HILO -- Marijuana legalization advocate Jonathan Adler says he has two
doctors' prescriptions to smoke marijuana to treat his asthma and insomnia.

Adler, 47, a nonpartisan County Council candidate last year and previously
a mayoral candidate, was indicted recently for commercial promotion of
marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia for events in 1998.

The indictment lists a single instance when police found more than 50
marijuana plants at his rural home, but Adler says police raided his house
four times. He admitted to police after the first raid that the plants were
his.

But he quoted a section of state law that says it is a defense from
prosecution if the person possessing marijuana does so "as an ultimate user
of the drug pursuant to a lawful prescription."

Adler says he has prescriptions from Dr. Daniel Susott in Honolulu and Dr.
Todd Mikuriya in Berkeley, Calif.

Their written statements are displayed on Adler's Internet site:
http://www.medijuana.com

The Star-Bulletin attempted to contact both doctors, but reached only
answering machines.

Adler is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Nov. 9.