FESTIVAL-GOERS URGED TO BACK POT

SAN BERNARDINO - Get out in the community and work with others to
legalize marijuana was the message at Saturday's Spring Gathering, a
music festival and medical marijuana expo featuring such artists as
Snoop Dog and Cypress Hill.

The event also featured a panel discussion where speakers urged those
attending to get involved politically and tell nonsmoking friends
about the benefits of the marijuana.

"Everything you can do," said Stephen Guiltier, state director of the
California Drug Policy Alliance, including supporting cannabis
movement organizations, sympathetic elected officials, giving money
and "coming out," Guiltier said.

"Borrow the tactic of the LTG (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transponder
community) in making sure people know you're a responsible cannabis
user."

Lanny Swirled, a registered nurse and the manager for the The Hemp and
Cannabis Foundation medical clinic in Riverside, spoke about the lack
of involvement from those who use cannabis, including Saturday's
concertizes.

"There's 20,000 people out there partying who don't do anything. They
don't make phone calls," Swirled said.

Dale Derringer, state coordinator for the California division of the
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORMAL), added
people need to push for marijuana legalization in the upcoming
election year.

"Put on the pressure and speak up in elections," Derringer said,
adding some politicians have campaigned on Advertisement reform but
did not fulfill their promises.

Swirled said in 2012 there would be a new ballot initiative to
legalize marijuana and he urged people to vote.

Chris Conrad, publisher of the quarterly publication West Coast Leaf,
said the movement needs to do a better job of recruiting mothers'
groups, safety groups, public safety groups and unions and not just
attend city council and county supervisor meetings.

"For people to splinter and say we do not do enough ... we need to
fight this. Lets not screw this up."

Jeff Jones, from the Yes on Proposition 19 movement to legalize
marijuana and executive director of the patient ID center in Oakland,
added more people need to step out front in support of marijuana
including people in Hollywood.

In November's election, the Proposition 19 ballot measure would have
have granted Californians age 21 or over to grow marijuana and allow
local jurisdictions to tax and regulate sales but state voters
defeated it.

In 1996, voters passed Proposition 215 to legalize medical marijuana
and allow collectives to accept donations and provide medical
marijuana to their members.

But some cities have banned medical marijuana dispensaries despite the
proposition because of various reasons including marijuana being
designated as a controlled substance by the federal Controlled
Substances Act.

In May, San Bernardino police served seven dispensaries with eight
warrants for violating the city's municipal code.

The city banned dispensaries last year by prohibiting their permits
but officials say the operators continue to be open and some residents
have complained.

And medical marijuana, and the lack of respect for Proposition 215,
was also brought up at the panel discussion.