why it doesn’t seem to carry much weight for the rest of law enforcement. For the article I commented on there were EIGHT police officials in ONE county that don’t have what it takes to stand up to the feds. And my point is of the eight there would be many officers of all ranks under each of them. My prediction is none of these people will step forward and do what’s right. None of these officers will step forward and challenge the status quo. Law enforcement has made its identity come from the Drug War. It is my position that law enforcement feels that their future depends on continuing the War on Drugs. They are afraid of what the future may be like if they don’t have control of us. I would love to see real caring and compassion come from law enforcement. But, right now that’s a pipe dream (I like my pun, ha). I have seen their lack of compassion first hand. For each “Sheriff Dave Mattis” there are literally thousands of police that aren’t behind his ideals. And these thousands are out daily hunting humans. People just like you and me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by p4me on January 09, 2003 at 15:13:02 PT Imprint There has been discussion here about the Sheriff being the chief law enforcement officer of a county. Since many people have joined the Cnewsers since the Sheriff of Big Horn County Wyoming told the feds to stay out without his consent I will post this link- http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread11993.shtml#3 It is a little ways down in this link also- http://www.thespiritof76.com/NEX_NEWS/NF_JURIS.HTM [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Imprint on January 09, 2003 at 13:04:59 PT Can Them This isn’t about medicine. We need leadership that is strong and focused. If these guys are going to be crybabies because of the feds then we should “Can Them” and get some folks in there that have the courage to take on the feds on our behalf. We have spoken. What is so hard for them to understand? The police are mandated to protect us. So, protect us from the evil feds. I’m amused by organizations like LEAP. For the most part a bunch of ex-police officers that want to end the War On Drugs. Great! I really mean it, this is Great! Except, this organization needs current police officers in its ranks. LEAP clams that there are many current police officers that want to end the War On Drugs but are afraid to come out of the closet. Well, its now time to come out of the closet. Step forward and take on the leadership roles we need. But, I’m cynical on this. Unfortunately, with or without LEAP’s help, not a single officer will come forward. They will just let this one Police Chief (Richard Word) hang out there by himself. Sure hope I’m wrong, but that’s my prediction. Not a single officer will step forward and say, “I will protect the public, I will enforce what the public wants me to enforce. Put me in charge and I will be fearless against the fed’s”. Just ain’t going to happen. I keep hearing people say there are good police out there. Gee, I sure would like to actually see some. It’s such a rare occurrence that it’s usually considered an anomaly. Law enforcement is so entrenched in the War On Drugs that they can’t dig out. How the heck are we going to crack this nut? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on January 09, 2003 at 11:58:04 PT Cannabis is Medicine There is no doubt Cannabis is medicine. Double standards. Alcohol is good for you they say on the news these days but Cannabis isn't. Cannabis doesn't pickle a person's liver. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by p4me on January 09, 2003 at 11:30:45 PT Someone has to be right Canada, many states, and GW Pharma say cannabis has medical value. The federal government pronounces it has no medical value even though it had a program that still has seven survivors that give cannabis to patients. Only one side can be right. Don't you think that is the heart of the matter? Or more importantly, why is the government so insistant on continuing the Schedule One Lie and insulting the 4 in 5 Americans whose voices continually echo off the stonewall. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment