cannabisnews.com: Board Calls for Medical Pot Task Force





Board Calls for Medical Pot Task Force
Posted by CN Staff on January 21, 2004 at 09:46:19 PT
By James Tressler The Times-Standard
Source: Times-Standard 
Eureka -- Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos' controversial medical marijuana guidelines will remain in effect, at least for the time being. That was one clear decision that came out of Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting -- a session that showed the public is still widely divided over the issue of medical pot. After nearly three hours of public debate, the board voted unanimously to table an ordinance that would essentially recognize Gallegos' guidelines as county law.
Instead, the board called for a task force comprising law enforcement, medical marijuana patients and caregivers, schools, business and physicians. But until the county decides on an ordinance, the county's two top law enforcement agencies will continue to uphold Gallegos' guidelines, Sheriff Gary Philp and Deputy District Attorney Wes Keat told the board. Gallegos last year introduced guidelines allowing medical pot patients to have up to 3 pounds of dried buds per year. Cultivation is restricted to what will fit within a 100-square-foot vegetative canopy. Then in January, a new state law went into effect calling for uniform guidelines. The state law would allow patients to have no more than 8 ounces of dried marijuana and no more than six mature or 12 immature plants. But the law allows counties and cities to retain or enact medical marijuana guidelines that exceed the state's limits, and physicians can also prescribe a greater amount.Tuesday's public debate featured representatives from schools and law enforcement, as well as physicians, medical marijuana patients and caregivers. The law enforcement and school representatives pushed the board to adopt the state's more restrictive guidelines. "The problem is the permissive attitude (toward marijuana) we're advocating in this county as a whole," Fortuna Police Chief Kent Bradshaw said.The city of Fortuna has opposed Gallegos' guidelines, and Bradshaw said he favors the lesser amounts allowed by the state, noting that physicians can prescribe more. Mary Scott, president of the Humboldt County Board of Education, said exceeding the state's limits sends the "wrong message" to the community, especially students. Educators are concerned with what they call possible unintended consequences of a too-liberal policy, such as students possibly having access to their parents' medical pot. Also, concerns over medical pot being used or distributed on campuses could jeopardize federal funding schools receive. "We as a community have a responsibility to protect our children," Scott said. "And being in conflict with federal law could jeopardize funding, which could have a drastic impact on our schools."Medical marijuana patients and advocates cited a recent ruling by the 9th District Court of Appeals, which they say forbids the federal government from bringing charges against medical marijuana users.Also, patients defended the use of marijuana as a viable treatment drug for a number of ailments, saying it is much healthier than using prescription drugs. Dr. Jay Cavanaugh, director of the American Alliance for Medical Marijuana, urged the board to approve Gallegos' guidelines. He argued the state's limits aren't sufficient for most patients' needs. He also said while he understands the concerns of parents and educators, there must be a distinction between legitimate treatment and drug abuse."The message we need to give our kids is there's a difference between medicine and drugs," Cavanaugh said. "Children need to understand (abusing) drugs is a person self administering to escape reality, that's bad. A medicine is taken under the supervision of a physician and provides relief and that's good."All five members of the board, after listening to the debate, said the task force would help draft a compromise. Second District Supervisor Roger Rodoni and 3rd District Supervisor John Woolley will put together the task force that will have 90 days to submit a report with recommendations. Rodoni, who brought the ordinance forward, said he hopes the task force can find a solution that will bring the community together. But he also said the bigger debate over marijuana won't be solved until the drug is legalized. He alluded to the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s, and mentioned a shrine on Briceland Road dedicated to a man who was murdered over a pot deal, as well as the hugely inflated prices marijuana fetches because it's illegal. "If you could find a mechanism to legalize marijuana, you'd eliminate all the problems," Rodoni said. Source: Times-Standard (CA)Author: James Tressler The Times-StandardPublished: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 Copyright: 2004 MediaNews Group, Inc.Contact: editor times-standard.comWebsite: http://www.times-standard.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:American Alliance for Medical Marijuanahttp://www.letfreedomgrow.com/Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmFortuna City Council Sides With Police Chief http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18180.shtmlHumboldt Struggles with New MJ Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18173.shtml
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