SUPES OK MEDICAL MARIJUANA IDS

Hollister - While the Board of Supervisors complied with state law
Tuesday and approved a county program to issue medical marijuana
identification cards to afflicted locals, supervisors made it clear
that they did not want marijuana to be dispensed within the county.

Under the program, county residents with a doctor's prescription for
medical marijuana may apply to receive an ID card that will allow
them to purchase and transport medical marijuana. The county won't
actually be providing the marijuana, however a state law passed in
2003 requires all counties to offer medical marijuana ID cards to
those with a doctor's prescription to use the drug to treat illnesses
ranging from cancer and AIDS to anorexia and chronic pain.

Supervisors Anthony Botelho and Don Marcus said they had concerns
about having a county medical marijuana ID program, however
Supervisors Jaime De La Cruz and Reb Monaco said that they had no
problem with it.

"In my book, it is still an illegal substance," Botelho said after
the meeting. "I just don't want to see our program abused and
subsidized by taxpayers."

San Benito's program will cost about $8,500 per year - which includes
the purchase of a digital camera and other supplies. Those costs will
be covered by a fee that participants will pay. There are 230
potential participants in San Benito, according to state estimates.
The fee charged for an ID will be determined by an ongoing countywide
fee study. While the medical marijuana ID program won't begin until
the county's fee study is finished and a fee for the program has been
determined, County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson said they
are working hard to get the study done, but did not know exactly when
that will be.

De La Cruz said that he supported the ID program and thought medical
marijuana was a good thing for people suffering from an illness.

"I have friends who are sick, and actually they use medical
marijuana," he said. "So I see the benefits first hand."

Though they hold different views on medical marijuana, supervisors
were united in their desire not to have medical marijuana dispensed
in San Benito.

"At this point, unless we hear more testimony I'd be opposed to
dispensaries in the county," Marcus said.

De La Cruz said that having establishments that distribute medical
marijuana within the county would make it easier for the general
population to obtain marijuana for non-medical use.

"We will provide the card only," he said, "but not allow people to
sell marijuana."

Medical marijuana is dispensed through clubs and cooperatives, rather
than through the government. Within the region, there are medical
marijuana cooperatives in Santa Cruz.

Before voting to approve the medical marijuana ID card program, the
board directed county staff to draft an ordinance prohibiting medical
marijuana dispensaries within the county.

During Tuesday's meeting, Sheriff Curtis Hill was neutral on the
issue of ID cards. He said he will work with the county health
department to make sure all his deputies knew what the cards looked
like and how they are issued.

"For me it's a non-issue," he told supervisors. "We're going to
follow what (the law) says."

After the meeting Hill said that if a deputy stops a person who has
marijuana and a medical marijuana ID card, the deputy will allow that
person to keep the marijuana and be on their way, unless there is
some other violation.

Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller also told supervisors that he
doesn't have any major concerns about the county's medical marijuana ID card.

While San Benito is adhering to the law, not all of California's 58
counties are willing to go along with it.

In January, San Diego County sued the state of California and its
director of health services, saying federal law that prohibits
marijuana use trumps state law that allows it. Soon after, San
Bernadino County joined the lawsuit. California voters approved the
use of marijuana for medical purposes a decade ago with the with the
passage of Proposition 215.

The debate made its way to San Benito County last month in a court
case involving medical marijuana which was confiscated by the
Hollister-Gilroy California Highway Patrol. In defiance of a court
order, CHP Cmdr. Otto Knorr had refused to return the marijuana for
months, saying it would violate federal drug laws. However, on
direction from the Attorney General's Office, Knorr relented just
days before a contempt of court hearing which was scheduled for January.

During Tuesday's meeting, Knorr voiced concerns about people not
having their ID cards with them while they are transporting
marijuana, ID cards being counterfeited and people driving under the
influence of marijuana, which is illegal regardless of whether a
person has an ID card.