Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jun 2007
Source: Willits News (CA)
Copyright: 2007 Willits News
Contact:  http://www.willitsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4085
Author: Mike A'Dair, TWN Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

DELBAR, WATTENBURGER DISAGREE ON POT PLANT LIMITS

Supervisors Michael Delbar and Jim Wattenburger could  not reach 
agreement Monday on the number of plants to  recommend as the maximum 
permissible in the committee's  draft medical marijuana possession 
guidelines  resolution.

Wattenburger favored setting the limit at 12 mature  female plants, 
and 18 immature female plants. Delbar  said that he wanted to stick 
to the limits as defined  by the state, encoded in its Senate Bill 
420, at 6  mature plants and 12 immature plants.

Since the two committee members could not reach  agreement, Chairman 
Wattenburger ordered that the  resolution will be sent forward to the 
full board of  supervisors for discussion and possible action on  August 7.

Sheriff Tom Allman was present at the meeting and  recommended that 
the committee adopt the 25 plant limit  suggested by Measure G, which 
was approved by Mendocino  County voters in November 2000.

"If we are looking for an out on this, Measure G is our  out," Allman 
told the committee.

Wattenburger said he could not support Measure G  because of numerous 
conversations he has had with  people who told him that, if given the 
choice to  re-vote for Measure G today, they would not do so. 
Wattenburger said that he was also opposed to the way  that some 
medical marijuana growers are allegedly using  Measure G and the 
county's existing policy to derive  financial benefit for themselves.

"I've had conversations with people who told me that  they use ten or 
twelve plants and then sell the rest to  make the money," 
Wattenburger said. "And I want you to  know that that bothers me very much."

However, Wattenburger said that he wanted to adopt a  number that 
would "compassionately look at the needs of  legitimate patients."

Delbar, however, said that he could not support such a  high number. 
"There problem is we have a problem that  is out of control." Delbar 
said. "I am told that a  conservative number (for amount of pot 
production per  plant) is a pound per plant. I've heard that some 
growers can regularly get three or four pounds per  plant. With that 
said, setting the number at six mature  plants -- that's six pounds 
of product. I don't see  where having six pounds of product is 
short-changing  those people who really need it."

Delbar then asked Allman for some guidance on a number  that he 
considered to be reasonable or warranted.

"I don't think it's up to us," Allman said. "I don't  think we can 
have a law that doctors are going to go  against. If we go for six 
plants, public safety in this  county will not be improved. Public 
safety will be  diminished. Let's make a difference where we can, and 
let's not over-extend our resources."

Allman also asked the two committee members to set  their sites a 
little lower. "We're not going to do it  all this year," he said. "If 
this year we can  differentiate between legal and illegal marijuana, 
we  will have accomplished something."

After some discussion, Wattenburger attempted to get  Delbar to agree 
on a compromise. He suggested a plant  limit of 12 mature/18 immature 
for indoor growing, and  6 mature and 12 immature for outdoor 
growing. But  Delbar wouldn't agree to his offer.

Wattenburger then ordered that the issue be referred to  the full 
board on the next available date, which was  discovered to be August 
7. In January, the board had  decided that it would not meet on three 
Tuesday in the  month of July.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom