Pubdate: Thu, 22 Nov 2001
Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT)
Copyright: 2001 The Salt Lake Tribune
Contact:  http://www.sltrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/383
Author: Jacob Santini

BUSTED TOURIST VOWS TO FIGHT DRUG CHARGES

Californian Dennis Peron packed the necessities for his vacation to 
southern Utah: a sleeping bag for campouts, his dog for company -- and a 
stash of marijuana he says he uses to treat his alcoholism. Peron, founder 
of San Francisco's Cannabis Cultivation Club, was stunned when Cedar City 
police objected to the marijuana last week and seized it, and arrested him 
and his friends and booked them into jail. "They overreacted. They should 
have given me a ticket," insists Peron, 55. "They should have let it go."

Now Peron promises to bring his campaign to legalize marijuana for 
medicinal use to Utah as he fights charges of possession of marijuana with 
intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. It is a natural 
step -- Peron drafted the 1996 California proposition that legalized 
marijuana for medical use, and his club was created to grow it for that 
purpose.

"I'm going to make some noise," Peron said this week in a telephone 
interview from San Francisco.

"It's about time someone fought for dying patients." Peron says he is 
worried that seriously ill tourists who attend the 2002 Olympic Winter 
Games -- and bring their medical marijuana -- will be "brutalized" by their 
Utah hosts in February. But Deputy Salt Lake District Attorney Kent Morgan 
says prescriptions for marijuana are not valid in Utah or anywhere, after a 
May decision by the U.S. Supreme Court held there is no exception to 
federal laws that forbid people with cancer, AIDS and other ailments to use 
marijuana.

Eight Western states, including California, Nevada and Colorado, have 
medical marijuana laws on their books.

"You're right; there's no exemption in Utah," Peron concedes, but adds he 
is looking for a Utah lawmaker to sponsor a medical marijuana law. 
Meanwhile, he says, he will bring the California physician who prescribed 
marijuana to him to testify during his preliminary hearing. He faces up to 
5 years in prison if convicted of drug possession. Peron and three friends 
were heading for Zion National Park when they checked into a Cedar City 
Motel 6 on Nov. 14. Police arrived at about 9:45 a.m. after receiving a tip 
that marijuana smoke could be smelled in the hallway.

Police found nearly a pound of pot in the hotel room and vehicle, Cedar 
City police Sgt. Dave Holm said.

Officers also seized more than $4,500 and charged his companions with 
possessing marijuana and paraphernalia.

Peron says he had, at most, 3 grams of raw marijuana and a sackful of 
pot-laced dessert.

"They're weighing the brownies," he laments. After that night in jail, the 
group posted bail and headed west. Peron is due to return for his 
arraignment in December and says he may just check out Zion National Park 
along the way.
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