State rejects Lassen's medical marijuana ID request

State rejects Lassen's medical marijuana ID request


Posted on Tuesday, August 14 @ 10:12:51 PDT


Lassen County News Headline Aug. 14, 2007 — Lassen County may not alter state medical marijuana ID cards with the stamp “not valid under federal law.”

Supervisor Jim Chapman insisted on stamping the statement on the cards in red ink when the board approve in June a resolution establishing the medical marijuana ID card program, established in 1996 by Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act.

Chapman made the motion on June 26 to approve the resolution only if it stated the board was resolved to add the “not valid under federal law” stamp to any cards issued for Lassen County. His motion passed unanimously.

However, District 4 Supervisor and Board Chairman Brian Dahle immediately added, “We’ll see that again in a couple of weeks.”

About a week later the county received “a verbal statement from the state saying that we could not alter the card,” Assistant County Administrative Officer Kevin Mannel said on Tuesday, Aug. 7. He asked county staff to verify the verbal statement.

“I asked staff to get that in writing,” Mannel said, “because if we need to go back to the supervisors, we need to verify the person making the statement from the Department of Health Services.”

The staff now has a copy of a written statement from the state. Mannel said he plans to take the letter back to the board and ask if its members plan to continue with the resolution requiring the stamp — to which “it appears we cannot comply,” he said — or if the board will agree to pass the original resolution, which complied with state law. Mannel said he expects to have the issue back on the board agenda by the second week of September.

The letter dated July 24 from Karen Parr, the chief of the medically indigent services section of the California Department of Public Health, states the cards, or MMICs, are produced through a contracted vendor “and the production price of the MMIC specified within the contract is based on the current design, therefore, it cannot be changed.”

It said any design changes would increase the card costs and any increase “must be passed on to the counties. Furthermore, in order to assist law enforcement in verifying valid medical marijuana patients or caregivers the information contained on the MMICs must be consistent statewide.”

The medical marijuana ID card application informs patients they are not protected from prosecution under federal law, Parr’s letter said, providing “sufficient notification to patients and primary caregivers of possible federal prosecution.”

Chapman said the board could reconsider the program if the state rejected the stamp.

There is no provision for individual counties alter the cards under the process established by Senate Bill 420, which implements Prop 215 and became law in January 2004. SB 420 specifies a patient, who has documentation from a physician verifying the client suffers from a serious medical condition and the use of medical marijuana is appropriate, must pay a fee. The board’s resolution set that fee at $150, or $117 for those served by MediCal.

The county must verify the address of the person applying for a card by checking proof of residency and a government-issued photo ID. The state issues the card after the county health department screens the application and reviews it for completeness. If anything is missing the state automatically denies the application.

Once the application is entered into a computer the state will issue a card within five days. The county will notify the user when the card is available for pickup.

Saying the state coerced the counties into approving the program, Chapman said it would be easy to go to the local office supply store and have a stamp made. He added SB 420 does not prohibit the stamp being added to the card.

“Let the state say, ‘No you can’t do that, and if that’s the case let them come up with a way to revise it,’” Chapman said in June.

At the June 25 meeting, Mannel agreed SB 420 conflicts with federal law. But he said more than half the state’s counties have already implemented the ID card program, including Shasta and Plumas counties. He said approval of the program does not take any authority away from the sheriff’s department to enforce DUI laws.

Sheriff Steve Warren said his deputies would continue to arrest anyone suspected of driving under the influence regardless of whether they carried a medical marijuana card.

http://www.lassennews.com/News_Story.edi?sid=4128&mode=thread&order=0



DaBronx

Fugitive arrested in Oroville shoot out over medical marijuana

Fugitive arrested in Oroville shoot out over medical marijuana


08/09/07 11:31:37

Related Content:
External Link http://www.orovillemr.com



A Vallejo man wanted in a deadly gun battle over medical marijuana at an Oroville motel has been arrested in Seattle.

Authorities say Deandre Tyrone Lowe, 38, was at Oroville's Best Value Inn on Oct. 22, 2006 to help purchase about 20 pounds of marijuana from patients who had grown it.

The deal went awry, investigators say, when one of the buyers came out of the bathroom, fired a shot into the ceiling and told the sellers to drop to the floor. A seller shot back, and the two men fired 17 bullets.

Two of the three buyers were killed in the shootout, along with one of the sellers. Lowe, who was the third buyer, did not pull a trigger, investigators say. But after he fled, authorities issued a warrant for his arrest on homicide charges because they say he took part in a crime that resulted in murder.

Suspects can be charged with first-degree murder if someone dies during a planned robbery or other serious offense, authorities said.

Three surviving sellers ran away and were later arrested on drug charges. U.S. marshals captured Lowe in Seattle, where he remains in custody.

Information from: Oroville Mercury-Register, http://www.orovillemr.com

http://www.fresnobee.com/384/story/108117.html


DaBronx

Hemp OK in Yolo County

Hemp OK in Yolo County

Supervisors support Assembly bill letting some counties grow it


By LUKE GIANNI/Democrat staff Writer
Article Created: 08/09/2007 08:59:22 AM PDT



Thomas Jefferson grew it.

The Declaration of Independence was written on it.

Benjamin Franklin made paper from it and sold it.

Bill Clinton smoked it, but denied inhaling it.

And now Yolo County wants in on it.

It's hemp and recently the County Board of Supervisors authorized their support for a state Assembly bill that would permit certain counties to grow the marijuana-related fiber for industrial use.

The bill, AB 684, would authorize hemp cultivation within state supervised pilot programs in Butte, Imperial, Kings, Mendocino and Yolo counties.

Similar bills have been brought in the past decade but were met by vetoes by governors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger respectively. AB 684 was passed by the Assembly and is presently being considered in the Senate.

Industrial hemp has been touted by advocates as an inexpensive and durable commodity that could add hundreds of millions of dollars to the U.S. economy.

According to a report produced by the Hemp Industries Association, hemp products generated $207 million in revenue in 2005 and is predicted to grow by $26 million annually.

Yolo county supervisors were briefed by Petrea Marchand, manager of intergovernmental affairs for the county, on the pros and cons of hemp cultivation, during the July 25 board meeting.

The upside, said Marchand, is a new and potentially profitable industry well suited for the county's agricultural landscape.

The downside is no farmer in Yolo County is going to grow it - at least for now.

"It is unlikely that any farmer will grow hemp any time in the near future," Marchand said at the meeting.

That is because of two major obstacles, Marchand said.

The first is there is no infrastructure, namely no processing plants, within the county to make hemp harvesting profitable.

The second problem: "To grow hemp you have to grow marijuana and that's a violation of federal law," said Garret Courtney, spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Agency.

More specifically, hemp contains Tetrahydrocannabinol - known as THC - which is a schedule 1 controlled substance under federal drug law. The schedule 1 designation places the popular depressant within the same category as illicit drugs like crack and cocaine, which equates to strict federal control over its production.

Proponents of the proposed bill say it would only permit hemp to be grown under its provisions that have a THC level of less than .03 percent, far less than the average THC level found in drug-oriented marijuana.

The bill would also require hemp growers to submit samples of their crops to DEA sanctioned labs and report the GPS coordinates and acreage size of their plots.

Not good enough, Courtney said.

"The common argument that is out there is that industrial hemp has only a small percentage of THC. Well, that's like the difference between Mexican bud and BC bud," Courtney said.

Mexican marijuana is has relatively low contents of THC, while BC bud marijuana from Canada can harbor more than 20 times as much THC, Courtney said.

Either way, they get you high and, as a result, are illegal.

Besides, Courtney said, there is already a registration process in place for farmers to get certified through the DEA to grow hemp for industrial use.

"We don't legislate - we just operate," Courtney said. "There are practical uses for controlled substances and you can get certified by the DEA."

Despite the pending legal conflict, the board decided to support the bill.

"I see no reason not to support the bill," Supervisor Matt Rexroad said at the meeting, adding that he hadn't heard any opposition from the county's agricultural leaders. "Silence is consent as far as I am concerned."

Rick Landon, Yolo County's agricultural commissioner, said farmers probably would not take to growing hemp until the legal issues are settled.

"There has to be a test case," Landon said. "I don't think growers want to be the first ones to challenge federal law."

Landon said, however, there would be a viable market for hemp if it were legalized and the county could develop adequate infrastructure to grow it.

"There are a lot of products made from hemp. It's not just fiber-based products either. There are products like Shampoo and lotion that are made from hemp as well," Landon said.

Supervisor Helen Thomson, who supported the bill, said she has used hemp products before and thinks concerns regarding its cultivation are exaggerated.

"I tried the body lotion and I didn't get high," Thomson said. "Perhaps this is a niche market for some Yolo County farmers."

Supervisor Mike McGowan added, however, that hemp growing in Yolo county is not exactly a novel concept.

"I got news for you," McGowan said. "They're growing marijuana in Yolo County now."

- Reach Luke Gianni at 406-6234 or lgianni@dailydemocrat.com.

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/news/ci_6582807


DaBronx

GW Pharma says Sativex gets Canadian approval

GW Pharma says Sativex gets Canadian approval


Tue Aug 7, 2007 7:16 AM BST135


LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Britain's GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (GWP.L: Quote, Profile , Research) said on Tuesday that Canada's federal health department, Health Canada, had approved its cannabis-based medicine Sativex for treatment of cancer patients.

The treatment will be used by advanced cancer patients suffering from moderate to severe pain, GW said.

Last month GW announced a delay for the possible roll-out of the treatment in Europe after drug regulators requested a further clinical study.

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.

http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=smallCapsNews&storyID=2007-08-07T061558Z_01_WLB0258_RTRIDST_0_GWPHARMA-CANADA-URGENT.XML


DaBronx

73-year-old busted for package of pot

73-year-old busted for package of pot


8/6/2007 10:29:15 PM

By Karen Colbenson
Post-Bulletin, Austin MN


A 73-year-old Grand Meadow man was arrested after accepting a package that contained 46 pounds of marijuana, which he admitted were for personal use.

The package, which was being shipped from Donna, Texas, was intercepted at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Aug. 3. Airport officials contacted the Mower County Sheriff's office and then delivered the package at 3 p.m. to the 27000 block of 745th Ave. in Grand Meadow, said Sheriff Terese Amazi.

When the man, whose name was on the address label, signed for the package, police officers at the scene arrested him. The man told officers that the marijuana was for personal use, said Amazi.

According to Amazi, detection dogs often work in the conveyor systems at airports, which is likely how the package was detected.

The package has not been traced back to the sender.

The man will be charged with possession of marijuana.

http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=303172&z=28


DaBronx

SANTA BARBARA: Reefer Madness

Photo: Paul Wellman



SANTA BARBARA: Reefer Madness

Goleta Doctor Cracks Down on Pot-Seeking Patients

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

By Barney Brantingham


Reefer Madness: Years ago, if you wanted to smoke marijuana, you’d likely turn off the lights, pull down the shades, and hunker down before puffing.

Today, you might amble down to one of Santa Barbara’s eight medical marijuana shops, letter from a doctor in hand, and score pot to ease your physical woes.

But getting that letter might be a lot harder than some people seem to think, especially if you try to make an appointment with Dr. David Bearman, a well-known Goleta physician.

It’d be easier — and probably a lot cheaper, from what I hear — to score weed on the street than to jump Dr. Dave’s hurdles.

Although he’s not familiar with how other Santa Barbara area doctors operate under Prop. 215 (the California medical marijuana measure approved by voters), he feels that certain California out-of-town chains offer brief, what he calls “HMO-style” appointments with patients claiming medical need to alleviate their ailments.

“Frankly, most doctors, patients, and dispensaries are concerned about these brief office visit approvals.”

I have a sore back and although I wouldn’t dream of soothing the aches and pains with wacky tobaccy, even temporarily, I asked Dr. Dave what it takes to get one of his letters of recommendation.

First, he said, you can’t even get an appointment without a careful screening. “We do not make an appointment for just anyone,” unless he has a pretty good idea that he or she is likely to qualify under the Prop 215 measures, Bearman told me.

“We try to see the patient’s medical records before their appointment, or if not, have them bring [their records] in with them.” Otherwise, Bearman said, the only time he would issue a letter without copious documentation is when an exam documents a serious problem — such as a missing limb, lumbar or cervical fusion, multiple knee surgeries, or the like.

And if you suspect that most of his patients are college-age kids trying to score, Bearman says 90 percent of his clients seeking marijuana letters are 25-years-old or older, and very few have Isla Vista addresses.

So what about those “HMO-style” doctors, as Bearman puts it? “The position of these doctors, who may see the patient only briefly before granting their approval for medicinal cannabis, seems to go something like this:

“If a patient tells them that they have a particular medical problem and that cannabis is useful to them, these doctors will recommend cannabis. They say that they have no reason not to approve its use when it provides medical benefits, because they see cannabis as being extremely safe and because they can.”

“I take a more conservative view,” Bearman says, blaming the problem on what he calls “vague” guidelines set down by the Medical Board of California, which allows for “wide latitude for interpretation by the MBC.”

Because the MBC has been on what he calls “a witch hunt” investigating doctors who OK marijuana letters, contrary to a court ruling, many physicians avoid the issue, Bearman said.

“At least 60 local doctors have referred patients to me, 15-20 local doctors have made a few approvals, and at least three other physicians are making recommendations for patients for whom they are not the primary care provider.”

“I have been working with other like-minded physicians to set up a specialty of ‘cannabinology,’ which would lay out acceptable medical and ethical standards. No one is benefited by the perception or reality of people who are not ill [getting] medical cannabis approval.”

Meanwhile, the Santa Barbara City Council soon plans to consider a possible moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries, along with guidelines. Some residents have complained about the location of the present ones, which apparently wouldn’t be affected by the moratorium.

Supervisor Bearman?: Dr. Bearman, by the way, says he’s thinking of running for the 3rd District county supervisorial seat now held by Brooks Firestone of the Santa Ynez Valley. Other names are being mentioned in Goleta to oppose Firestone, who gives every impression of seeking re-election next year. This will be a hot one.


Barney Brantingham can be reached at barney@independent.com or 805-965-5205. He writes online columns on Tuesdays and Fridays and a print column on Thursdays.


http://www.independent.com/news/2007/jul/31/reefer-madness/


DaBronx

GO NY YANKEES!

STOP DOMESTIC TERRORISM BY THE DEA!

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