cannabisnews.com: Supervisors OK Medical Marijuana Limits





Supervisors OK Medical Marijuana Limits
Posted by CN Staff on January 29, 2004 at 14:09:36 PT
By Kathleen Wilson
Source: Ventura County Star 
Despite criticism from advocates of medical marijuana use, county supervisors accepted a report allowing state guidelines on using the drug to stand. Voting 4-1, the board decided not to adopt local guidelines more lenient than those approved by the Legislature last year. Under a law known as SB 420, legislators agreed that a patient or caregiver could possess up to 8 ounces of dried marijuana, and six mature plants or 12 immature plants. A physician can exceed that if it is consistent with the patient's needs, according to the law.
County Supervisor John Flynn cast the dissenting vote. "I'm not satisfied with the guidelines," he said. "The guidelines need to be rewritten. ... Why not make it easier for people who need to control pain?" Legislators passed the law in the wake of voters' approval of Proposition 215, the 1996 initiative that allows "seriously ill" people in California to use marijuana for treatment of their illness. The proposition did not state a specific limit, which left sheriffs and district attorneys to set guidelines for the legitimate possession and cultivation of the plants. Flynn brought guidelines developed by local police agencies and the Ventura County District Attorney's Office before the board about a year and a half ago, after local medical marijuana users complained they were being harassed for complying with the 1996 initiative. The advocates appeared before the board then, requesting that the supervisors adopt less restrictive guidelines. The activists opposed the police agencies' guidelines of six plants or 1 pound of processed marijuana. Instead, they sought a limitation of 3 pounds of processed, usable marijuana and up to 99 growing plants in a 10-by-10-square-foot area. While the state standard now trumps the local police agencies' guidelines, the advocates asked supervisors on Tuesday to go beyond that to a more liberal standard. But a report from the county's chief executive officer, Johnny Johnston, recommended that the board avoid setting its own guidelines. Supervisors said they were inclined to agree because they did not see any physicians appealing to them for looser rules, nor were there many patients appearing before them. "In my mind, we are not ignoring the advocates' guidelines," Supervisor Judy Mikels said. "I feel we've struck a balance." Oak View resident Jeff Meyers, who said he uses marijuana for relief of back and neck pain, said the supervisors erred. "I think they got it wrong. They don't have any clue about what they're saying."Note: Flynn opposes rules, saying county didn't work with patients.Source: Ventura County Star (CA)Author: Kathleen WilsonPublished: January 28, 2004Copyright: 2004 The E.W. Scripps Co.Contact: letters insidevc.comWebsite: http://www.staronline.com/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Post Comment