Pubdate: Thu, 12 Sep 2002
Source: Tacoma News Tribune (WA)
Copyright: 2002 Tacoma News Inc.
Contact:  http://www.tribnet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/442
Author: Associated Press

CITY LEADERS TO PASS OUT POT TO SICK

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - City leaders plan to join medical marijuana users at a 
pot giveaway at City Hall next week, hoping to send a message to federal 
authorities that, in this town, medical marijuana is welcome.

The invitation comes one week after agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency 
arrested the high-profile owners of a pot farm and confiscated 130 plants 
that had been grown for use as medicine.

"It's just absolutely loathsome to me that federal money, energy and staff 
time would be used to harass people like this," said vice mayor Emily 
Reilly, who with several City Council colleagues plans to pass out medical 
marijuana to sick people from the garden-like courtyard at City Hall on 
Tuesday.

Though the council passed a resolution denouncing the DEA raid, there is no 
official city sponsorship of the giveaway - council members and medical 
marijuana advocates are simply acting on their own in a public space, said 
City Attorney John Barisone.

DEA spokesman Richard Meyer was surprised at the plan.

"Are you serious? That's illegal. It's like they're flouting federal law," 
he said. "I'm shocked that city leaders would promote the use of marijuana 
that way. What is that saying to our youth?"

State law in California, as well as Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, 
Nevada, Oregon and Washington, allows marijuana to be grown and distributed 
to people with a doctor's prescription. Federal law prohibits marijuana use 
under any circumstances.

In recent months, federal agents have been busting pot clubs and farms in 
Northern California, including a small farm last week about 55 miles south 
of San Francisco, arresting owners Valerie and Michael Corral.

They were not indicted, and their attorney said federal authorities do not 
plan to prosecute.
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