MARIJUANA LAW TAKES EFFECT NOW PROSECUTORS ON LOOKOUT

Prosecutors in Washington's largest county say they'll be on the
lookout for people trying to abuse the voter-approved law legalizing
the medical use of marijuana. It takes effect today.

But they have no intention of wasting time or resources arresting
people who can prove they're suffering from legitimate diseases, Dan
Satterberg, King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng's chief of staff, said
yesterday.

"This was a symbolic initiative. The jails are not filled with cancer
patients who were busted for smoking pot," Satterberg said.

That was good news to JoAnna McKee, co-founder of an underground
clinic in Seattle called the Green Cross Patient Co-op that provides
marijuana to the sick. She estimated that 100 people have called
inquiring about how to sign up for pot since Initiative 692 passed.

"We can't handle much more attention," said McKee, who said she
provides pot to about 400 people who brought notes from their doctors.
"I've talked to a couple of sets of people in the past few months that
are going to open up new branches, so to speak."

On Nov. 3, more than 1.1 million Washington voters approved the
measure that allows people with certain terminal or debilitating
diseases such as cancer and AIDS to grow, possess and use marijuana
for relief. It also seeks to protect physicians who recommend pot to
patients.

The measure passed 59 percent to 41 percent. It becomes law after
Secretary of State Ralph Munro certifies the election results today.

Similar measures passed in Alaska, Arizona, Oregon and
Nevada.

Maleng opposed the initiative on the grounds that some sections were
vague and could cause problems for law enforcement.

Satterberg said prosecutors anticipate the biggest problems will
involve people who try to defend large growing operations on behalf of
a friend or relative who is sick.

The new law allows patients to assign a "care giver" who can grow
marijuana on their behalf, but the agreement must be in writing and
cannot be applied retroactively after an arrest, Satterberg said.

Other problems are expected as patients, physicians and law enforcers
try to figure out how much pot constitutes a 60-day supply, the amount
specified in the law.

"What's likely to happen is people who are aware of the law will try
to stretch it to cover their commercial or recreational activity,"
Satterberg said. "It will probably fall in that category of you know
it when you see it."

The Seattle family physician who sponsored I-692 said he's working to
help patients, physicians and law enforcers understand the law's limits.

"We're planning to work with the Washington State Medical Association
and with sheriffs and police chiefs to do seminars at their next
meetings so we can teach them the difference between medical and
recreational use, from our perspective," Dr. Rob Killian said.

Killian said he'd like to see the state Department of Health or Gov.
Gary Locke acknowledge the will of the voters and issue guidelines to
help implement the law.

But he said the governor's office declined his request for a meeting.
And Health Department spokeswoman Filiz Satir said the agency has no
plans to issue any guidelines for now.

"I feel like there's a vacuum. No one else is going to do it, so I'll
do it," Killian said.

The governor's office had no comment yesterday.

Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, one of Washington's leading anti-drug advocates
who helped lead the charge against the initiative, urged law enforcers
to make it "crystal clear" that abuse will not be tolerated.

Satterberg said the law is designed to provide a legal defense for
patients and physicians who meet the criteria. There's nothing for the

government to "implement," he said.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady