BUSTED TOURIST VOWS TO FIGHT DRUG CHARGES

Californian Dennis Peron packed the necessities for his vacation to
southern Utah: a sleeping bag for campouts, his dog for company -- and a
stash of marijuana he says he uses to treat his alcoholism. Peron, founder
of San Francisco's Cannabis Cultivation Club, was stunned when Cedar City
police objected to the marijuana last week and seized it, and arrested him
and his friends and booked them into jail. "They overreacted. They should
have given me a ticket," insists Peron, 55. "They should have let it go."

Now Peron promises to bring his campaign to legalize marijuana for
medicinal use to Utah as he fights charges of possession of marijuana with
intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. It is a natural
step -- Peron drafted the 1996 California proposition that legalized
marijuana for medical use, and his club was created to grow it for that
purpose.

"I'm going to make some noise," Peron said this week in a telephone
interview from San Francisco.

"It's about time someone fought for dying patients." Peron says he is
worried that seriously ill tourists who attend the 2002 Olympic Winter
Games -- and bring their medical marijuana -- will be "brutalized" by their
Utah hosts in February. But Deputy Salt Lake District Attorney Kent Morgan
says prescriptions for marijuana are not valid in Utah or anywhere, after a
May decision by the U.S. Supreme Court held there is no exception to
federal laws that forbid people with cancer, AIDS and other ailments to use
marijuana.

Eight Western states, including California, Nevada and Colorado, have
medical marijuana laws on their books.

"You're right; there's no exemption in Utah," Peron concedes, but adds he
is looking for a Utah lawmaker to sponsor a medical marijuana law.
Meanwhile, he says, he will bring the California physician who prescribed
marijuana to him to testify during his preliminary hearing. He faces up to
5 years in prison if convicted of drug possession. Peron and three friends
were heading for Zion National Park when they checked into a Cedar City
Motel 6 on Nov. 14. Police arrived at about 9:45 a.m. after receiving a tip
that marijuana smoke could be smelled in the hallway.

Police found nearly a pound of pot in the hotel room and vehicle, Cedar
City police Sgt. Dave Holm said.

Officers also seized more than $4,500 and charged his companions with
possessing marijuana and paraphernalia.

Peron says he had, at most, 3 grams of raw marijuana and a sackful of
pot-laced dessert.

"They're weighing the brownies," he laments. After that night in jail, the
group posted bail and headed west. Peron is due to return for his
arraignment in December and says he may just check out Zion National Park
along the way.