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            NEWS ADVISORY � FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         


            Monday, February 14, 2004 


            MEDIA CONTACT: Hilary McQuie (510) 333-8554


             


            Press Conference Tuesday, February 15:


            Medical Marijuana Group Lawsuit Against CHP, Governor
            Patients Say CHP Defied State Law in Traffic Stops


             

OAKLAND � A medical marijuana rights group, Americans for Safe Access, 
is filing a group lawsuit on behalf of seven legal medical marijuana 
patients and caregivers against the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and 
Governor Schwarzenegger for the CHP policy of confiscating marijuana 
despite valid documentation of their legal patient status.

 

All the plaintiffs are qualified medical marijuana patients who 
possessed very small amounts of marijuana, which they were legally 
entitled to possess and transport under California law. All were stopped 
by the CHP for alleged traffic offenses, and had their medicine 
confiscated by the police as an added punishment.  "A number of patients 
were told by CHP officers that they don't recognize Proposition 215," 
said Kris Hermes, ASA's legal director. "CHP officers are sworn to 
uphold the laws of this state, not subvert them."  The suit argues that 
the CHP�s policy of disregarding the Compassionate Use Act not only 
violates California law, but both the federal and state constitutions.

 

It has been more than eight years since the passage of the Compassionate 
Use Act (CUA) in 1996, where California voters approved the use of 
marijuana for medical purposes. Since then, the California legislature 
has enacted law (SB 420) clarifying the CUA and explicitly allowing for 
transportation of marijuana by qualified patients and caregivers.

 

Local law enforcement in California has exhibited ongoing resistance to 
enforcing state law, despite the enactment of both the CUA and SB 420. A 
report issued last August by Americans for Safe Access stated that while 
this inappropriate conduct by law enforcement occurs in the vast 
majority of California�s 58 counties, the worst offender is the 
California Highway Patrol. The medical marijuana group is suing the CHP 
to change their official policy stating that, �[e]ven if a Section 
11362.5 H&S claim is alleged, all marijuana shall be confiscated and 
booked as evidence.� The only state-required documentation of legal 
patient status is a copy of a current doctor's recommendation, which the 
CHP refuses to accept as anything but an 'alleged' claim. 

 

One of the plaintiffs, Mary Jane Winters, a registered nurse who uses 
marijuana to treat chronic pain stemming from three herniated discs in 
her spine, was pulled over by the CHP on Thanksgiving Day, 2004 while on 
her way to deliver flowers to a homeless shelter.  The officer seized 
her two ounces of marijuana, despite being presented with a physician�s 
recommendation to use marijuana medicinally. "Confiscation from legal 
patients is a civil rights violation," said Winters. "They had no reason 
to believe that I was not in compliance with California law."

 

WHEN:            Tuesday, February 15, 2004, 10 am
WHERE:         Alameda County Administration Building plaza, 1221 Oak 
St., Oakland
WHO:              Medical marijuana patient plaintiffs and legal staff 
of Americans for Safe Access
WHAT:            Press conference to announce filing of patient lawsuit 
against CHP

           

        To see the complaint, go to

To read the CHP policy on medical marijuana, go to 
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/CHP_Policy.pdf

###

A national coalition of 12,000 patients, doctors and advocates, 
Americans for Safe Access is the largest organization working solely on 
medical marijuana. For more information, see www.SafeAccessNow.org

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<h6 style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-weight: normal;"><font size="2">NEWS ADVISORY � FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE<span style="">������������������������� </span></font></span></h6>
<h6 style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-weight: normal;"><font size="2"><span style=""></span><strong>Monday,
February 14, 2004</strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span
 style="">�</span></span></font></span></h6>
<h6 style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-weight: normal;"><font size="2"><span
 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style=""></span></span>MEDIA
CONTACT: <strong>Hilary McQuie (510) 333-8554<span
 style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></font></span></h6>
<h6 style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><b><span
 style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial;"></span></b>�</h6>
<h6 style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><b><span
 style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial;"><font size="3">Press
Conference Tuesday, February 15:</font></span></b></h6>
<h6 style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial;"></span><font size="3"><span
 style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial;"><font size="3">Medical
Marijuana Group Lawsuit Against CHP, Governor</font><br>
</span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Patients
Say CHP Defied State Law in Traffic Stops</span></i></font></h6>
<h6 style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><b><i><span
 style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;"></span></i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i>�</h6>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">OAKLAND � A medical marijuana rights
group, Americans for Safe Access, is filing a group lawsuit on behalf
of seven legal medical marijuana patients and caregivers against the
California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Governor Schwarzenegger for the CHP
policy of confiscating marijuana despite valid documentation of their
legal patient status.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">�<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">All the plaintiffs are qualified medical
marijuana patients who possessed very small amounts of marijuana, which
they were legally entitled to possess and transport under California
law. All were stopped by the CHP for alleged traffic offenses, and had
their medicine confiscated by the police as an added punishment.<span
 style="">� </span>"A number of patients were told by CHP officers
that they don't recognize Proposition 215," said Kris Hermes, ASA's
legal director. "CHP officers are sworn to uphold the laws of this
state, not subvert them."<span style="">� </span>The suit argues that
the CHP�s policy of disregarding the Compassionate Use Act not only
violates California law, but both the federal and state constitutions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">�<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">It has been more than eight years since
the passage of the Compassionate Use Act (CUA) in 1996, where
California voters approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
Since then, the California legislature has enacted law (SB 420)
clarifying the CUA and explicitly allowing for transportation of
marijuana by qualified patients and caregivers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.25in 0pt 42pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">�<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">Local law enforcement in California has
exhibited ongoing resistance to enforcing state law, despite the
enactment of both the CUA and SB 420. A report issued last August by
Americans for Safe Access stated that while this inappropriate conduct
by law enforcement occurs in the vast majority of California�s 58
counties, the worst offender is the California Highway Patrol. The
medical marijuana group is suing the CHP to change their official
policy stating that, �[e]ven if a Section 11362.5 H&amp;S claim is
alleged, <i>all marijuana shall be confiscated </i>and booked as
evidence.� The only state-required documentation of legal patient
status is a copy of a current doctor's recommendation, which the CHP
refuses to accept as anything but an 'alleged' claim.<span style="">� </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">�<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">One of the plaintiffs, Mary Jane Winters,
a registered nurse who uses marijuana to treat chronic pain stemming
from three herniated discs in her spine, was pulled over by the CHP on
Thanksgiving Day, 2004 while on her way to deliver flowers to a
homeless shelter.<span style="">� </span>The officer seized her two
ounces of marijuana, despite being presented with a physician�s
recommendation to use marijuana medicinally. "Confiscation from legal
patients is a civil rights violation," said Winters. "They had no
reason to believe that I was not in compliance with California law."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -0.9pt 0pt 13.5pt;"><span
 style="font-family: Arial;">�<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin: 12pt 0.05in 0pt 0.5in;"><b><span
 style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">WHEN</font></span></b><span
 style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">: <span style="">����������
</span>Tuesday, February 15, 2004, 10 am<br>
<b>WHERE</b>:��<span style="">�������</span>Alameda County
Administration Building plaza, 1221 Oak St., Oakland</font></span><span
 class="middlecopy1"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><font
 color="#333333"> </font></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br>
</span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">WHO</font></span></b><span
 style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">: <span style="">������������
</span>Medical marijuana patient plaintiffs and legal staff of
Americans for Safe Access<br>
<b>WHAT</b>: <span style="">���������� </span>Press conference to
announce filing of patient lawsuit against CHP</font></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"></font>
<p class="MsoBodyText3"
 style="margin: 0in 0.05in 0pt 9pt; text-align: justify;"><font
 face="Times New Roman"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">����������� </span></i></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText3"
 style="margin: 0in 0.05in 0pt 9pt; text-align: justify;"><font
 face="Times New Roman"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">��� ��� To
see the complaint, go to <o:p></o:p></span></i></font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin: 12pt 0.05in 0pt 0.5in;"><font
 face="Times New Roman"><i><span
 style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To read the
CHP policy on medical marijuana, go to </span></i><span
 style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a
 href="http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/CHP_Policy.pdf">http://www.safeaccessnow.org/downloads/CHP_Policy.pdf</a></span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
</span>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
 style="margin: 6pt 0.05in 12pt 9.35pt; text-align: center;"
 align="center"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font
 face="Times New Roman">###<o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A
national coalition of 12,000 patients, doctors and advocates, Americans
for Safe Access is the largest organization working solely on medical
marijuana. For more information, see <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.SafeAccessNow.org">www.SafeAccessNow.org</a></span></div>
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