CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS WARN MICHIGAN ON DANGERS OF ALLOWING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

California law enforcement officials warned of increased crime and
drug use in teens as they lent their support today to opponents of
Michigan's proposed medical marijuana law.

Saying they've watched supposed medical marijuana users leave
distribution co-ops and selling marijuana to youngsters, the police
chiefs of El Cerrito and Modesto, Calif., said the initiative does
little to help the sick, and simply legalizes the drug for people who
are healthy.

Proposal 1, on the November ballot, would allow users with certain
medical conditions that come with pain and nausea to grow and use
marijuana without fear of prosecution by the state. Federal laws
against the drug would still apply.

One issue opponents have with the initiative is the medical marijuana
defense. The police chiefs said that marijuana growers and users have
tried to get out possession and distribution charges by claiming the
drug is used for medicinal purposes. The sham defenses bog down the
law enforcement system, they said.

Proponents say the proposal is written in such a way that only those
carrying or in the process of getting a medical marijuana
identification card, which would be mandatory in Michigan, could use
the defense. Proponents also say there is no provision allowing for
co-ops that distribute marijuana, and users and their caregivers are
limited in the number of plants they can grow.