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." - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager