Pubdate: Tue, 26 Oct 1999
Source: Petaluma Argus-Courier (CA)
Copyright: 1999 Pulitzer Community Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  830 Petaluma Blvd. North Petaluma, CA 94552
Fax: 707.765.1707
Website: http://www.arguscourier.com/
Forum: http://www.arguscourier.com/ac/forums/petaluma.nsf

SAMM CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION

The Sonoma County Alliance for Medical Marijuana asked the County Board of
Supervisors to call for a grand jury investigation of county law
enforcement's handling of medical marijuana cases.

The group charges sheriff's agents and police departments throughout the
county uphold neither the letter nor the spirit of the Compassionate Use
Act, the law created by the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996.

SAMM claims that Sonoma County law enforcement is arresting sick people and
confiscating medical marijuana crops without regard to the law or Sonoma
County protocol.

Supervisor Mike Kerns said he does not believe the board will make a
petition to the grand jury, but that members of SAMM were free to petition
the grand jury themselves. Kerns did say, however, that the board is making
a study of the medical marijuana issue.

A spokeswoman for SAMM said the organization is currently consulting with
lawyers to formulate a petition to the grand jury.

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