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Jeff Lebowski
Colusa considers medical pot ID cards
November 26, 2008 11:37:00 PM
By Rob Parsons/For the Appeal-Democrat
It's high time for a medical marijuana card program in Colusa, says county officials.
The Board of Supervisors has established a committee to explore and eventually implement the pot card program for medicinal users.
The local committee includes Beth Robey, director of Health and Human Services; District Attorney John Poyner; and supervisors Mark Marshall and Gary Evans.
Passed in 1996, the Compassionate Use Act, also known as Proposition 215, allows doctors to recommend the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In 2003, California passed SB 420, which allows the Department of Health Services to create an ID card program.
According to the state Department of Public Health, 41 of California's 58 counties have implemented the program. In eight more counties, final approval is pending.
Colusa is among the remaining nine counties in which the program's status is "unknown," according to the state. The others are Sutter, Nevada, Mono, Mariposa, Madera, San Bernardino, Solano and San Diego.
Yuba County earlier this year approved a program to issue medical marijuana ID cards.
County Counsel Dan Montgomery previously told the board it was necessary for the board to approve the ID cards in order to comply with state law.
The ID cards are unavailable in Sutter County after the Board of Supervisors said the state should issue them, not the county.
The cards are intended to provide law enforcement with the means to identify legal medical users.
Statewide marijuana advocacy groups have been pushing the remaining counties to implement the law.
Colusa County is one of the last counties in the state to implement the program, in part because there has been no local demand for it, Robey said.
Officials admit there has been a sense of urgency to establish the program locally.
Poyner said the county's informal system has worked well enough without the establishment of a card program.
Colusa Sheriff Scott Marshall said medical marijuana laws are confusing and have created a new kind of criminal.
"There is a problem developing with criminals ripping off people with medical marijuana grows," Marshall said.
Marshall said the biggest misconception about the law is that marijuana is legal in certain cases.
"Marijuana is still illegal," Marshall said. "Prop. 215 cards just prevent prosecutors from prosecuting the crime."
Marshall said it is a poorly written law with too many loopholes that clash with federal anti-drug legislation.
Robey said the program could be a positive alternative for individuals with serious medical issues. She said she is curious to see what, if any, interest locals will have in the program.
"In my opinion, the lack of demand for it means our informal system is working," Robey said.
There is no timetable for implementation of the program, officials said.
Contact Rob Parsons at 458-2121 or [email protected].
For Northern California residents this is a big leap in thought patterns. Along with Yuba county following suit earlier this year, the tide is turning. Enjoy and please write the author of this article, and more importantly, the board of supervisors so they know MMJ is not a fringe concept.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/_71613___article.html/_.html
November 26, 2008 11:37:00 PM
By Rob Parsons/For the Appeal-Democrat
It's high time for a medical marijuana card program in Colusa, says county officials.
The Board of Supervisors has established a committee to explore and eventually implement the pot card program for medicinal users.
The local committee includes Beth Robey, director of Health and Human Services; District Attorney John Poyner; and supervisors Mark Marshall and Gary Evans.
Passed in 1996, the Compassionate Use Act, also known as Proposition 215, allows doctors to recommend the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In 2003, California passed SB 420, which allows the Department of Health Services to create an ID card program.
According to the state Department of Public Health, 41 of California's 58 counties have implemented the program. In eight more counties, final approval is pending.
Colusa is among the remaining nine counties in which the program's status is "unknown," according to the state. The others are Sutter, Nevada, Mono, Mariposa, Madera, San Bernardino, Solano and San Diego.
Yuba County earlier this year approved a program to issue medical marijuana ID cards.
County Counsel Dan Montgomery previously told the board it was necessary for the board to approve the ID cards in order to comply with state law.
The ID cards are unavailable in Sutter County after the Board of Supervisors said the state should issue them, not the county.
The cards are intended to provide law enforcement with the means to identify legal medical users.
Statewide marijuana advocacy groups have been pushing the remaining counties to implement the law.
Colusa County is one of the last counties in the state to implement the program, in part because there has been no local demand for it, Robey said.
Officials admit there has been a sense of urgency to establish the program locally.
Poyner said the county's informal system has worked well enough without the establishment of a card program.
Colusa Sheriff Scott Marshall said medical marijuana laws are confusing and have created a new kind of criminal.
"There is a problem developing with criminals ripping off people with medical marijuana grows," Marshall said.
Marshall said the biggest misconception about the law is that marijuana is legal in certain cases.
"Marijuana is still illegal," Marshall said. "Prop. 215 cards just prevent prosecutors from prosecuting the crime."
Marshall said it is a poorly written law with too many loopholes that clash with federal anti-drug legislation.
Robey said the program could be a positive alternative for individuals with serious medical issues. She said she is curious to see what, if any, interest locals will have in the program.
"In my opinion, the lack of demand for it means our informal system is working," Robey said.
There is no timetable for implementation of the program, officials said.
Contact Rob Parsons at 458-2121 or [email protected].
For Northern California residents this is a big leap in thought patterns. Along with Yuba county following suit earlier this year, the tide is turning. Enjoy and please write the author of this article, and more importantly, the board of supervisors so they know MMJ is not a fringe concept.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/_71613___article.html/_.html
