MEDICINAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATE ARRESTED FOR CULTIVATION

OLYMPIC VALLEY - A former Libertarian candidate for governor and his wife
were arrested Tuesday on drug charges.

Steve Kubby, 52, and his wife, Michele, 32, were charged with possession of
marijuana for sale, cultivation of marijuana and conspiracy, according to a
report from the North Tahoe Task Force.

Following a six-month investigation, members of the North Tahoe Task Force
obtained a warrant to search the Kubby's residence at 1102 Olympic Way in
Squaw Valley.

"Investigators located four separate grow rooms in the residence, one in an
unused shower stall, one in a room built under the house, one in a
downstairs room and the last in the unfinished dirt area of the basement,"
the report said.

Libertarian state chair Mark Hinkle said Kubby uses marijuana for medicinal
purposes and has a doctor's approval to use it. Kubby played a key role in
the campaign to pass Proposition 215 - the medicinal marijuana bill - in
1996, he said.

"This arrest is a slap across the faces of California voters," Hinkle said.

Although the investigation into the Kubbys has been going on for six
months, Lt. Mike Allen of the Nevada Division of Investigation, said he
couldn't comment at press time about what triggered the probe.

"They are still in jail in Auburn right now," Allen said.

Also according to the report, approximately 300 marijuana plants, ranging
in size from small nursery plants to full grown plants with buds were
confiscated. Other evidence removed from the residence included growing
equipment and drug paraphernalia.

The total street value of the confiscated drugs is estimated at $420,000.

Kubby, a 23-year cancer survivor, is an active proponent of medical
marijuana use. On his Web site, Alpine World ( http://www.alpworld.com/ ),
Kubby credits the use of medical marijuana to his survival.