cannabisnews.com: Berkeley Weighs Marijuana Limits Berkeley Weighs Marijuana Limits Posted by FoM on March 26, 2001 at 07:02:03 PT By Kate Darby Rauch, Times Staff Writer Source: Contra Costa Times After more than two years of discussion, the City Council is expected to pass a medical marijuana ordinance Tuesday, but must first decide which of two versions to embrace. One allows medical users to grow up to 144 plants yearly; the other would limit users to 10 plants per year.The more generous version is proposed by the Community Health Coalition, a citizens group. City staffers recommend the more conservative view. Other than differences in amounts, the proposed ordinances are extremely similar. The rift could be a sticking point, council members say, though there's wide interest in getting something passed."We hope to vote on it, after all these years of squabbling," said Councilman Kriss Worthington, adding that he expects a compromise to be reached. "Let's move it along and get it done." Under the staff proposal, users would be restricted to 2.5 pounds of dried marijuana per year, if the plants are grown outdoors, and 1.5 pounds if grown indoors. Plants grown indoors are more potent. Outdoor plants produce more usable marijuana in a shorter time.. With a doctor's approval, users would be allowed to have more.Those amounts would provide adequate medicinal benefit, said Fred Medrano , head of the city department of Health and Human Services. Growing or owning more marijuana could put users at risk for robbery or other crimes, he said.Medrano's department researched the issue and examined other ordinances around the state.Health coalition members say the proposed limits are too low to provide sufficient treatment for many patients.The coalition, which also did comparative research, says patients should be allowed to grow 144 indoor plants yearly or 60 outdoors. With dried marijuana, it wants patients to be allowed 6 pounds of outdoor-grown and 1.5 pounds of indoor.The two sides disagree over how many plants should be allowed to marijuana collectives, or groups of medicinal users. City staffers recommend a limit of 50 plants per year.The coalition wants collectives to be able to grow as much marijuana as they want.The coalition's recommendations are essentially the same as those in Oakland's ordinance, considered one of the most generous in the state.. The city's version falls more in the range of other city ordinances, but is on the higher end of allowable plants.The decision facing Berkeley is not unique. Proposition 215, passed by voters in 1996, legalized the medical use of marijuana in California but didn't specify amounts.This lack of a standard has sent jurisdictions statewide scrambling to determine what makes medical and legal sense.Gov. Gray Davis has said it's not appropriate for the state to set standards because marijuana possession is illegal under federal law.The council will take up the issue at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way.Source: Contra Costa Times (CA)Author: Kate Darby Rauch, Times Staff WriterPublished: Monday, March 26, 2001Copyright: 2001 Contra Costa Newspapers Inc.Address: 2640 Shadelands Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598Website: http://www.contracostatimes.com/Feedback: http://www.contracostatimes.com/contact_us/letters.htmRelated Articles:Health Comm. Asks Council to Pass MMJ Regulations http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8500.shtmlCase For Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9077.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by MDG on March 26, 2001 at 17:55:50 PT I noticed the same comment... Growing or owning more marijuana could put users at risk for robbery or other crimes, he said.Gosh, if adults could buy it at a liquor store they wouldn't have to worry about that, would they?Of course, the obvious is never so...MDG... [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Natrous on March 26, 2001 at 14:40:58 PT It's a start, but... Growing or owning more marijuana could put users at risk for robbery or other crimes, he said.It bugs me when someone uses half-ass logic as a valid reason to not do something.I think that owning expensive jewlery may put me at risk for robbery or other crimes. I hardly expect any city to pass a law restricting someone from owning more than 2 diamond rings... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: