Pubdate: Mon, 20 Oct 2003
Source: North County Times (CA)
Contact:  2003 North County Times
Website: http://www.nctimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA PLAN STALLED

SAN DIEGO - Plans to develop a medical marijuana identification program in
the City of San Diego have stalled due to a lack of funding and a new state
law that requires counties to provide the service.

The city's voluntary ID card program was meant to protect sick people who
use marijuana on a doctor's advice from being arrested by city police. 

The City Council approved the program in September, but it has been stalled
partly because of a lack of funding, City Councilwoman Toni Atkins told The
San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Medical Cannabis Task Force has been trying to raise the $20,000 to
$25,000 it would cost to set up an ID card program.

Atkins told the Union-Tribune the program may no longer be needed because a
state law Gov. Gray Davis signed Oct. 12 requires the state Department of
Health Services to establish a statewide voluntary registry of medical
marijuana users.

Counties must also set up a program to enroll medical marijuana users in the
registry and to issue state medical marijuana ID cards.

The city adopted the ID card program when the San Diego County Board of
Supervisors wouldn't develop a program to implement a medical marijuana
initiative that voters statewide approved in 1996.

The measure, Proposition 215, was approved by 55.6 percent of voters
statewide and 56.1 percent of voters in San Diego County.
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk