Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 Source: Daily Press (Victorville, CA) Copyright: 2009 Freedom Communications, Inc. Contact: http://www.vvdailypress.com/sections/contactus/ Website: http://www.vvdailypress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1061 Author: Natasha Lindstrom Note: Natasha Lindstrom is Staff Writer for the Daily Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California) COUNTY TO DISTRIBUTE MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARDS Cards To Be Available Within 45 Days SAN BERNARDINO - After resisting California's medical-marijuana law for years, San Bernardino County will begin distributing medical marijuana cards within the next 45 days, said county spokesman David Wert. County supervisors decided in a closed session meeting this morning to roll out the process for handing out the state-issued cards, which will allow law enforcement to quickly verify a medical marijuana patient through an online database. Next week, Wert said representatives from the state Department of Health Services are visiting the county to provide training to public health workers on the distribution process. The county's decision comes less than a month after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by San Bernardino and San Diego counties arguing they didn't have to comply with distributing the cards because federal law against medical marijuana surpassed state law. More than 40 of the state's 58 counties already issue such cards. To get one, patients must show proof of residency, provide a doctor's recommendation and pay a roughly $150 fee. - --- MAP posted-by: Doug