OAKLAND TRIES TO PROTECT MEDICAL SALES OF MARIJUANA

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The City Council on Thursday designated the Oakland
Marijuana Buyers' Cooperative as officers of the city, an effort to shield
the group from federal civil and criminal prosecution. The U.S. Justice
Department had won a temporary restraining order in May against the Oakland
cooperative and five other medical marijuana providers in Northern
California, claiming that they were in violation of federal narcotics laws.
Three of cooperatives shut down voluntarily, while the others, including
the one in Oakland, have defied the U.S. District Court ruling. Oakland
officials and the cooperative had worked together since the passage of a
1996 state initiative that allowed medically prescribed marijuana to be
distributed to any "seriously ill" Californian.

In July, the council voted to allow each medical marijuana user up to a
pound and a half of prescribed cannabis, which the council views as a
three-month supply.

"We decided we needed to be out on the frontier, to ease the suffering of
those in need," said Councilman Nate Miley at a brief ceremony in Oakland's
city hall. "We're delighted to offer the cooperative all the support we
can, and hope that other cities will follow suit."

Jeff Jones, the executive director of the cooperative, accepted the
designation on behalf of his group, which distributes the drug to more than
1,500 people to treat the effects of illnesses like cancer and AIDS. "This
is a great day for our patients and a great day for Oakland," Jones said.
Justice Department spokesman Gregory King said the decision by Oakland
officials was under review.

Checked-by: Pat Dolan