GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL WINS HIS POT BACK

Big Isle Candidate Uses Marijuana For Treatment Of Pain

HILO (AP) -- One of Hawaii's 20 candidates for governor has the right to get
back nearly an ounce of marijuana seized by police from his wife last
October, a judge has ruled.

Jonathan Adler, a Natural Law Party candidate convicted last month of
possessing more than 50 marijuana plants and drug paraphernalia, has to wait
until Monday for the court to release the 27 grams of marijuana Adler
contends he uses for treatment of chronic pain.

Although Adler insisted the marijuana is his, prosecutors used it as
evidence in a July 11 trial in which his wife, Nuansawat, was convicted of
misdemeanor possession, resulting in a $25 fine.

He tried to recover the marijuana on Tuesday after Judge Jeffrey Choi signed
the order for its return, but court officials said they were bound by a rule
that all evidence be held 30 days after the end of a trial in case of an
appeal.

Adler said he's eligible under the state's medical marijuana law to grow and
use a limited amount of the plant for frequent pain he suffers as the result
of a head injury suffered in a traffic accident.

Nuansawat Adler is registered with the state as a caregiver for her husband,
who is registered to use medical marijuana.

After his arrest in 1998, when police found 80 marijuana plants on his
property, Adler missed a court date and was picked up on a bench warrant.

When his wife showed up at the police cellblock to bring Adler his medicine,
which included marijuana, she was arrested for possession.

Adler, who also contends marijuana is a sacrament the Religion of Jesus
Church of which he is a pastor, said a legalized marijuana industry would
help the state out of its economic slump.

He faces up to 60 years in prison on the drug-possession conviction when
sentenced Aug. 26, but his attorney said probation is more likely.

Adler was charged in September 1999 but a trial in August 2001 resulted in a
hung jury and a mistrial. A nonjury trial was held in January and 3rd
Circuit Judge Greg K. Nakamura found him guilty in June.

Adler filed nomination papers April 1 to run for governor as a candidate for
the Natural Law Party. He previously had sought to run as a member of the
Green Party, but was rejected by party leadership.

Election officials said that when Adler is sentenced on the felony charges
he will be barred from office.