Subject: Medical Marijuana Approved in Sonoma County
From: [email-masked] (Rich Winkel)
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1993 00:07:04 GMT
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive

/** gen.newsletter: 174.0 **/
** Topic: PP 11/93 Medical Marijuana **
** Written  3:24 pm  Dec 17, 1993 by sonomapj in cdp:gen.newsletter **
From: "Sonoma Co. Center for Peace/Justice" <sonomapj>
Subject: PP 11/93 Medical Marijuana

Title:  Miracle On Administration Drive

By:  Lazar Yersersky

On Tuesday, October l2, before a standing-room-only crowd at the County
Supervisors' hearing, Sonoma County at last passed a resolution
approving the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Presented by Ernie
Carpenter, supervisors Tim Smith and Mike Cale voted for. Nick Esposti
was the sole vote against. The resolution, written mainly by Carol
Miller, who, in spite of bringing up a gang of kids with Michael,
living on a remote mountain without a car for at least a year, not to
mention fighting Lymes disease all the while, never flagged in her
mission of freeing  marijuana for medical use.

Dr Tod Mikuriya, author of the authoritative "Medical Marijuana
Papers," spoke first. Caregiver "Brownie" Mary Rathburn testified to a
standing ovation for her work and her indomitable spirit. Dennis Peron,
who ram- rodded the SF ballot victory, spoke, and Bruce Sloan gave them
what-for as only he can do, with his testimony before the supervisors
and with his nifty sign to "Repeal Hemp Prohibition and Restore Health"
outside.

Then the parade of patients began:  Patti, Beth, and Barb with AIDS. I
use first names only because these very ill people are criminals as
things stand--or at least stood before today. Patti drove herself to
the hearing even though she was almost too sick to talk. Beth, a cancer
patient, spoke. Chuck, an asthmatic, literally given the breath of life
by a few daily tokes of marijuana, was there. And a phys ed teacher
half crippled with a back injury suffered when a drunk ran into his
car, explained that only marijuana stopped his debilitating muscle
spasms, allowing him to stretch and heal his back when synthetic
pharmaceuticals, with their often toxic side effects, could not. Sara
was  there suffering from giardia that wasted her away until marijuana
cured the awful nausea and allowed her to eat. Linette, who was busted
for two plants in Fairfax, was there.

Now we must unite in support of Sen. Henry Mello's Medical Legalization
Bill on the state level. And federal bills S. 784 and H.R. l709, which
will roll back restrictive regulations  on nutritional products and
medical herbs (including cannabis)  need our support. We must now
endeavor to get the ear of Bill Clinton or maybe Hillary.

Congratulations to S.C.R.A.P. and to everyone who worked so hard and so
long to get to this point.

** End of text from cdp:gen.newsletter **

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