CANNABIS PROPOSAL TABLED

Presented with an opportunity to liberalize Berkeley's medical
marijuana law, the City Council decided to just say no.

Technically, they only voted to table the proposal, which would have
raised the number of plants an individual patient could cultivate from
10 to 72. But they left no doubt that the issue, for now, is dead.

It was a bitter disappointment for the measure's sponsor, Councilman
Kriss Worthington. He had been supported by cancer patient after
cancer patient, who trooped to the microphone to describe how
marijuana eases the side effects of their chemotherapy.

But the council seemed more swayed by Police Chief Roy Meisner, who
voiced concern about a different kind of side effect: crime.

"(Seventy-two plants) would yield about 18 pounds of marijuana, with a
street value of from $5,000 to $6,000," he said. "That's a lot of
money and a lot of temptation."

Meisner said marijuana growers are prime targets for home invasions.

"We recently experienced one in the south campus area at 12:36 in the
morning. The man was handcuffed and beaten, and when the suspects came
running out, one of them had a Tec-9 machine gun. Officers recovered a
large amount of marijuana and $69,200."

Three public medical marijuana clubs currently operate in the city,
two of them in Councilwoman Margaret Breland's district, a
predominantly African American neighborhood in South Berkeley.
Breland, along with council members Maudelle Shirek, Gordon Wozniak
and Linda Maiao worried that liberalizing the law would cause more
clubs to move into the area.

"When drugs first came out, they put them out to get rid of Afro
American folks," said Breland. "Now they're doing the same thing. My
neighbors are complaining, my constituents are complaining, because
they don't want this shoved down their throat. Take it to the hills,
take it down the street, take it to anywhere you want. But not
District 2!"

Councilwoman Dona Spring, who uses a wheelchair, spoke in support of
the motion.

"As a person who suffers from chronic pain, I'd like to make this
plea," she said. "Try to look at it from the perspective of people who
are suffering and afraid of being arrested. It's actually easier to
get euthanasia, even though it's also illegal, because there is a
large group that will come to your house to provide compassionate care."

But Breland, who is battling cancer, was unmoved.

"I have a compelling need, and I'm not taking marijuana," she said. "I
go to a doctor, and he takes care of it real good. I have pain
medication, I have prayer, I have faith, and I am strong. So don't
give me that about you need marijuana, because you can survive without
it."

Afterward, Worthington vowed to keep fighting.

"This issue will not die," he told the Voice. "If we have to, we'll
put it on the November ballot; and I have no doubt that an
overwhelming majority of the voters will approve it. They know that to
deprive people of something that could relieve their suffering is wrong."