On December 11th
at 3:15 p.m., cannabis advocates will present over 30,000 signatures of
Sacramento County voters to Board of Supervisors in favor of sensible medical
cannabis regulations. The Committee for Safe patient Access to Regulated
Cannabis (CSPARC) calls for the Board to come back to table and establish
guidelines limited access points and clear regulations. Supporters will file
the initiative again and take it to the voter’s if necessary. Press conference begins
at 4:00 p.m.
Who: The Committee for Safe Patient
Access to regulated Cannabis (CSPARC), local medical cannabis advocates and
supporters, and over 30,000 Sacramento County residents who signed petitions in
support of sensible medical cannabis regulations and distribution points.
Contacts- Kimberly Cargile- Committee Coordinator and Local Patient
Advocate- (707) 616-7198
Mickey Martin- Committee Coordinator and
Author of Medical Marijuana 101-
(510) 377-1990
When: December 11th, 2012
·
Support Rally and Candlelight Vigil (weather
permitting) at 2:00 p.m.
·
Presentation to Board of Supervisors- on Agenda
for 3:15 p.m. meeting
·
Press Conference at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Sacramento County Board of
Supervisors Chambers- County Administration Center –
Why: To present over 30,000 signatures
to the Board in hopes of them reconsidering their position on medical cannabis
and coming back to the table with advocates to develop sensible regulations for
medical cannabis. We believe residents of Sacramento County deserve better than
to have to simply go somewhere else if they are patients qualified to use
medical cannabis. A fair amount of dispensing collectives in the county makes
sense for public safety by taking medical cannabis transactions off of our
streets; and they also can provide hundreds of good paying jobs for local
residents. The goal is to find a happy medium with the Board and encourage them
to consider the needs of their constituents.
Moving Forward: Currently there are
thousands of medical cannabis patients that are forced to drive long distances
to access cannabis medicines. The Board of Supervisors enacted a backdoor ban
in December of 2011 that outlawed all cannabis-related activity, including
personal patient cultivation. We believe this ban was unconstitutional, as a
body cannot move to simply ignore state law. We are asking that the Board of
Supervisors reconsider their ban, and work with the community to develop
regulations that encourage public safety and consider the needs of the
community.
The medical
cannabis community is prepared to organize another initiative drive and take
the issue to the voters; but we would much rather work with the elected Board
of Supervisors to do the work of the people and avoid a costly and unnecessary
election process. It is the duty of our local representatives to find a better
method of dealing with medical cannabis than simply working to make qualified
patients, and their providers, outlaws. We encourage the Board to review the
initiative we have developed, which we feel is fair and balanced in its
approach. The citizens of Sacramento County deserve solutions.