FEDERAL OFFICIALS ASK STATES TO TIGHTEN MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW

HONOLULU -- Federal officials want the state to conduct background
checks on those certified to supply medical marijuana to patients,
saying the state must close loopholes being exploited by drug dealers.

Ed Kubo, chief federal prosecutor for Hawaii, said the December
indictment of Richard Velasco, a 49-year-old accused drug dealer from
the Big Island, is an example of why the state needs to strengthen
oversight of its medical marijuana program.

Velasco was awarded a medical marijuana caregiver certificate in
December 2004, just months after Hawaii County police officers
discovered 246 marijuana plants growing on his property. He was
arrested for drug trafficking.

"There needs to be adequate procedures in place to allow for
background checks, inspections, monitoring and reviews so that this
law is not a farce," Kubo said.

The state Department of Public Safety should also be required to
perform random inspections of the caregiver's plant-growing
operation, he added.

"After all, we regulate liquor licenses by unannounced inspections
and monitoring, and liquor is legal," Kubo said.

Those with drug or felony convictions should also be prohibited from
acting as medical marijuana caregivers.

"We're not interested in investigating the sick and the dying," said
Anthony D. Williams, assistant special agent in charge of the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration's Honolulu district office. "But we
will continue to investigate and pursue anyone cultivating and
distributing marijuana."

Hawaii became the eighth state to allow marijuana use for medical
purposes in 2000. There are currently 249 licensed caregivers and
2,609 medical marijuana patients in the state.

Velasco, of Fern Acres, has five criminal convictions. He was
arrested Jan. 16 and is in custody at the Federal Detention Center.
His trial is set for March 20 in front of U.S. District Judge Susan Mollway.

He was indicted Dec. 21 on two counts of "knowingly and intentionally
manufacturing marijuana, to wit: the cultivation of 100 or more
marijuana plants," according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court.

Because Velasco has a felony drug conviction, he faces a mandatory
minimum of 10 years in jail and up to life in prison if convicted,
according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

As a caregiver, Velasco had a certificate allowing him to have up to
three mature, flowering marijuana plants, four immature plants and an
ounce of usable marijuana for each mature plant.

The certificate must be renewed each year and permits the holder to
grow and cultivate marijuana for one patient.

The unidentified medical marijuana patient in Velasco's care
terminated his relationship with Velasco following the arrest.

State Rep. John Mizuno, vice chairman of the House Health Committee,
said his panel would likely consider the issue if the Public Safety
Department or U.S. Attorney's Office proposed language for legislation.

"We have to try and ensure the safety of our kupuna and our disabled
population," Mizuno said. "We would definitely support something that
makes it possible to do background checks to weed out these bad apples."