cannabisnews.com: S.F. Supes Vote for Medical Marijuana I.D. Cards





S.F. Supes Vote for Medical Marijuana I.D. Cards
Posted by FoM on January 24, 2000 at 22:32:54 PT
By Ron Harris, Associated Press Writer 
Source: Sacramento Bee
San Francisco supervisors approved a city ordinance Monday calling for identification cards for people who qualify to use medical marijuana.The board voted 10-1 for the ordinance, which would allow cardholders to obtain medical marijuana at several San Francisco dispensaries. The board is scheduled for a second vote Jan. 31 for final approval of the ordinance.
Proponents of the program said the identification system is important to prevent the arrest or detention of legitimate medical marijuana users."These individuals who carry these cards have a great deal of stress on them already. They're sick and dying individuals. We don't need to press them anymore than what they have right now," said Wayne Justman, director of the San Francisco Patients Resource Center, which proposed the ordinance."This should provide the bearer of this card access to the various facilities here in San Francisco that dispense medical marijuana. It should also identify to law enforcement that I am a legitimate user of medical cannabis and if I am stopped and I have cannabis that I should not be detained," Justman said.Those seeking the cards would have to present a doctor's recommendation and personal identification to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.Board president Tom Ammiano cast the sole vote against the ordinance. Ammiano said there were too many unanswered questions regarding financing and patient privacy."I have a lot of trepidation about keeping people's confidentiality, particularly patients with AIDS and cancer," Ammiano said prior to the vote.Justman's organization co-sponsored the ordinance with Act Up, Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative and C.H.A.M.P. (Cannabis Helping Alleviate Medical Problems). The groups would work with the San Francisco Department of Public Health to implement the ID system after final approval, Justman said.Currently, patients qualifying for medical marijuana use must often provide a doctor's validation for each visit to a dispensary. The new ID cards would be valid for up to two years, and renewable thereafter.Jane Weirick, director of the St. Martin's Dispensary in San Francisco, said patients who come to her facility can expect only the best quality marijuana"Right now we have the highest medical grade in the world," Weirick said.There are similar ID card programs in other California cities. In Arcata, the police chief personally issues photo identification cards to registered medical marijuana patients. Mendocino County also uses an ID card system.California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, which permits marijuana use under a doctor's care. SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Published: January 24, 2000  Copyright © The Sacramento Bee Related Article & Web Sites:C.H.A.M.P.http://www.champsf.org/Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Cooperativehttp://www.rxcbc.org/index.htmlS.F. Board to Vote Today on Plan For Pot-User IDs-1/24/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4453.shtmlCannabis News medical Marijuana Archives:http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
END SNIP -->
Snipped
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: