The Los Angeles City Council threw its support Wednesday behind a state resolution seeking federal recognition of California's voter-approved measure legalizing marijuana for medical use.
Senate Joint Resolution 20, authored by state Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, calls on the federal government to enact legislation requiring the Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies to "respect the compassionate use laws of states, including returning any assets seized from medical marijuana dispensaries."

The City Council resolution was approved 9-1, with Councilman Greig Smith dissenting.

There are 183 registered dispensaries in the city of Los Angeles, according to Councilman Dennis Zine. An estimated 250,000 Californians use medical marijuana to relieve aliments associated with AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and other chronic conditions.

"This is not about getting high. This is not about drug dealing on the street corners. This is about the Compassionate Use Act," said Zine, who has spent almost 40 years with the Los Angeles Police Department.

California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, which legalized the use of marijuana by patients with a doctor's prescription. The federal government bars cannabis use of any kind.

Virgil Grant is a medical cannabis provider whose home and business were raided by DEA officers on March 20. Grant said he uses medical marijuana for pain associated with a slipped disc in his back and an injury to his right knee.
"I'm a holistic person who likes to take non-drugs. I don't like taking synthetic drugs. I live the all-natural life, so medical marijuana provides that for me without the side effects (of) Vicodin, other things," Grant said.

A spokeswoman for the DEA said the federal agency does not comment on policy issues.

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A wise girl kisses but does not love, listens but does not believe, and leaves before she is left...Marilyn Monroe

This is a great thing to happen, it means a lot coming from the 2nd largest city in America, (I think).

One of the best things county commisioners and city council men can do is to order there police to quit cooperating with the DEA. More and more cities are beginning to do this.

I do believe the fiscal impact of the police cooperating with the DEA is why the LACC wants to get this crap out of the LA Courts and the offenders out of the jails. Federal crimes involving prop 215 cost the tax payers of CA.

As someone pointed out to me privately its about time they did something, we voted this into law just as we voted them into office.

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A wise girl kisses but does not love, listens but does not believe, and leaves before she is left...Marilyn Monroe

They don't care about causing pain and suffering either, their interfering has caused them to be despised by just about every stoner on this planet.

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Regards, Tom.

It's not a crime to have an opinion, the moral crime is committed when you force others to conform to your views.

i just got a recommendation from the doctor with a photocopy of my drivers license on it. i was thinking of going to the santa cruz patients collective to pick something up. do i need anything else?

someone was saying something about a card, but i thought that was just for certain coops and cities.

any help appreciated.

Sorry to neglect this question, but you might want to call them and ask what to bring. In my area we dont use the card, and clubs I hear dont accept them in lieu of the RX from your doctor

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A wise girl kisses but does not love, listens but does not believe, and leaves before she is left...Marilyn Monroe

This will be our next goal with LA city council. We will be back there before them April 22nd requesting that very thing. It is high time (lol get it?) LAPD's valueable resources be used effeciently to do their own jobs not the Feds.

how did it go?

The state issued ID card is completely optional, all you need is your original paper recommendation and identification so they know you are you. I would recommend calling your chosen co-op before you visit to have them pre-verify your recommendation. This will save you time waiting at a co-op, plus if they can't get a hold of your doctor they can't let you in so it's good to pre-verify.

Could be great for the whole country. If the federal policy changes to recognize state MMJ laws, more states might enact them.

It would mean federal policy recognizes MMJ on some level, a line the DEA doesn't want crossed.

Go L.A.!

this is great news, showing that we're moving in the right direction. re-legalization of medical cannabis and industrial hemp can and will save the world. re-legalization of cannabis / hemp would completely change (for the better) practically every single big aspect of our lives.

it is a fact that we can stop cutting down ALL trees and pumping ALL oil 1 year after re-legalizing hemp. both fuel and fiber can be produced from the same plant, and unlike trees and oil, this is not a limited resource, it will grow 20 feet high every year. hemp will become the number 1 cash crop in california within a year of re-legalization, providing a great boost in income for the state.

i'm not going to mention all the other uses, including pharmaceutical, because if i do, i'll never stop talking

Federalism just might mean something to california city leaders after all...good to know

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Pictures and information posted under this username are duplicated, and should in no way be taken seriously, as it is only a joke.(period)


Ron Paul is freedom

I'm dealing with court after being arrested with less than a gram of marijuana in a small keychain, 1 year deferred with 1 year random drug testing...they TOOK my medicine away from me so I can suffer

"What? No. We can't stop here. This is bat country!"