COUNCIL COULD LIFT SMOKING BAN FOR POT FEST

The smoking ban in city parks could be lifted for the second time
since it passed three years ago, as city leaders are considering
allowing medical marijuana patients to light up during a festival at
San Lorenzo Park at the end of the month.

"It's not like a recreational marijuana event," said Councilman Mike
Rotkin, who supports the temporary lifting of the city's 3-year-old
ordinance that bans smoking in parks.

"It's not a smoke-in, it's not like the 4/20 thing up on campus," Rotkin said.

That April 20 event attracts thousands of people to Porter Meadow at
UC Santa Cruz each spring to celebrate the so-called 4/20 cannabis
culture holiday.

Instead, the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana would like the
ban lifted so its 200 members can self-medicate while they enjoy the
organization's annual festival. Wammfest, a medical marijuana, hemp
and music festival, is scheduled for Sept. 27.

"As patients, its really important to have access to the medicine in
the most indiscreet and reasonable fashion," said Valerie Corrall,
co-founder of WAMM.

The item will be considered on the City Council's consent agenda
today. The council unanimously approved a similar temporary
suspension of the smoking ban for last year's event.

A closed tent will be available at the festival for those who need to
administer their prescription drugs, and no pot will be for sale or
distributed, Rotkin said.

However, Sentinel reports from last year's festival showed that many
participants did get stoned on the lawn, and some drove in from out
of town for what they considered a recreational event by the river.

Councilwoman Lynn Robinson said she supports WAMM and supports the
event. However, "I'd be interested in seeing other options that don't
require an exemption" from the city, Robinson said.

Police Capt. Steve Clark said officers follow the orders of city
government when it comes to marijuana, which is considered illegal
for all purposes by the federal government.

"If this is a decision that council wants to take on, the police
department is going to follow that direction," Clark said. "Our role
is not to involve ourselves in the political equation, but simply to
ensure the safety of the community is well cared for."

Santa Cruz police reported no problems with last year's festival. But
after Measure K was passed with 60 percent of the vote in 2006, Santa
Cruz police are forced to make adult marijuana-related crimes on
private property a low priority.

WAMM is a cooperative started in 1993 for seriously ill medical
marijuana patients to grow and share the plant. The cooperative has
about 200 members.

The smoking ban was created in 2006 to protect public health and
safety at San Lorenzo and Grant Street parks.

However, smoking has been a regular part of the WAMM Festival, an
annual event for 14 years that raises money and awareness for medical
marijuana issues and celebrates the community's support for the
cooperative started by Santa Cruz residents Corrall and her husband,
Mike Corrall.