MARIJUANA NOW A LOW PRIORITY IN SF

San Francisco joined other cities such as Oakland, Santa Monica, Santa
Cruz, and Seattle that have passed similar legislation to make
marijuana arrests a low priority in a quite move on December 1, World
AIDS Day.

The bill was overwhelmingly supported by the Board of Supervisors by
an 8-3 vote on November 21 and passed a second vote 7-3 on November 28
before being sent to Mayor Gavin Newsom.

"I feel really good about it. It's a policy that's endorsed by a
majority of San Franciscans, reflecting what they feel about the
issue," said Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who authored the
legislation.

According to Newsom's spokesman, Joe Arellano, Newsom was unable to
review the legislation within the 10-day review period due to the fact
that the bill arrived on his desk as he was leaving for his trip to
the Philippines earlier this month. Acting mayor Supervisor Sean
Elsbernd received the legislation and returned it unsigned. As a
result, the bill became law automatically.

"I'm very glad it happened," said Dennis Peron, author of the
Compassionate Care Act of 1996, better known as Proposition 215.

However, Peron wasn't pleased that part of the San Francisco
legislation urges taxation of marijuana, "Everyone is addicted to
marijuana money," he said, adding that other medications aren't taxed
in California and marijuana is medicine. "I'm against taxing medicine."

The new ordinance does prohibit marijuana in connection with criminal
offenses (including driving while under the influence); any minors'
involvement with the herb; and distribution or sales of cannabis on
public property or within view of someone on public property, unless a
person is in their own home or in a private building.

San Francisco also will no longer accept federal funding that focuses
on criminalizing cannabis. The new law also urges the district
attorney not to aggressively prosecute cases involving marijuana
charges and San Francisco police are barred from becoming deputized by
federal law enforcement to target adults using marijuana. The new
ordinance also supports taxing and regulating the sale of marijuana
for people over the age of 18, although that part of the law is not
legally binding.

"The mayor continues to support the use of medical marijuana for
people suffering from cancer, HIV and AIDS, and other illnesses," said
Arellano, who added that Newsom "wholeheartedly" supports the San
Francisco Police Department with its drug investigations and
enforcement policies.

To enforce the new ordinance the Board of Supervisors will appoint a
citizen advisory committee to oversee that the new law is enacted,
report on any police and legal matters related to marijuana charges,
and advise and recommend policy changes to the board.