SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY TO ISSUE MEDICAL MARIJUANA ID CARDS

San Bernardino County will begin providing identification cards to medical
marijuana patients within 45 days, officials announced Tuesday.

The Board of Supervisors agreed in closed session to begin implementing
the state program, which sets standards for counties to review
applications and distribute medical marijuana user cards, county spokesman
David Wert said.

The announcement comes a month after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to
hear the county's legal challenge of the state's medical marijuana
program, effectively ending the battle by upholding lower court rulings.

"We're glad to see them finally doing the right thing," said Bruce Mirken,
spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. "It's unfortunate it took this
long."

Most other counties, including Riverside, already issue cards.

San Bernardino County is in the process of settling lawsuits by medical
marijuana advocates seeking to force the county to comply with the law,
County Counsel Ruth Stringer said. She said she expects a settlement
agreement soon.

Employees at the county's public health department will receive training
next week from state officials on procedures for distributing the cards,
Wert said.

The county sheriff's department is planning training for its deputies for
identifying and dealing with medical marijuana patients.

California voters in 1996 approved Prop. 215, which allowed people to
obtain marijuana for medical purposes with a physician's approval. The
Legislature in 2003 approved Senate Bill 420, which provided legal
guidance to medical marijuana users and led to dispensaries opening.

Marijuana has been to treat symptoms of cancer, AIDS and glaucoma.

Three years ago, San Bernardino joined San Diego in filing a lawsuit over
the law, contending that it conflicts with federal law that classifies
marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medicinal purpose. The courts
rejected those arguments.

Chalmadge Robinson, 60, of Redlands, was glad to hear of the decision. He
has been diagnosed with glaucoma and has been exploring possible use of
marijuana for treatment, he said.

"I really don't know if it will help or not but I'd at least like to have
it available," he said.