Pubdate: Tue, 20 Dec 2005
Source: Lassen County Times (CA)
Copyright: 2005 Feather Publishing Co., Inc.
Contact: http://www.lassennews.com/email_us.edi
Website: http://www.lassennews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3871
Author: Shayla Ashmore, Managing Editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

SUPERVISORS DO NOT SUPPORT MEDICAL MARIJUANA ID CARD

The Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program Is "Nothing More
Than Another Scheme From the Enemy Within to Destroy This Society,"
Supervisor Bob Pyle Said Last Week.

Pyle was perhaps the most straightforward, but every supervisor
expressed doubts about the program at the board's Tuesday, Dec. 13
meeting. Taking no action, the supervisors agreed to wait and see how
other counties handle the legal requirement that each county approve
the program and set up an application process.

San Diego County reportedly plans to sue the state to avoid
implementing the program, according to County Administrative Officer
John Ketelsen.

"I don't know that the medical use of marijuana for patients that need
it is a good thing or a bad thing," Sheriff Steve Warren told the
board. "I think that for someone to be able to drive around in a car
with eight ounces of marijuana and a card that says it's OK is not a
good thing."

Warren said possession of marijuana "clearly is against federal law
and not too long ago it was against state law."

Marijuana possession for medical use became legal in California with
passage of Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The
U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that a federal ban on marijuana
trumps any state laws allowing its use, including Prop 215.

To complicate things further the U.S. Supreme Court on June 6 decided
the federal government may prosecute people who use homegrown
marijuana. It said state medical marijuana laws don't protect users
from a federal ban on the drug.

Warren said California's Attorney General issued an opinion saying,
"The Supreme Court didn't say anything about mandating local and state
officials to enforce federal law." The attorney general concluded
local and state officials should not enforce federal marijuana laws.

He said the voluntary ID card program simply gives medical marijuana
users something to show law enforcement saying the bearer is entitled
to carry eight ounces of marijuana. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake