DOCTORS BACK INCREASED POT RESTRICTIONS

UKIAH -- Leading Mendocino County physicians Tuesday endorsed a local
ballot measure to sharply limit marijuana cultivation, calling
current county guidelines "fraudulent."

Some of the best-known doctors in the Ukiah Valley joined three dozen
others in the medical community to endorse Measure B. If passed in
the upcoming June primary, the initiative would impose new local
restrictions on the amount of pot individuals may grow and use.

Among the signers were Dr. Frederick Burris, Dr. Don Coursey, Dr.
Thomas Kilkinney, Dr. Bernard Lemke, Dr. Harry Matossian, Dr. Jon
Portnoff, Dr. Vincent Valente, Dr. Jens Vinding, and Dr. Marvin
Trotter, the county's public health officer.

"The medical community is very unhappy with the fraudulent misuse of
the compassionate medical marijuana program as a front for rampant
commercial growing," said Dr. Robert Werra.

Under Proposition 215, passed statewide in 1996, and subsequent state
law, an individual is protected from state prosecution if he has a
physician's recommendation and if the amount in his possession is
within local guidelines.

State law set a medical marijuana limit of six mature marijuana
plants plus 1/2 pound of dried marijuana. But the legislation allows
individual counties to adopt higher limits.

In 2000, Mendocino voters approved a measure allowing an individual
to grow up to 25 plants for personal use, without regard to medical
reasons. The measure also directed local law enforcement authorities
to make marijuana prosecution the lowest priority.

Medical marijuana advocates are fighting back, contending the current
public backlash is being fueled by exaggerated claims of profits,
crime and neighborhood fears.

"Measure B does nothing to stop commercial growers. Instead it makes
criminals out of residents with small, personal-use gardens," said
Laura Hamburg, campaign coordinator for the No On Measure B campaign.