MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES TAP CAMPUS

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) urged Sacramento State students to join in a
rally at the State Capitol to demand the federal government to stop
targeting and harassing medical marijuana patients.

ASA set up a booth in front of the University Union Thursday and Friday
asking students to sign a petition to grant medical marijuana patients like
Brian Epis clemency and to put an end to federal agencies prosecuting
medical marijuana patients and caregivers.

"We simply want students to help demand that our representatives implement
the state wide guidelines and defend the Compassionate Use Act," ASA member
Francisco Hernandez said.

California's Compassionate Use Act of 1996 ensures that patients and their
primary caregivers who obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes are not
subject to criminal prosecution or sanction.

Epis, co-founder of the Chico Medical Marijuana Cooperative is facing a
mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to grow over
1,000 plants.

"We are trying to raise awareness and educate others about how people are
getting busted for unjust laws," Hernandez said.

Hernandez spoke to students on campus about ambiguities between the federal
and state laws, the Controlled Substance Act, Proposition 215, DEA raids,
and Episi trial.

Students from Sac State, Berkeley, UC Davis and other campuses joined with
hundreds of other ralliers at the State Capitol Monday calling on officials
to defend patient's rights.

One Sac State student, who preferred anonymity, said he didn't see a major
problem with federal intervention.

"I'm a patient myself and I gave a courtesy call to Sacramento PD when I
wanted to provide my own medicine, and they said it was fine as long as I
don't grow over 30 lbs," the Sac Sate student said. Activists held signs
that said, DEA-go away, students for safe access, our vote counts, and hemp
is an herb Bush is a dope. "A catholic priest that was accused of molesting
13 girls was sentenced for six years. That is less than what Epis is facing
for conspiracy to grow," Hernandez said.

Organizations such as the National Organization for the Reform of Medical
Marijuana Laws (NORML), Student's for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and ASA
spoke out about their aggression towards the DEA's raids on medical
marijuana.

"The feds are targeting honest providers who openly supply medicine to sick
people under state law rather than large-scale criminal traffickers who
clandestinely supply the recreational market," NORML coordinator, Dale
Gieringer said in his pamphlet that was passed out during the rally.

The controversy of whether the federal government should supercede
California's Compassionate Use Act continues to rage on.

Protests have been organized in sixty cities and thirty states around the
U.S.

"We've got in touch with people all around the world and we're going to
start a national movement and win," ASA speaker, Steph Sherer said.