Pubdate: Wed, 8 Jul 2009
Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA)
Copyright: 2009 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.dailybulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/871
Author: Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer
Cited: San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors 
http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/bos/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/dispensaries

FONTANA MAN GETS POT BACK AFTER UNJUST BUST

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Jason Monroe on Monday night walked out of the San 
Bernardino County sheriff's station in Rancho Cucamonga with seven 
ounces of medical marijuana secured safely in a brown evidence bag.

Monroe is the first person in San Bernardino County to get marijuana 
returned to him after it was confiscated by police.

"Here, let it be told, in San Bernardino County, things have changed 
and it's legal now," said Monroe, who has been a medical marijuana 
recipient for the past three years.

The county, along with San Diego County, had been fighting the state 
law requiring counties to issue medical marijuana identification 
cards to patients.

When the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear their case in May, the 
counties had no choice but to adhere to state law.

Monroe was pulled over in November by sheriff's officers in Rancho 
Cucamonga. They searched his car and confiscated $430 cash and the 
marijuana, which Monroe uses to combat chronic back pain resulting 
from a off-road motorcycle accident.

With the help of a public defender, Monroe's case was dismissed.

"I had literally three years of medical marijuana prescriptions. . . 
I had all my medical records to present to (the court) - everything I 
needed to legally show that I was in legal possession of my 
marijuana, and they dismissed my case," Monroe said.

A judge ruled at a later hearing for the police to return Monroe's 
money and marijuana.

"Hey, I don't want this problem," Monroe said. "I know in this there 
wasn't anything that counted on my permanent record. I wasn't on 
probation for it, but I still don't want to have problems. I'm trying 
to be compliant with the law. I'm trying to legally possess this."

The state adopted the I.D. Card program in 2004 as part of the 
Medical Marijuana Program Act. The cards are meant to protect 
patients by helping law enforcement officers discern protected 
medical marijuana from illegal recreational use.

The county is working to implement a medical marijuana card program 
for residents.

"We're in the process of training our deputies on the guidelines on 
medical marijuana and about the laws and so the board of supervisors 
in San Bernardino County are still in the process of discussing 
guidelines for the medical marijuana I.D. Cards," said sheriff's 
spokeswoman Arden Wiltshire.

The medical marijuana card program ordinance will have a second 
reading Tuesday, but applications and appointments for those applying 
for medical marijuana cards is expected to begin Aug. 14, said Jim 
Lindley, director of public health for the county.

Whether dispensaries are opened in the county depends on the 
different jurisdictions within the county, he said. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake