Pubdate: Wed, 08 Jun 2005
Source: Springfield News-Leader (MO)
Webpage: 
Copyright: 2005 The Springfield News-Leader
Contact:  http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1129
Author: Margaret Stafford, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0309.html (Media Alert)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA RULING UNLIKELY TO AFFECT COLUMBIA

It's the only city in Missouri with ordinances loosening state restrictions
on the substance.

Kansas City - Advocates and opponents of laws that loosened restrictions on
marijuana use in Columbia were in rare agreement Tuesday, saying a U.S.
Supreme Court ruling allowing federal prosecution of medical marijuana users
will have little or no impact in the city.

Columbia is the only Missouri city with ordinances that loosened state
restrictions on marijuana use. Last November, voters approved two
ordinances: One requiring that people with slightly over one ounce of
marijuana be prosecuted in city court, with a maximum fine of $250; and the
other allowing the use of marijuana for medical reasons.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that people who smoke marijuana for medical
reasons can be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws.

But no one expects federal drug enforcement agents to begin arresting
seriously ill people who use marijuana.

"This ruling simply maintains the status quo," said Boone County Prosecutor
Kevin Crane. "It really is not that earthshaking."

Columbia attorney Dan Viets, a leading proponent of the city's marijuana
policies, echoed Crane.

"People tend to assume this is much more sweeping than it is," said Viets.
"It won't have any effect at all."

Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm said he had asked city prosecutor Rose
Wibbenmeyer if the ruling would change enforcement of the ordinances. Boehm
noted that the city has never prosecuted anyone for medical marijuana use
and has nearly always sent first-time marijuana offenders to municipal
court.

Crane agreed, saying he did not know of one case in Missouri where someone
was arrested for medical marijuana use.

"We weren't arresting chronically ill people in droves, before or after the
ordinances passed," he said.

Wibbenmeyer did not return phone calls from The Associated Press Tuesday.

Crane said state laws prohibiting marijuana use, which his office enforces,
were not affected by the Supreme Court ruling.

He said the Columbia ordinances do not restrict any law enforcement agency
other than the city police, meaning federal, state or county officers could
conceivably arrest people, although Crane does not expect that to happen in
cases involving users of small amounts of marijuana or medical marijuana
users.

Although he discounted the impact of the Supreme Court ruling, Viets said it
continues a pattern by the federal government of trying to intimidate
doctors and patients who want to use marijuana to treat such illnesses as
AIDS, cancer or multiple sclerosis.

He said users of medicinal marijuana took the case to the Supreme Court to
emphasize that the government was prosecuting selected cases. Another
important issue was states' rights to decide how they will handle marijuana
cases, he said, adding it was "disgusting" that the court sided with the
federal government in its ruling.
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