By Alex Gronke, Staff Wtiter Source: Contra Costa Times Medical marijuana users will be allowed up to 10 plants and 2-1/2 pounds of cut and dried cannabis without fear of prosecution, under rules passed Tuesday by the City Council. The council was divided between members who wanted to accept a Berkeley health commission recommendation of 2-1/2 pounds and those that wanted to extend the maximum amount to six pounds of dried marijuana and 144 plants. All council members agreed the police department needed clear guidelines to follow about what amount of medical marijuana would be permissible. Some council members feared that allowing more than 10 plants and 2-1/2 pounds would lead to a spike in drug-related crime in the city. "I don't want Berkeley to become the Amsterdam of the East Bay," said Councilwoman Polly Armstrong. Other council members took the line that the growing of the plant is an imprecise science. Councilman, Kriss Worthington said the cultivation of marijuana is dicey, and 10 plants doesn't provide an adequate buffer for patients should their crop fall prey to pests or foul weather. Worthington led the move to allow patients more marijuana with a series of substitute motions that were narrowly voted down. Council members who wanted to follow the health commission's recommendations found themselves at odds with some two score citizens in the council chamber who wanted the right to grow and possess more than 2-1/2 pounds of cannabis. When the council voted to accept the commission's guidelines the final aye vote was answered with hisses and jeers from the medical marijuana backers. Mayor Shirley Dean sought to restore order to the meeting amid cries of, "For shame," "You failed us," and "The citizens are dying." After the vote, as the council moved on to a less contentious issue involving residential parking permits on Milvia Street, medical marijuana supporters gathered downstairs in the lobby of the old city hall. Worthington, who left his colleagues to hash out the parking permit business without him, stood on a marble bench in the lobby and addressed the disappointed crowd. "We need to keep the pressure up," said Worthington, vowing to readdress the subject at the next council meeting. Berkeley is only one of several municipalities trying to clarify murky parts of state Proposition 215, the medical marijuana initiative. Prop. 215, passed by voters in 1996, did not legalize marijuana, but changed the way medical users of marijuana would be treated by state laws. The proposition allowed for exemption from prosecution for the medical use of marijuana, but it did not establish standards for how much can be owned and grown by patients. Different cities have established different rules. For example, Oakland will not prosecute patients who have less than six pounds of marijuana if the patient can prove that a doctor recommended marijuana treatment and the cannabis was grown at home. Valerie Adase, director of the Cannabis Buyers Collective of Berkeley, said she appreciates how difficult it is for a city council to find accord on an issue as historically divisive as marijuana. And she thanked the council for being sympathetic to the needs of medical marijuana users. But she said she would continue to press for the right of patients to cultivate more cannabis. "The next time this comes up for review," said Adase. "I hope we can show that 10 plants is not sufficient." Source: Contra Costa Times (CA) Author: Alex Gronke, Staff Wtiter Published: Friday, March 30, 2001 Copyright: 2001 Contra Costa Newspapers Inc. Address: 2640 Shadelands Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 Website: http://www.contracostatimes.com/ Feedback: http://www.contracostatimes.com/contact_us/letters.htm
Ya I'll agree with that. I'm glad there are certain limits on it. I mean seriously, no one(especially medically) needs to have 6lbs of pot on them at any point in time. Shit I think 2lbs is pretty high to have with you.