Pubdate: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 Source: Lake County Record-Bee (Lakeport, CA) Copyright: 2007 Record-Bee Contact: http://www.record-bee.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3384 Author: Donna Serna CITY OF LAKEPORT NEEDS TO REPEAL BAN ON MARIJUANA This week, supporters of medical cannabis gathered outside the Lakeport City Hall calling on safe and legal access to medicine for patients. I applaud their efforts. The City of Lakeport needs to repeal the ban on medical cannabis cultivation to ensure the safety and accessibility for patients. California voters passed The Compassionate Use Act to ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes. To advance the will of the California voters, the Legislature enacted SB 420, which established cooperatives and collectives as the recognized forms of medical marijuana cultivation and distribution to those who are too sick or otherwise unable to cultivate it for themselves. Banning cultivation of legal medicine limits safe and legal access for patients. A rigid policy that bans cultivation of medical cannabis deprives qualified patients of the medicine promised them by the Compassionate Use Act. Banning cultivation places unnecessary hardship on patients with limited mobility and financial security. It is crucial that medical cannabis be readily accessible to patients throughout and across our community. Donna Serna Lake County Chapter Americans for Safe Access - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake