Pubdate: Sun, 05 Feb 2006
Source: Fresno Bee, The (CA)
Copyright: 2006 The Fresno Bee
Contact:  http://www.fresnobee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/161
Author: Susie Pakoua Vang
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

MEDICAL POT USERS LEARN LAWS

Tulare CO. Is Expected To Consider Tuesday A Ban On Dispensaries

VISALIA -- Medical marijuana users are not druggies or  potheads, 
said supporters at an informational meeting  Saturday at the Visalia 
Convention Center.

"It's not just a bunch of people partying," said Rick  Morse, 
president of the Tulare chapter of Americans for  Safe Access. "It's patients."

Morse and several speakers provided information to  about 50 people 
on state law and local ordinances  governing medical marijuana.

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors is expected to  take up a 
measure Tuesday to ban medical marijuana  dispensaries in the county 
until an ordinance passes.  Tulare and Visalia already have such ordinances.

Participants at Saturday's meeting agree that there  should be limits.

"You can't just have them popping [up] anywhere," Morse  said of the 
dispensaries. "We welcome the county and  city ordinances. We'd just 
like them to coincide with  the state law."

It is important to know your rights, said Aaron Smith  of Safe Access 
Now. Smith cited a statewide proposition  approved by voters in 1996 
that allows people to  possess or cultivate marijuana for medical 
purposes  with a doctor's recommendation.

"It's state law and that's something we have on our  side," he said.

It is important to know who to contact if you run into  trouble with 
law enforcement officials, said James  McLean, president of a medical 
marijuana dispensary in  Tulare.

Usage of medical marijuana should also be discreet,  Morse said, 
especially for the safety of children.

Melanie M. of Tulare, who asked not to be identified by  her full 
name, said she used to have such severe  migraines that she couldn't 
go to work some days.

Doctors prescribed Vicodin, but the medication made her nauseous.

Then she got the required doctor's recommendation to  receive medical 
marijuana about three years ago.

Since then, Melanie said, she has only missed two or  three days of work.

But in January, she was fired from her bookkeeping job  of six years 
when she refused to sign an employee  handbook. The handbook required 
employees to retake a  drug test and consent to the search of their cars.

She said she didn't try explaining her situation to the  former 
employers because she didn't think they would  understand.

She is looking for a job but may end up doing freelance work.

"I don't want to have to deal with the temp service,"  Melanie said. 
"I don't want to go through drug  testing."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman