MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES CLAIM TO BE AT 85 PERCENT OF REFERENDUM GOAL

Members of a local political action committee said Thursday they have
gathered 14,731 "verified" petition signatures -- or about 85 percent
of their goal -- to force a county referendum on storefront medical
marijuana collectives and the sale of edible pot products.

"It's looking good," said the group's lawyer, Phil Ganong. "We've done
well."

The state-registered group, Kern Citizens for Patient Rights, has
until Sept. 8 to gather a total of 17,350 signatures, though they plan
to exceed that total to have a buffer in case some signatures are discounted.

If the group succeeds, the county would have to schedule a public vote
on the matter or rescind an Aug. 10 vote by the county Board of
Supervisors to outlaw the storefronts and edible marijuana products.

At a night meeting attended by 22 members, the group strategized for
its final week of the petition drive, discussing where to send
signature-gatherers this weekend, for example, while also criticizing
county supervisors and what some considered strong-armed tactics of
Sheriff Donny Youngblood.

The sheriff has previously said some marijuana fields have been found
to contain booby traps and guns, and enforcement is necessary for
public safety.

Before adjourning to meet in closed session, Ganong encouraged medical
marijuana patients and collaboratives alike, asking them not to be
intimidated by Youngblood's recent raids, which followed the
supervisors' Aug. 10 emergency ordinance making it illegal to grow
more than 12 pot plants on a single legal parcel.

Kern Citizens for Patient Rights said it has raised more than $50,000
for the petition drive.