THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Thursday, November 22, 2001 Busted Tourist Vows to Fight Drug Charges BY JACOB SANTINI 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.
Utah is definitely one place I wouldn't want to be caught with pot. Too many mormons. Hell, they even view caffiene as a sin to put in your body!
Utha should look at some of their legal medicines. They have alot of meds. that are so dangerous that the patients have to come in to a clinic to get there meds. on a daily basis. I have a cousin that lives up there and had cancer. He would have to go to a clinic every morning before work to get his meds. There was a chemical in the pills that might put him in shock with in 10 minutes after taking. These dumbasses think that pot is so bad , but they are giving people meds that they KNOW are very harmfull when used. They must know more than us smokers! Stony you are right about mormans and the caffene. You cannot be a morman if you put anything in your body that might alternate your thinking or that might shorten your life one second.
Excuse me, but I thought that the USA was one country. How the fuck can it be legal to smoke pot in one state and not in another. I live in Edinburgh (Scotland) and pot is 'slightly' illegal here. If you get caught with it, the chances are the cops will nick your stash and send you on your way. The thing is, if I get on a bus and head past the border into England, nothing changes. This is the United Kingdom of Britain. I thought you guys lived in the United States of America. Peace. PS> I just saw John Carpenters film "Ghosts of Mars".... it was no 'Vampires', that's for sure.
wildc@ard, we are country consisting of 50 semi-indepedent provinces. All combined under a federal government with its laws and courts. But then each province has its own laws, courts, police that differ from state to state. We are a large country of over 275 million people and have several distinct regions or cultural differences. NE USA, SE USA, the midwest area, the SW USA, the Rocky Montain and big sky country, the NW USA, California, etc. each is varied in its laws, culture, and tactics. Were a relatively new land, only conquered from the native population 300 years ago. Regional differences can be taced back to the time a region was settled and where the settlers immigrated from. My own ancestors were brought to this country in chains and shackles. Not as slaves from Africa, but as "invited guests" from the king. Expelled from Scotland for robbery, thievery, or cannibas cultivation, etc. So now rather than living in border region of Scotland, I live in the USA.
Just to add a bit about the legalization thing. All American citizens can be prosecuted under federal statutes ,regardless of whether pot is legal in their state or not. That clarifies things now doesn't it ?..........................NOT ! The TV show "West Wing" has a segment on marijuana right now.......better go watch how they handle it. Later.
Yeah, I'm watching that right now, too. Rerun, but I didn't see it the first time. I kinda like that show.
mormons are hypocrites, did you know that utah has more prescriptions to anti-depressants per capita than any other state in the country? They should rethink their religion, it obviously isn't a very satisfying one.