BOARD CALLS FOR MEDICAL POT TASK FORCE

EUREKA -- Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos'
controversial medical marijuana guidelines will remain in effect, at
least for the time being.

That was one clear decision that came out of Tuesday's Board of
Supervisors meeting -- a session that showed the public is still
widely divided over the issue of medical pot.

After nearly three hours of public debate, the board voted unanimously
to table an ordinance that would essentially recognize Gallegos'
guidelines as county law. Instead, the board called for a task force
comprising law enforcement, medical marijuana patients and caregivers,
schools, business and physicians.

But until the county decides on an ordinance, the county's two top law
enforcement agencies will continue to uphold Gallegos' guidelines,
Sheriff Gary Philp and Deputy District Attorney Wes Keat told the board.

Gallegos last year introduced guidelines allowing medical pot patients
to have up to 3 pounds of dried buds per year. Cultivation is
restricted to what will fit within a 100-square-foot vegetative canopy.

Then in January, a new state law went into effect calling for uniform
guidelines. The state law would allow patients to have no more than 8
ounces of dried marijuana and no more than six mature or 12 immature
plants. But the law allows counties and cities to retain or enact
medical marijuana guidelines that exceed the state's limits, and
physicians can also prescribe a greater amount.

Tuesday's public debate featured representatives from schools and law
enforcement, as well as physicians, medical marijuana patients and
caregivers.

The law enforcement and school representatives pushed the board to
adopt the state's more restrictive guidelines.

"The problem is the permissive attitude (toward marijuana) we're
advocating in this county as a whole," Fortuna Police Chief Kent
Bradshaw said.

The city of Fortuna has opposed Gallegos' guidelines, and Bradshaw
said he favors the lesser amounts allowed by the state, noting that
physicians can prescribe more.

Mary Scott, president of the Humboldt County Board of Education, said
exceeding the state's limits sends the "wrong message" to the
community, especially students. Educators are concerned with what they
call possible unintended consequences of a too-liberal policy, such as
students possibly having access to their parents' medical pot. Also,
concerns over medical pot being used or distributed on campuses could
jeopardize federal funding schools receive.

"We as a community have a responsibility to protect our children,"
Scott said. "And being in conflict with federal law could jeopardize
funding, which could have a drastic impact on our schools."

Medical marijuana patients and advocates cited a recent ruling by the
9th District Court of Appeals, which they say forbids the federal
government from bringing charges against medical marijuana users.

Also, patients defended the use of marijuana as a viable treatment
drug for a number of ailments, saying it is much healthier than using
prescription drugs.

Dr. Jay Cavanaugh, director of the American Alliance for Medical
Marijuana, urged the board to approve Gallegos' guidelines. He argued
the state's limits aren't sufficient for most patients' needs. He also
said while he understands the concerns of parents and educators, there
must be a distinction between legitimate treatment and drug abuse.

"The message we need to give our kids is there's a difference between
medicine and drugs," Cavanaugh said. "Children need to understand
(abusing) drugs is a person self administering to escape reality,
that's bad. A medicine is taken under the supervision of a physician
and provides relief and that's good."

All five members of the board, after listening to the debate, said the
task force would help draft a compromise. Second District Supervisor
Roger Rodoni and 3rd District Supervisor John Woolley will put
together the task force that will have 90 days to submit a report with
recommendations.

Rodoni, who brought the ordinance forward, said he hopes the task
force can find a solution that will bring the community together. But
he also said the bigger debate over marijuana won't be solved until
the drug is legalized. He alluded to the prohibition of alcohol in the
1920s, and mentioned a shrine on Briceland Road dedicated to a man who
was murdered over a pot deal, as well as the hugely inflated prices
marijuana fetches because it's illegal.

"If you could find a mechanism to legalize marijuana, you'd eliminate
all the problems," Rodoni said.