Hundreds Watch Santa Cruz Pot Handout
Marijuana Given To Patients To Control Pain
POSTED: 9:55 am EDT September 17, 2002
UPDATED: 10:31 am EDT September 18, 2002
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Hundreds of people fighting federal drug laws stood with Santa Cruz city lawmakers to hand out medical marijuana Tuesday afternoon at City Hall. Mayor Christopher Krohn and his City Council colleagues were present when pot was given out to medical marijuana users. They wanted to let federal authorities know that in Santa Cruz, marijuana is considered medicine for those who are ill.Valerie and Michael Corral handed out medical marijuana to their patients. The Corrals run the Wo/Men's Alliance For Medical Marijuana and were arrested earlier this month during a federal raid on their pot farm just outside Santa Cruz. The agents seized about 150 marijuana plants during the raid.About a dozen patients who have prescriptions for medical marijuana were given the substance in Santa Cruz on Tuesday afternoon.California and a number of other states allow marijuana to be grown and distributed to people with a doctor's prescription. Federal law prohibits marijuana use under any circumstances.Richard Meyer, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration, said he's "appalled" by city leaders' presence at the giveaway. No federal agents were seen at the demonstration.
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