Success in Solano County

Thanks to the efforts of the Solano Patients Group, the County's Board of
Supervisors is now planning to look into implementing the medical marijuana ID card
program in Solano County. Previously, they had indicated that they had no intention
of starting a program. Our letters to the board, published op-eds supporting the
program and the public outcry at yesterday's meeting may help turn the tide in the
right direction.

The Fairfield Daily Republic's back-to-back news reports are posted below.
Supportive letters to the editor should be submitted here:
http://local.dailyrepublic.net/submit_letter.php

Aaron Smith
Safe Access Now

http://local.dailyrepublic.net/story_localnews.php?a=news03.txt
Advocates convince board to look at medical marijuana
By Mike Corpos

FAIRFIELD - Proponents of medical marijuana addressed the Solano County Board of
Supervisors Tuesday and convinced the board to hold a public discussion on the
issue.

The supervisors voted to place the issue on their agenda later this summer.

At issue for several speakers and supporters was the county's apparent refusal to
institute a state-mandated ID card program, identifying legitimate users of medical
marijuana.

In 1996, state voters approved Proposition 215, effectively legalizing the medicinal
use of the drug, with a doctor's recommendation.

Members of the Solano Patients' Group addressed - and sometimes chastised - the
supervisors for resisting the institution of the ID card program.

"Medical decisions should be left to doctors, not politicians," said Galen Lawton,
the group's leader.

Supervisor Barbara Kondylis said she supported the legalization of medical pot.

"I have a number of friends who have had cancer and it was medical marijuana that
got them through what was a horrible, horrible ordeal," she said to applause from
some audience members.

"I will ask that we hold a formal discussion on the matter and take a position,"
said Supervisor Duane Kromm. "We can then get input from our legal counsel and from
our county health department."

Members of the Solano Patients Group protested and spoke at the Fairfield City
Council meeting last week, as the council renewed a moratorium on medical marijuana
distribution clinics within city limits.

Reach Mike Corps at 427-6977 or mcorpos [at] dailyrepublic.net



http://local.dailyrepublic.net/archive_story.php?art=63699&search=marijuana
Marijuana advocates push for registry program

By Ian Thompson

FAIRFIELD - Medical marijuana patients and their advocates are expected to
urge the Solano County Supervisors today to implement a medical marijuana
registry program here.

"We are not asking the county to endorse medical marijuana as a concept," F. Aaron
Smith of Safe Access Now. "We want them to direct their health department to process
the medical marijuana identification program."

The program is part of the state's Compassionate Use Act which was approved by
voters almost a decade ago. It allows medical marijuana users to get ID cards which
they can show police if they are stopped.

"Solano County continues to arrest patients for medical marijuana," Smith said.
"Additionally, county supervisors have indicated that they have no intention of
implementing the statewide medical marijuana registry program."

The state's cities and counties range from fully implementing the act to ignoring
it, citing the clash between differing state and federal laws.

Solano County voters passed the act with a 55 percent majority and Smith cites
recent polls that he contends shows even more people support the act now.

Safe Access Now, working with the Solano Patients Group, is hoping to get nearly
three dozen patients and advocates at today's meeting to state their case.
Even if the board agreed with Safe Access and Solano Patients, the board can't take
action until it puts the matter on a future agenda.

In the meantime, the county is still allowing patients to be arrested and detained
for possessing marijuana, Smith said.

Smith called the arrests a waste of time and resources since the courts are not
willing to prosecute the cases.

The Solano County Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. today in the Board Chambers
at 675 Texas St., Fairfield.

Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson [at] dailyrepublic.net.


F. Aaron Smith
Safe Access Now
phone: (707) 291-0076
fax: (866) 204-1341
e-mail: fa_smith [at] yahoo.com