cannabisnews.com: Former Drug Officer Denies Defense Letter Former Drug Officer Denies Defense Letter Posted by FoM on January 20, 2001 at 09:17:40 PT By Clark Mason, The Press Democrat Source: Press Democrat A former drug officer testified Friday that he ignored a letter indicating the location of various medical marijuana gardens in Sonoma County. He said the letter played no part in a raid at the home of Alan MacFarlane, the first person to mount a medical defense to marijuana charges in Sonoma County. Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Steve Brown acknowledged that the letter from an attorney representing medical marijuana users indicated "they're trying to tell me they're doing it legally."Brown said he discussed the letter with fellow narcotics officers, but decided to do "absolutely nothing" with it, including investigating any of the people on the list."I remember reading it and eventually throwing it away. I had no idea about a case against Mr. MacFarlane," he said. "I threw it away, because we're not targeting them."MacFarlane, 47, whose west Santa Rosa home was raided twice the next year by the narcotics task force, is on trial for cultivating marijuana.Although voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 1996, the ballot initiative did not address the amount individuals can use or the number of plants they can grow.Members of the narcotics task force have testified that a neighbor of MacFarlane's reported he was growing marijuana and his arrest had no connection to the letter. The task force confiscated 109 plants from his home.Prosecutors say MacFarlane took advantage of the medical marijuana law to grow much more than he needed.The defense said the letter MacFarlane's attorney sent to deputies before his arrest shows he wanted to comply with the law."No one would invite investigation by law enforcement, unless they felt what they were doing was legal," defense attorney Sandy Feinland said.According to court testimony, MacFarlane uses marijuana for chronic pain and other side effects associated with treatment he underwent for thyroid cancer 25 years ago. He still sees an oncologist regularly, who gave him approval to use marijuana.In addition to the marijuana cultivation charges, MacFarlane also is charged with possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms.On Friday, a criminalist with the state Department of Justice testified that he tested a sample of the mushrooms and determined they contained a useable amount of psilocyn, the hallucinogenic ingredient.When the defense attorneys sent a sample to another lab they said tests showed no presence of any illegal substance.MacFarlane's defense attorneys say he had a vegetable garden and the mushrooms are commonly found in some back yards.Complete Title: Former Drug Officer Denies Defense Letter Led to Pot Raid You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 568-5312 or by e-mail at: cmason pressdemocrat.comSource: Press Democrat, The (CA) Author: Clark Mason, The Press Democrat Published: January 20, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Press Democrat Address: Letters Editor, P. O. Box 569, Santa Rosa CA 95402 Fax: (707) 521-5305 Contact: letters pressdemo.com Website: http://www.pressdemo.com/ Forum: http://www.pressdemo.com/opinion/talk/ Feedback: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/letform.htmlRelated Articles:Doctor Testifies He Approved Patient's Use of Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8376.shtmlMedical Marijuana Goes on Trial http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8364.shtmlCourt Case to Test How Much is Too Much Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8312.shtmlCase Tests Limits of Medical Marijuana Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8309.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by observer on January 20, 2001 at 14:10:12 PT 'nti-si-tho Their strange growth pattern helps make mushrooms mysterious and awesome to the Mazatec, who call them 'nti-si-tho, meaning "worshipful object that springs forth." They believe that the mushroom springs up miraculously and that it may be sent from outer realms on thunderbolts. As one Indian put it poetically: "The little mushroom comes of itself, no one knows whence, like the wind that comes we know not when or why."The Golden Guide to Hallucinogenic Plants, Richard E Shultes, 1976http://www.theforbiddenfruit.com/articles/articles/hallpla/g61-70.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by meagain on January 20, 2001 at 14:08:22 PT Yes, Yes, Yes Detective Sgt. Steve Brown for drug czar !!!Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Steve Brown acknowledged that the letter from an attorney representing medical marijuana users indicated "they're trying to tell me they're doing it legally."Brown said he discussed the letter with fellow narcotics officers, but decided to do "absolutely nothing" with it, including investigating any of the people on the list."I remember reading it and eventually throwing it away. I had no idea about a case against Mr. MacFarlane," he said. "I threw it away, because we're not targeting them."I like this guy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on January 20, 2001 at 12:59:09 PT: Wandering Mushrooms "the mushrooms are commonly found in some back yards."This is true, and they're spreading. There was a huge collection of psychedelic (entheogenic) Psyilocybe mushrooms recently coming to fruition in the UK. Another example of government war on a plant in the USA. What is inconsistent is that a few oleander leaves can kill a child, but the city of Phoenix plants them everywhere. What is reasonable? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by pete on January 20, 2001 at 12:43:06 PT JUST DO IT Hey everyone dont get busted at home, take all the nasty little seeds that you got from that bomb-ass shit and plant them everywhere. Ive done it so can you. This spring i think that the local police station will enjoy the beauty and the aroma of some plants that will grow in their flower beds at their front door. 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