FOUNDER OF CO-OP HOPES TO RECEIVE POT IN PRISON

THEN:The founder of Orange County's medical marijuana co-op, Marvin Chavez,
was sentenced Jan. 29 to six years in prison for selling and transporting
pot. Medical marijuana activists cried as Chavez was led away in
handcuffs,vowing to appeal.

NOW:Chavez is serving his time at Wasco State Prison,where he is not allowed
to use medical marijuana for what he says is debilitating back pain. His
attorney plans to push the state corrections department to allow Chavez
access to marijuana behind bars under the auspices of Proposition 215, the
medical marijuana initiative that passed in 1996. The state has denied one
such request before. "He's being denied his medicine and he's in a lot of
pain," said Linda Chavez,his ex-wife. She and attorney James Silva hope a
new federal report concluding that marijuana has medicinal potential will help.