The Cannabis FREE Newspaper of Record www.WestCoastLeaf.com ISSN 1945-221X • Volume 4 No. 2 Summer 2011 FEDS PUSH BACK AT Reaching for new heights MEDICAL MARIJUANA By Kris Hermes, Americans for Safe Access aimed at local and state officials in at least Oakland City Attorney John Russo asked nine different medical marijuana states: Mendocino the Obama Justice Department In February Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, County’s 2011 whether the federal government Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Vermont tag-permit would approve a city plan to regulate and Washington. large-scale medical marijuana cultivation. At the same time, a blistering wave of process uses As expected, US Attorney Melinda Haag federal raids in several states seems to con- third-party responded with a declarative, “No!” tradict a 2009 federal policy memo on state inspectors for Little did patient advocates realize then medical marijuana laws. that Haag’s letter signaled the launch of a “Every time there’s a raid, or a threat- compliance barrage of similar US Attorney letters ening letter is sent to an elected official, Story inside. hundreds if not thousands of patients are left wondering where they’re going to get Delaware newest their medication,” said Steph Sherer, Executive Director of Americans for Safe Julia Carrera, who medical use state Access. ASA recently launched its ‘Sick and works as a third- Tired’ campaign to bring attention to the party inspector for By Morgan Fox, Marijuana Policy Project continued harassment, discrimination and the Mendocino Delaware Gov. Jack Markell signed SB 17 County medical stigmatization of patients and to call for a marijuana garden into law May 13, making it legal for state comprehensive federal policy. permiting program, residents with certain serious medical con- seen inspecting a The tactic of sending letters threatening ditions to use cannabis with a doctor’s rec- crop last October. public officials with criminal prosecution is Photo courtesy of ommendation. The bill had bipartisan Please turn to page 15 Julia Carrera sponsors and support in the legislature, as Delaware became the 16th state to pass an effective medical marijuana law, along with the District of Columbia. Kentucky decriminalizes 8 ounces for personal use Qualified patients will not be permitted to cultivate their own medicine, but may By Mickey Martin, TCompConsulting.com haul is set to save Kentucky taxpayers a Governor Bershear hailed the passage obtain up to six ounces of medical-grade Kentucky is not known as a hotbed of drug whopping $422 million dollars over the of HB 463 as a major step forward, stating, cannabis from state-licensed compassion policy reform, but in March the State next decade by reducing the cost of prose- “Over the last three years, we’ve made centers regulated by the state Dept. of Legislature and Senate overwhelmingly cuting and jailing low-risk drug offenders. Please turn to page 6 Health and Social Services, which will also passed House Bill 463, which was signed It reinvests some of those savings into issue ID cards to patients who receive a rec- into law by Governor Steve Bershear. treatment options for those needing help. ommendation from their doctors. Public The bill reduces personal possession of California legislature use of marijuana and driving under the up to eight ounces of marijuana to a Class Hemp backers praise may reduce cultivation influence are prohibited. B misdemeanor with a maximum penalty Please turn to page 8 of 45 days in jail. This landmark legal over- Cal farm bill, SB 676 penalty to ‘wobbler’ By Steve Levine, Hemp Industries Assn. By Dale Gieringer, Cal NORML Five years for Doc Fry California state Senator Mark Leno intro- California legislators are considering sev- duced Senate Bill 676 Feb. 18 to make the eral interesting bills this session, the fates Clemency sought for Cal legal distinction that industrial hemp is of which remain to be determined. doctor and attorney husband separate and distinct from the forms of On the plus side, the State Senate cannabis used to produce marijuana. Judiciary Committee approved SB 129, a By William Dolphin, Americans for Safe Access Industrial hemp is the non-psychoactive, bill by Sen. Mark Leno to protect medical Heads still held high, medical cannabis low-THC, oilseed and fiber varieties of the marijuana patients against employment patients Dr. Mollie Fry and her husband, Cannabis sativa plant and has absolutely no discrimination by protecting qualified attorney Dale Schafer, turned themselves value as a recreational drug. If passed, SB cannabis patients from drug testing in non- in to federal authorities in Sacramento, CA 676 will allow commercial farming of safety-sensitive jobs. May 2 to begin serving five year prison industrial hemp, which occurred in the Another ‘plus’ bill by Leno to legalize terms for cultivating cannabis. state until shortly after World War II. Dale Schafer (l) and Dr. Mollie Fry (on bull- industrial hemp, SB 676, was approved by First, they spoke to the assembled horn) spoke to a throng of supporters in Leno said that hemp farming will help the Senate Public Safety Committee. Like crowd about why they remain committed Sacramento before surrendering into federal revitalize California’s economy. “The time SB 129, the hemp bill is based on previous to helping other patients. Dr. Fry ended custody. Photo by Dale Gieringer. is long overdue for California farmers to be legislation that was passed but vetoed by with the shout, “Free God’s medicine!” allowed to grow this sustainable and prof- former Gov. Schwarzenegger. Fry and Schafer were joined by family, itable crop once again. The passage of SB never grew more than 44 plants. Federal Meanwhile, the Assembly Public Safety friends and dozens of cannabis patients 676 will create new jobs and economic prosecutors argued that they were guilty of Committee has approved a bill to down- and advocates for a rally and press confer- opportunities for many farmers and manu- felony cultivation and conspiracy, which grade marijuana cultivation from a manda- ence at the federal courthouse. Activists facturers throughout the state.” carry five-year mandatory minimum sen- tory felony to a ‘wobbler,’ meaning an also protested the sentences and federal tences, because the number of grown over A variety of products made from optional misdemeanor. The bill by Tom policy at the Dept. of Health and Human several years added up to more than 100. imported industrial hemp, such as healthy Ammiano, AB 1017, is sponsored by Services building in Washington, DC. Dr. Fry used cannabis to ease the effects food, natural body-care products and eco- Mendocino County District Attorney “Today is an affront to justice,” Don of chemotherapy she underwent for breast friendly clothing, are already being made David Eyster and other North State DAs, Duncan, California director for ASA, told cancer; she had a radical mastectomy in in California. with predictable opposition from mainline the media covering the rally. “We’re 1997. This led her to start a specialized clin- “Dr. Bronner’s currently purchases 20 law enforcement groups. demanding clemency for Dale and Molly. ic for cannabis patients. tons of hemp oil each year from Canada,” Several more dubious bills address the And we’re demanding an end to the war Schafer used cannabis to manage said David Bronner, President of Dr. knotty issue of medical marijuana distribu- on all the other sick and dying patients.” chronic back pain and symptoms related to Bronner’s Magic Soaps of Escondido. “We tion. A pair of ambitious bills to establish A clemency petition was filed at the his hemophilia. A candidate for district look forward to the day that we can meet statewide regulatory systems, SB 847 by end of April on their behalf in the federal attorney of Eldorado County in 2001 and our supply needs from hemp produced Sen. Lou Correa and SB 626 by Sen. Ron Eastern District Court of Sacramento and contributor to the county’s guidelines on right here in our home state.” Calderon, were withdrawn by the authors sent to President Obama in an effort to cultivation, he helped grow his wife’s med- “Farmers in California want to grow in view of the many political difficulties avoid or shorten their imprisonment. icine and went on to provide free cannabis hemp and manufacturers are ready to buy involved. Both bills had attracted criticism The couple were prosecuted in federal to a handful of local patients and to teach their crops,” agreed Hemp Industries Assn. from medical use advocates. court for cultivating cannabis, though they classes on cultivation. (HIA) President Steve Levine. Senator Calderon subsequently revised were both state-qualified patients who Please turn to page 4 Please turn to page 7 Please turn to page 6 Summer 2011 Page 2 West Coast Leaf West Coasterdam Report CITY REAPS CANNABIS TAX HARVEST — The City of San Jose, CA, reported first month revenues of $290,000, collected in March, 2011 from the 7% tax levied on med- ical marijuana collectives in the city. The tax was passed by voters Nov. 2, 2010. It is esti- mated that the city could reap about $3.4 million for the year if payments continue at the same level, which would help offset a $115 million budget deficit. “The new revenue col- lected has the potential to cover approximately 17 to 18 police officers or three libraries year-round,” Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio, sponsor of the tax measure, told the Julianna of Auntie Dolores Edibles urges people at the Oaksterdam Cannabis Museum meet- Mercury News. This tax is on top of the city business tax and sales tax collected. Of the 105 and-greet to join NCIA. Aaron Smith (center) and Etienne Fontan look on.