CALL FOR SF MEDICAL MJ TASK FORCE

Leno calls today for Select Committee on Medical Marijuana

Once again San Francisco rises above national sentiment, leading
another step for humanity, as Supervisor Mark Leno today introduces
legislation creating a city Select Committee on Medical Marijuana.

The proposed three-member committee, drawn from members of the Board
of Supervisors, would explore the path to municipalized growth of
marijuana for medical use.

Bolstered with passage of Medical Marijuana Proposition S -- by a
larger margin than the popular Care Not Cash initiative -- Leno
described the committee as "another message to the DEA (Drug
Enforcement Agency) to keep its hands off our medicine."

Committee charge would be to hold hearings, and gather research, to
"explore the possibility" of city grown marijuana, as mandated by
Proposition S.

The vanguard idea came during the course of Leno's three year
involvement with patients and activists, in what came to be known as
the Medical Cannabis Working Group.

Its efforts equipped Leno with data compelling enough for the Board
of Supervisors to declare San Francisco a sanctuary for medical
cannabis use, as drafted by the District 8 supervisor.

Since the summer of 2000, more than 3700 patients voluntarily signed
up for city medical marijuana ID cards, accepted in the once
burgeoning medical cannabis clubs across the city. The Working Group
estimated upwards of 6,000 San Franciscans were using marijuana for
medical relief.

And then, in the face of State and City laws authorizing medical use
of marijuana, federal authorities began to shut down those clubs.

"What were we going to do if the DEA picked off each club one by
one?" Leno recalled pondering at the time.

"Then we hit on the idea of the city going into the cultivation
business itself.

"The city was already in the business of dispensing medical
methadone," Leno recalled.

Logistics, and legal liability, would be at the top of the Select
Committee agenda, Leno foresees:

* What would be city liability for cultivating marijuana,
liability of individual legislators who vote in favor of doing so?
* Should the city conduct cultivation, or should the city
contract cultivation out to the private sector?
* Should cultivation occur indoors, or outdoors?
While cultivating answers to such previously unasked questions will
keep the committee busy, Leno's rise in political stature, and
acquisition of political capital, could sustain the political stamina
needed locally.

Leno takes office as 12th District Assemblyman on Dec. 2, after
visiting Sacramento legislators, and opinion leaders, weekly for the
last year.

A good part of those visits involved studying a variety of specific
legislation, to master how legislation moves, who moves it, in
preparation for quickly grasping the levers himself, having learned
their location.

Leno acquainted himself well with individual legislators, and
acquitted himself well through hefty financial contributions to
statewide Democratic campaigns.

As Leno undergoes orientation in Sacramento this week, Supervisor
Sophie Maxwell will introduce Leno's legislation today.

He goes to Sacramento, despite having had to fight a bruising primary
election, with a higher percentage victory than well known public
figures who encountered no serious opposition.

Gavin Newsom, supervisor from much of the Golden Crescent, swept to
reelection past insignificant competition with a 78%
victory...compared to the 82% win Leno racked up.

While Newsom benefited from much of the public spotlight on his Care
Not Cash initiative, Leno's Medical Marijuana proposition received
more votes citywide, and won by a higher percentage, than did Care
Not Cash.
Indeed, Leno's 82% reelection victory topped that of Congresswoman
Nancy Pelosi with 79%, Assemblyman-Elect Leland Yee with 77%, and
Carole Migden elected to the State Board of Equalization with 77%
(within San Francisco).

The figures speak to thoughtful, inclusionary, and accomplished
leadership needed to go toe-to-toe with the feds...win.


Pub Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002
From: "D. Paul Stanford" <stanford@crrh.org>
Subject: 006 CA: Call for SF Medical MJ Task Force
http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/
The San Francisco Sentinel