MARIJUANA LAW TAKES EFFECT NOW, PROSECUTORS ON LOOKOUT

OLYMPIA - 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 Satterbert, 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 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 to 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.

Checked-by: Don Beck