cannabisnews.com: Medical-Pot Panel Meeting Ousted From Office





Medical-Pot Panel Meeting Ousted From Office
Posted by CN Staff on January 22, 2003 at 08:13:43 PT
By Ray Huard, Union-Tribune Staff Writer
Source: Union Tribune 
Members of San Diego's Medical Cannabis Task Force were told yesterday to leave county offices minutes before they were to hold a media briefing on proposed guidelines for marijuana use by sick people. County officials said task force members were asked to leave the Public Defender's Office after someone who opposes medical marijuana complained to county Supervisor Bill Horn's office. They said it is against policy to use county offices for noncounty business. 
Juliana Humphrey, a county deputy public defender who heads the city's task force, said she was unhappy with what happened. "I'm amazed at what a political football this has become," she said. Humphrey and other task force members, including one in a wheelchair, moved the briefing a block away to the City Administration Building. The City Council created the task force in 2001 to implement Proposition 215, a 1996 ballot measure that allows the medical use of marijuana but sets no guidelines. The task force has recommended that sick people be allowed to keep up to three pounds of marijuana upon a doctor's recommendation. The county Board of Supervisors is on record opposing the medical use of marijuana. But Horn's chief of staff, Joan Wonsley, and county Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Harold Tuck said that had nothing to do with asking the task force to move its media briefing. Tuck, who called the Public Defender's Office to say the task force must leave, said Humphrey was acting as a private citizen in her role as task force chairwoman and violating the county policy on who can use county offices. "That's not appropriate or proper," Tuck said. Wonsley said she received a phone call yesterday morning from someone identifying himself as a Tri-City Prevention Coalition member. The caller complained about the city task force's use of county offices and the the caller was referred to the county administrator's office, Wonsley said. "It's no secret he (Horn) is against medical marijuana," Wonsley said. She said the issue was not that the task force was discussing marijuana, but that it was using county property and "this is not county business." Note: Noncounty business banned, officials say. Complete Title: Medical-Pot Panel Meeting Ousted From County Offices Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)Author: Ray Huard, Union-Tribune Staff WriterPublished: January 22, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.Contact: letters uniontrib.comWebsite: http://www.uniontrib.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmGuidelines Might OK Less Than 3 Pounds http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15240.shtmlS.D. City Panel OKs Medical Pot Rules http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14477.shtmlCity Leaders Push Action On Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14471.shtmlTask Force Issues Its Cannabis Proposalshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14469.shtml
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