Pubdate: Thu, 12 Sep 2002
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA)
Copyright: 2002 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Contact:  http://www.seattle-pi.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/408
Author: Martha Mendoza, The Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

SANTA CRUZ LEADERS TO DOLE OUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA AT CITY HALL

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- City leaders plan to join medical marijuana users at 
a pot giveaway at City Hall next week. Their goal is to send a message to 
federal authorities that, in this town, medical marijuana is welcome.

The invitation comes one week after agents from the Drug Enforcement 
Administration arrested the high-profile owners of a pot farm and 
confiscated 130 plants that had been grown to be used as medicine.

"It's just absolutely loathsome to me that federal money, energy and staff 
time would be used to harass people like this," said vice mayor Emily 
Reilly, who with several colleagues on the City Council plans to help pass 
out medical marijuana to sick people from the gardenlike courtyard at City 
Hall on Tuesday.

City Attorney John Barisone said that although the City Council passed a 
resolution denouncing the raid, there is no official city sponsorship of 
the event. He said council members and medical-marijuana advocates are 
acting on their own accord.

DEA spokesman Richard Meyer was surprised at the plan, saying council 
members were flouting federal law. "I'm shocked that city leaders would 
promote the use of marijuana that way," Meyer said. "What is that saying to 
our youth?"

Last Thursday, federal agents -- acting without support from state and 
local law enforcement -- raided a small pot farm on a quiet coastal road 
about 55 miles south of San Francisco and arrested the owners, Valerie and 
Michael Corral.

The couple, leading activists for medical marijuana, have not been 
indicted. Their attorney, Ben Rice, said he was informed by the DEA that 
the U.S. attorney has declined to prosecute the case.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said she could not comment on 
the case, and DEA spokesman Meyer said his agency isn't involved in 
decisions on whether to prosecute.

State law in California, Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon 
and Washington allows marijuana to be grown and distributed to people with 
a doctor's prescription. Federal law, on the other hand, prohibits 
marijuana use under any circumstances.

Said Robert Kampia, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based 
Marijuana Policy Project: "The courage of the Santa Cruz City Council and 
the growing anger in Congress are signs of a genuine grassroots rebellion 
all across this country that will put an end to these attacks on the sick 
and vulnerable."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager