cannabisnews.com: Changes Perplex Officials and Users










  Changes Perplex Officials and Users

Posted by CN Staff on June 28, 2004 at 07:21:17 PT
By Jeff McDonald, Union Tribune Staff Writer 
Source: Union Tribune  

Every week or two, sometimes more often than that, Damon Mosler is contacted by a street cop or police official trying to wade through the increasingly confusing world of medical marijuana. Automatically, the San Diego County prosecutor runs through his checklist. How many plants are involved? Is there any evidence of sales? Does the suspect have a doctor's recommendation or otherwise appear to meet guidelines set by San Diego or the state?
Mosler asks these questions to weigh whether a person is ill and eligible to grow and smoke marijuana, or whether that person is using California's Compassionate Use Act of 1996 to justify getting high or selling pot. Many police departments and elected leaders still refuse to recognize any medical use for marijuana, the prosecutor said. In those cases, Mosler finds himself having to explain the law to law enforcement officials. "For some in law enforcement, there's a reluctance to fully understand the law," said Mosler, the district attorney's narcotics chief who decides whether to charge people with growing pot or to let them go. "I have a couple agencies that don't fully understand: It's the law and they've got to follow it." If beat cops and police chiefs have trouble keeping up with the rapidly changing allowances under the law, then the 3,000 or more San Diego County patients who are thought to rely on marijuana to ease their pain may be even more befuddled. Over the past nine months, a series of federal court rulings have reshaped medical marijuana laws, which opponents say are simply a ruse to legalize a dangerous drug. More appellate decisions are expected. In some parts of the state, those with AIDS, cancer and other diseases can pick up legally a supply of marijuana as easily as they can a cold medicine. Elsewhere, drug agents still raid pot gardens and lock up growers who appear to be operating within state law. Such sporadic enforcement of the rules has prompted a group of activists to host legal seminars throughout the state outlining patients' rights to medical marijuana and recent changes in the laws. Tomorrow, Americans for Safe Access brings its roving discussions to San Diego, where a new police chief and recently adopted city standards on medical marijuana have helped patients figure out the rules. The seminar will be at 7:30 p.m. in the second floor meeting room at the Central Library, 820 E Street. It follows a private meeting between the Americans for Safe Access staff attorney and local defense lawyers, who will be given a primer on tactics and trends in medical marijuana cases. Although San Diego officials and county prosecutors are allowing for the legal medical use of marijuana, there is still plenty to talk about. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/perplex.htmSource: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)Author: Jeff McDonald, Union Tribune Staff WriterPublished: June 28, 2004 Copyright: 2004 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.Contact: letters uniontrib.comWebsite: http://www.uniontrib.com/Americans For Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccessnow.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

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Comment #5 posted by FoM on June 28, 2004 at 09:36:48 PT

Next Winter
When I read that I felt my heart sink. Then I thought we have plenty of MMJ issues headed for the ballot box. If Kerry gets elected he might just say it's ok like he said he would and stop prosecuting MMJ patients. So I came to the conclusion that delay as much as we mind it will more then likely work in our favor because we will win most of the issues scheduled for election time I believe.
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Comment #4 posted by afterburner on June 28, 2004 at 09:30:09 PT

Max
"The high court will hear the case sometime next winter"This is an exact quote from the previous link. The Heading box did not leave room for quotes or the second "the." I assume that the author means the "next" winter, that is the coming winter, or as you call it "'this' winter." So, there is no need to strain your fingernails.I find it interesting that the Supreme Court has postponed their decision until after the US federal election.
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Comment #3 posted by Max Flowers on June 28, 2004 at 09:04:08 PT

"Next" winter?
When you say next winter, you do mean "this" winter, as in 2004 (or Jan-Feb 2005 I guess), right? There's no way I could hang by my fingernails until November or December 2005 for it.
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Comment #2 posted by afterburner on June 28, 2004 at 08:43:37 PT

The high court will hear case sometime next winter
High court takes medical marijuana case
Monday, June 28, 2004 Posted: 10:48 AM EDT (1448 GMT) 
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/06/28/medical.marijuana.ap/

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Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 28, 2004 at 07:25:15 PT

AP: Supreme Court Takes Medical Marijuana Case 
Supreme Court Takes Medical Marijuana Case By Anne GearanJune 28, 2004Washington -- The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider whether sick people who smoke pot on a doctor's orders are subject to a federal ban on marijuana. 
  The court agreed to hear the Bush administration's appeal of a case it lost last year involving two California women who say marijuana is the only drug that helps alleviate their chronic pain and other medical problems. 
 Copyright: 2004 Associated Press
Medical Marijuana Information Links
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