DOCTOR'S VISIT TO RED BLUFF DRAWS FIRE

RED BLUFF -- Dr. Tod Mikuriya never thought he'd write medical marijuana
recommendations in a room full of stuffed animals.

But the Berkeley psychiatrist, who treats patients from San Diego to the
Oregon border, was in the bedroom of an east Red Bluff home Saturday after
being evicted from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows hall the day before.

Mikuriya, who testified in the marijuana trial of Redding mother and son Jim
and Lydia Hall, saw about 20 patients inside the home Saturday. Many of them
were members of the Humboldt Cannabis Club in Arcata, between 20 and 50
years old and suffering from chronic pain. They brought medical records to
back up their claims.

Patients sat around a coffee table in the home's living room while they
waited to see Mikuriya. Each visit lasted between 10 and 30 minutes.

"I am looking forward to the day when my flights up here will be
superfluous, when all community doctors will be doing this," said Mikuriya,
who conducted a similar clinic at another Red Bluff residence six months
ago. He said police broke up that visit.

"The upshot from that is they were unhappy I didn't have a Red Bluff
business license, which I have subsequently obtained so I am legitimate,"
Mikuriya said. "Legally, I can practice medicine within the city limits, so
I thought everything had been arranged."

Chris Ward, who worked to bring Mikuriya to Red Bluff last week, said the
doctor and his patients were evicted Friday evening by Richard Atchison, the
Red Bluff Odd Fellows' noble grand and administrator.

"He came over and was upset marijuana was being sold on the premises. That
wasn't happening at all," said Ward, who said he uses medical marijuana and
lives in Red Bluff. "The very last patient was kicked out."

Mikuriya also said no pot was sold during the clinics.

Ward said he had agreed to pay the Odd Fellows $300 to rent the hall for
Friday and Saturday.

Mikuriya, who has written at least two books on medical marijuana and see
most of his patients at cannabis clubs, was dumbfounded by Atchison's
reaction. Mikuriya estimates he handed out 45 medical marijuana
recommendations before leaving Saturday afternoon.

Atchison, who knew what Mikuriya was doing inside his hall, said complaints
from neighboring merchants prompted him to take action.

"There were people smoking (cigarettes) outside and there were some things
being done that just were uncouth," Atchison said.

Odd Fellows treasurer John Ennis of Red Bluff disagreed.

"I have no idea why he did what he did," Ennis said of Atchison. "We talked
about this and Richard gave us the go-ahead. We spent $200, $#00 to get the
room repaired" before Mikuriya's arrival.

Corky Kramer, who co-owns Antiques & Moore next door, was upset Mikuriya was
seeing patients next to his Oak Street business.

"It's not a good thing that you can tell people to come to downtown Red
Bluff and get a prescription," Kramer said.

SIDEBAR:

More on marijuana

To learn more about medicinal marijuana, or to read California's
Compassionate Use Act, check out these Web sites:

* www.kubby.com
Home page of Proposition 215 co-author, Steve Kubby, and American Medical
Marijuana Association

* www.mikuriya.com/althealth
Essays and information from a doctor who recommends marijuana for
thousands of patients

* www.prop1.org/thomas/iom_report/iomlv.htm
The Institute of Medicine's 1999 report on medical marijuana