Pot program dead in Yuba

Pot program dead in Yuba

By Harold Kruger/Appeal-Democrat
Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Yuba County supervisors on Tuesday snuffed out a pilot program for
medical marijuana identification cards.

After a lengthy debate, they took no action on a resolution that
would have placed Yuba County in the state program.

"I think they should have taken a position one way or another," said
Brownsville resident Alan McAfee, who had urged the supervisors to
join the pilot project.

"Some of the attitudes of the board regarding medical marijuana were
despicable, in view of the fact we've had this law for eight years,"
he said.

Voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, legalizing medical
marijuana. A 2003 state law requires all counties to begin issuing
the voluntary identification cards.

About 10 counties, including Yuba, had initially expressed interest
in participating in a pilot program in the next few months. All
counties are expected to have the program in place by year's end.

"It would give us an earlier implementation advantage," said Suzanne
Nobles, the county's Health and Human Services director.

Norma Arceo, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health
Services, said in an interview that officials from the Yuba County
Health Department had initially voiced interest in the pilot program.

"They told us they would have to run it by the Board of Supervisors," she said.

Joe Cassady, the county's health officer, said he had wanted the
county to participate, but "we decided to make sure the board
approved it."

State law says the county will "have to provide (the card) if people
want one," he said. "Eventually, I guess we'll have to do it."

Supervisor Don Schrader called the identification card "one of the
dumbest ideas I've seen in eight years" and "absolutely absurd."

Supervisor Hal Stocker suggested that the state "should get its
financial house in order before they launch into any programs. This
doesn't make any sense to me."

The cards are supposed to alert law enforcement officers that the
holder is allowed to possess marijuana for medical purposes.

"A lot of times we are requested by the state or federal governments
to implement programs," said Supervisor Mary Jane Griego. "A lot of
times those don't come with any funds. I would like to focus our
issues and resources on chronic illnesses."

The card program will be supported with fees charged to medical
marijuana users.

Supervisor Dan Logue said it was another example of "the state
bureaucracy run amok," but worried what will happen when the county -
"sooner or later" - has to implement the card program.

"As a patient, it really saddens me that they're worried about a
registration card that validates my rights to privacy more than a way
for me to get my medication," said Brownsville resident John Fick.
"They're worried more about the registration than the medication
itself."

Fick said he has to travel to Colfax to obtain his medical marijuana
because there aren't any distribution centers in Yuba County.

"I live in a trailer court," he told the supervisors. "I really don't
feel safe growing outdoors. I don't want the children to have access
to my medication."

District Attorney Pat McGrath, who didn't attend the supervisors
meeting, said he opposed participating in the pilot project because
"it's far easier to sit back and see what works or doesn't work in
the pilot counties and then learn from their mistakes rather than
being the person making the mistakes in the first place."

He acknowledged, however, that the identification card "certainly
makes it easier for the poor law enforcement officer out there to
know what they're dealing with when they run across people with
medical marijuana."

Appeal-Democrat reporter Harold Kruger can be reached at 749-4717.
You may e-mail him at
<mailto:hkruger [at] appeal-democrat.com>hkruger [at] appeal-democrat.com.