SUPES SET FOR VOTE ON POT CARD PROGRAM

Medical marijuana supporters will have their day before Solano
County leaders Tuesday, but if they're expecting definitive action
they'll be disappointed.

The Board of Supervisors is expected only to receive a report on a
voter-approved state medical marijuana card program. Program
supporters, along with at least a couple supervisors, thought the
board would decide Tuesday whether to administer the card program.

Members of Solano Patients' Group and Safe Access Now, who support
medicinal marijuana, have for several months publicly lobbied
supervisors to implement the program.

"I am somewhat hopeful we'll have some kind of direction that's
positive," said Aaron Smith with Safe Access Now. He said he hopes
board members will indicate support Tuesday for a future yes vote.

The state card program that Smith and backers want specifically
allows California counties to track residents who receive
physician-prescribed marijuana.

At least 20 of the state's 58 counties have established the card
program, but other counties are hesitant to go against federal drug
laws that don't allow medicinal marijuana, according to a county staff report.

Still, Supervisor Duane Kromm, whose district includes Fairfield,
said supporters deserve a board decision on the program.

"My expectation is the board should take a stand," Kromm said.
Despite that perspective, Kromm says he's still struggling with how
he'll vote.

"Is there real medicinal aid offered by smoking marijuana?" Kromm
said. He said he hasn't yet been convinced. Supervisor Barbara
Kondylis, whose district covers Vallejo, is also disappointed the
board isn't set to vote on the card program.

Kondylis is the only board member publicly supporting medical marijuana.

"You'll probably hear some screaming about it Tuesday," Kondylis
said, referring to herself and card program supporters.

Waiting for the issue to be resolved in the courts isn't what county
staff should be deciding, Kondylis said. "That's a decision the
board should make."

In 1996, by a 56 percent to 44 percent margin, state voters approved
Prop. 215, which allowed for medicinal marijuana.

Three years ago the state passed legislation specifying how
medicinal marijuana should be tracked.

Galen Lawton, president of the Solano Patients' Group, says his
members are being needlessly arrested by law enforcement.

"Really, it's harassment," Lawton said.

Lawton said all who use medicinal marijuana might not have the
financial means to go through court proceedings. He said he has a
chronic nerve injury that causes headaches which can be soothed by marijuana.

Supporters of medicinal marijuana say they need the drug to relieve
an assortment of ailments including chronic pain, cancer and AIDS,
or other life-threatening illnesses.