Pubdate: Tue, 17 Sep 2002
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2002 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact:  http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Bob Egelko
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL POT RALLIES HELD ACROSS STATE

Patients Protest U.S. Raids On Supplies

Medical marijuana patients and advocates held protests in San Francisco and 
several other cities Monday against the latest federal raids on their supplies.

Outside the federal court building in San Francisco, about 30 demonstrators 
chanted, "We're patients, not criminals," and carried "Wanted" posters for 
President Bush, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Drug Enforcement 
Administration chief Asa Hutchinson.

"This is a life-and-death issue," said Randi Webster of San Francisco, who 
uses medical marijuana to ease pain from arthritis and a degenerative 
condition in her knees, and hobbled along the march on a brace. "The 
federal government doesn't see it that way. They think we're drug pushers 
and terrorists."

Protests were also held in Oakland, Santa Rosa, San Jose, Santa Cruz, 
Sacramento, Santa Ana and a number of cities outside California, said Steph 
Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access, which organized 
the events.

The rallies were in response to DEA raids this month in Sebastopol and 
Santa Cruz, where City Council members plan to be on hand Tuesday as 
members of the raided organization distribute marijuana publicly outside 
City Hall.

The DEA's actions against the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana in 
Santa Cruz on Sept. 5, particularly angered advocates. Federal agents 
seized and destroyed plants and arrested the organization's founders, 
Valerie and Mike Corral.

The Corrals, who had helped to draft Prop. 215, were quickly released and 
have not been charged with any crimes by the U.S. attorney's office.

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer protested and demanded a meeting with 
Ashcroft. Local officials also were irate because they had worked with the 
Corrals for six years on a system to identify medical users and provide 
marijuana without charge.

Citing federal laws against marijuana growing and distributing, federal 
authorities have sought to close down medical marijuana suppliers in 
California since state voters passed Proposition 215, a 1996 initiative 
allowing use of marijuana for medical purposes under state law.

DEA spokesman Richard Meyer, who watched the start of Monday's rally in San 
Francisco but headed indoors when demonstrators tried to get him to speak, 
repeated his agency's position that it was targeting only "major dealers," 
not patients.

Asked about the patients at the protest, Meyer said, "We see them as 
victims of their traffickers."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager