IN CALIFORNIA, SMOKE AND FIRE OVER POT

The Proponents Of Medical Marijuana Continue To Fight

May 28 issue -- They smoke lots of marijuana. They're gravely ill and
dying. And they've got a lot on their minds besides politics. But
California proponents of medical marijuana also have plenty of fight in
them, particularly when authorities threaten to take away their painkiller
of choice. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected the
"medical necessity" defense in federal marijuana cases, which may open the
way for the Feds to close down cooperatives distributing cannabis to people
suffering from diseases like AIDS and cancer. "We have no way of knowing
what actions the Feds will take," said Scott Imler, president of the Los
Angeles Cannabis Resource Center, where 381 pot plants are under
cultivation. "But we know we're going to stay and fight."

ROUND ONE begins this week. Marijuana activists have amassed enough support
to force Marin County District Attorney Paula Kamena into a "recall" vote.
(If the measure passes, Kamena will lose her job to a candidate more
favorable to the pro-pot crowd.) Her alleged misdeed: harassing
marijuana-smoking patients with legal action. The 55-year-old Kamena
insists that she has been unfairly targeted by the "medipot" forces. During
her 21/2-year tenure, Kamena has allowed patients to keep as many as six
mature marijuana plants without fear of prosecution. "That means it's OK
for patients to have $30,000 worth of marijuana!" she says, adding that
some other D.A.s "find that appalling." If she loses, those other D.A.s may
be next on the political hit list.