Pubdate: Thu, 22 Nov 2001
Source: Contra Costa Times (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Contra Costa Newspapers Inc.
Contact: http://www.contracostatimes.com/contact_us/letters.htm
Website: http://www.contracostatimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/96

MARIJUANA CHARGE HITS PROP. 215 CO-AUTHOR

SAN FRANCISCO -- A man who helped draft California's Proposition 215, which 
allows certain patients to posses marijuana, was arrested by police last 
week in Cedar City, Utah, for smoking a joint in his motel room.

Dennis Peron is facing a felony charge of possessing marijuana for 
distribution.

Peron said he and fellow Bay Area marijuana activist John Entwistle had 
been heading for Zion National Park with a friend Nov. 14 and decided to 
sample the marijuana they brought along.

A maid picked up the scent in the hall, and the motel owner called police. 
Officers searched the room and found nearly a pound of marijuana and 
concluded the three were dealers.

Peron said it was only a few ounces, to be used for medical purposes as 
allowed by Prop. 215. He and Entwistle both have doctors' recommendations 
to take marijuana as part of their therapy for alcoholism, he said.

Police impounded the cars and all their cash. The cars were returned, but 
prosecutor Scott Burns said the money would be held as evidence until the 
end of the case.
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