cannabisnews.com: O.C. Cannabis Co-Op Keeps Its Cause In Focus O.C. Cannabis Co-Op Keeps Its Cause In Focus Posted by FoM on March 10, 2001 at 23:39:33 PT By Teri Sforza, The Orange County Register Source: Orange County Register It has been more than four years since California's medical marijuana law passed. More than three years since Orange County's first cannabis co-op volunteer was arrested. Two years since its director went to state prison, and nine months since he was released on bail pending appeal."All this time, and they are still denying us the right to use Proposition 215," said Marvin Chavez, director of the Orange County Patient, Doctor, Nurse Support Group Cannabis Co-op, who was convicted of selling pot after a judge denied him the right to mount a defense based on the medical marijuana law. "I knew this was going to be a hell of a war, but the question is, for how long?"Eight other states approved medical marijuana laws in the wake of California's -- and many are far ahead of California when it comes to implementation.In California, activists wait. After years of lying essentially dormant for fear of the law, Orange County's cannabis co-op is taking tentative steps forward. It no longer has a business license and a meeting place in Garden Grove, as it did in 1997. It no longer distributes "medicine" in exchange for "donations," the practice that landed Chavez in jail.But it has a new phone number, directs potential patients to doctors in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara who are not afraid to recommend the drug, counsels them on how to grow their own pot once they have a doctor's permission and funnels them to cannabis clubs in Hollywood and Inglewood if they lack a green thumb."The organization does exist, and I'm here to guide patients and doctors," Chavez said. "I refuse to allow the authorities to imprison my mind or spirit. Prop. 215 is the law."The Orange County cannabis co-op's new number is (714) 836-6997Source: Orange County Register (CA)Author: Teri Sforza, The Orange County RegisterPublished: March 10, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Orange County RegisterAddress: P.O. Box 11626, Santa Ana, CA 92711Fax: (714) 565-3657Contact: letters link.freedom.comWebsite: http://www.ocregister.com/Related Article: Post-Prop. 215 Stress Disorder http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8770.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by dddd on March 11, 2001 at 20:56:04 PT Orange,,Oakland,,L.A. This article refers to Orange County,south of LA,not tobe confused with Oakland,which is in Northern CA.Todd McCormickwas in L.A.County,but I'm not certain which counties jurisdiction hewas busted under.Terminal Island is in LA County. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by CorvallisEric on March 11, 2001 at 14:07:53 PT Would someone who really knows please comment. Wasn't McCormick's claim about a club in Southern Calif - LA County? - rather than Oakland?One thing I am certain about is that the Orange County Register has always had a more-or-less libertarian editorial stance toward drug policy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by topaztic on March 11, 2001 at 11:07:56 PT O.C. drug policy To understand why Todd is in jail you have to understand how conservative Orange County politics are, and how drug-ho it's law enforcement tends to be. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by J.R. Bob Dobbs on March 11, 2001 at 04:32:41 PT Yes, but... Todd McCormick's recent allegations on Pot-TV about the CBC's make me see things in a little less of a black-and-white cut-and-dried fashion. Todd points out that sales are still illegal under 215, yet the Oakland CBC can get a loan for a building which the loaner knows they plan to pay back via profits from sales of medicine to patients. Compare that to Todd, who was just growing plants himself and writing to educate others on how to do it themselves... and why is Todd sitting on Terminal Island, and the Oakland CBC is still open? Not that I'm against the clubs - I think both approaches should be part of the whole. Some people find it very theraputic just to grow a plant, whether they smoke it or not. Other people don't have the time or the resources to grow their own, and they need a safe place to purchase it. But if Todd's allegations are true, that he's in jail partly because the Oakland CBC collaborated with the narks to get rid of him, for whatever reason... well, it'd be a damn shame. We've got enough to do without petty infighting. Todd's a fantastic activist and is doing all for the cause that he can, even now that he's in jail...http://www.toddmccormick.com/ Todd's book as a free PDF file download [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by dddd on March 11, 2001 at 02:28:44 PT Hats off Hats off to the O.C. Register for printing this article.It's way cheaper to get a Doctors signature on a "License to Smoke",thanit would be to go to jail. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: