cannabisnews.com: Acquittal Doesn't Ease Grower's Fears Acquittal Doesn't Ease Grower's Fears Posted by FoM on April 20, 2001 at 13:15:54 PT By Michael Coit, The Press Democrat Source: Press Democrat The day after a jury found that Kenneth Hayes legitimately provided medical marijuana, he was back tending chickens, turkeys, ducks and a calf on the Petaluma ranch where he once raised hundreds of marijuana plants. Yet Hayes said vindication doesn't ease his fears of another arrest and prosecution if he resumed growing marijuana."I probably am not going to resume growing in this county. It is unfortunate," he said. "However, I think I made my point that you can grow medical marijuana anywhere in the state for the sick and the dying." Hayes said he continues to operate a San Francisco marijuana buyers club that also does social work in the neighborhood around the club.Medical marijuana advocates said the acquittal Wednesday of Hayes and Michael S. Foley, who helped Hayes before moving to San Francisco, means caregivers exempted under California's medical marijuana law include people who grow marijuana for a number of people.Hayes said he was growing marijuana for the 1,280-member San Francisco buyers club when the county's drug task force raided his rented ranch in May 1999 and arrested him.Authorities seized about 600 plants growing in six greenhouses, 115 younger plants growing under fluorescent lights in a barn, and more than 180 seedlings inside Hayes' home.Prosecutors contended Hayes was dealing drugs and presented the jury with transaction records seized from Hayes' home."The reason for cultivating it in the first place was to lower the cost of the medicine so patients could get it at a lower reimbursement. Secondly, we could grow a higher-quality medicine," Hayes said.All that remains, however, are the home and barn. Hayes removed the greenhouses, growing lights and other cultivating equipment.Farm animals roam where the greenhouses stood.Hayes, 33, lives with his girlfriend, Cheryl Sequeira, and their 2-year-old daughter on the ranch.If Hayes did resume growing marijuana on the ranch, the one thing he would do differently is keep better written records. Hayes said he would document what he spent to develop and maintain the operation so he could show how money people paid for his product covered his actual costs and did not provide profits."However, being where I'm at, where there's still cowboy cops and a rogue D.A., I don't feel comfortable cultivating cannabis for the sick and dying and needy," he said.District Attorney Mike Mullins and local law enforcement leaders say the medical marijuana law is vague. They say they have pursued cases to test the bounds of the law while waiting for the state to establish guidelines.Hayes, who uses marijuana for a debilitating hip condition, said he might grow it in Mendocino County.But he also said a buyers club he started in San Francisco, the Harm Reduction Center, currently gets enough marijuana from members who grow it to meet member demands.When he was arrested, Hayes was associated with another San Francisco club. Hayes said he did grow marijuana for that club, Cannabis Helping Alleviate Medical Problems.Harm Reduction Center operated out of a storefront of a residential hotel in the South of Market area of San Francisco until a recent fire severely damaged the building.Hayes said he has moved into a new space nearby.In addition to providing marijuana to buyers with medical needs, the club does community outreach, including weekly dinners and peer counseling, and runs a computer skills cafe.Foley runs the buyers club Cannabis Helping Californians, also in San Francisco.Note: Petaluma man says risk of arrest will keep him from cultivating marijuana, at least in Sonoma County. Source: Press Democrat, The (CA) Author: Michael Coit, The Press DemocratPublished: April 20, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Press Democrat Contact: letters pressdemo.com Website: http://www.pressdemo.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:C.H.A.M.P.http://www.champsf.org/Pair Innocent in Medical Pot Bust http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9414.shtml2 Acquitted in Medical Marijuana Case http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9407.shtml 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: