Pubdate: Fri, 19 Sep 2008
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)
Copyright: 2008 Santa Cruz Sentinel
Contact: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/submitletters
Website: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/394
Cited: Santa Cruz City Council 
http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/council/council.html
Cited: WAMMfest http://wammfest.org/
Cited: Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana http://www.wamm.org/
Referenced: Pot Raid Targets Patient Advocacy Group 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08.n876.a12.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/WAMM
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

BE CONSISTENT ON POT SMOKING BAN

Should medical marijuana advocates be permitted to light up at their 
annual festival later this month?

The Santa Cruz City Council, so far, says no and we agree.

Here's the reasons why.

First, however, the obligatory disclaimer: the Sentinel, along with 
the council, has supported the use of medical marijuana for people 
who need the drug to help them cope with medical issues.

We also have consistently voiced concerns -- rooted in common sense 
and personal observations -- that everyday tokers have taken 
advantage of city policies allowing the limited cultivation and use 
of medical marijuana to further their own drug use. For example, 
police raided a medical marijuana advocacy office in downtown Santa 
Cruz and arrested its founder on suspicion of selling pot.

And even in a city that has directed police to make marijuana 
enforcement its lowest priority, smoking pot is illegal without a prescription.

But that brings us to the WAMM Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical 
Marijuana Festival scheduled for Sept. 27 in San Lorenzo Park.

Last year, the council passed a temporary suspension of the city's 
ordinance against smoking in public parks -- a move at the time we 
said created a bad precedent.

What, for instance, would stop a pro-cigarette smoking group from 
seeking a similar suspension if people wanted to light up in a park?

Since the council previously had decided the local citizenry needed 
such a ban, we think they should stick to it.

WAMM organizers have countered that people need to take their 
medicine, which is legal.

But, again, if a medical marijuana patient, who has a prescription 
for the drug, needs to be medicated for the WAMM event, why can't he 
or she use the drug before coming, or by another means besides smoking?

At last year's event, Sentinel reporters found that people were 
coming from out of town to attend the WAMMfest, and that others 
ignored the festival's tent set up for medical marijuana patients who 
couldn't wait to take a hit. Instead, people openly smoked pot on the lawn.

The council is to consider the issue again next Tuesday, and could 
change its 3-3 vote to again suspend the smoking ban. Pro-medical pot 
advocates will certainly lobby hard to persuade council members to 
again suspend the ban.

But one council member who voted last year to lift the ban has said 
he will be absent Tuesday, thus raising the possibility the current 
tie won't change and pot smoking won't be permitted.

If the city is serious about its smoking ban in parks, the council 
should be consistent and not change its previous vote. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake