The Compassionate Coalition

message from F.Aaron Smith....

Dear Medical Marijuana Supporter,

Next Tuesday, October 24, the Stanislaus County Board
of Supervisors will be conducting a hearing on the
implementation of the medical marijuana ID card
program. The Board will be deciding whether or not to
implement this important program designed to protect
patients from detainment, arrest or seizure of their
medicine by state and local law enforcement.

The ID cards would be voluntary for patients and
caregivers to obtain through the county and are
accepted throughout the state.

Approval of this program would be a major step in the
right direction towards securing safe and legal access
to medical marijuana in Stanislaus County. With your
help, we can ensure that the Board of Supervisors
votes to uphold state law and protect local patients.

If you live in Stanislaus County, please take a few
minutes to email or call your County Supervisor (using
the info listed below) and politely urge him to
support the medical marijuana ID card program at next
week's meeting. Feel free to use the talking points or
script posted at the end of this message.

*District 1 Supervisor: William O’Brien
(representing Northeast Stanislaus County, including
Oakdale, Riverbank, Valley Home, Waterford and a
portion of Northeast Modesto)

Email: ObrienW@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Phone: (209) 525-4440

*District 2 Supervisor: Thomas Mayfield
(representing Southeast Stanislaus County, including
Turlock, Hickman, Hughson and Denair and LaGrange)

Email: MayfieT@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Phone: (209) 525-6440

*District 3 Supervisor: Jeff Grover
(representing Northwest Modesto and Salida)

Email: GroverJ@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Phone: (209) 525-6560

*District 4 Supervisor: Ray Simon
(representing East Modesto)

Email: SimonRa@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Phone: (209) 525-4445

*District 5 Supervisor: Jim DeMartini
(representing West Stanislaus County, including Ceres,
Patterson, Westley, Newman and Vernalis)

Email: DemartiniJ@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Phone: (209) 525-4470

For more information on supervisorial districts, see
county map:
http://www.co.stanislaus.ca.us/BOARD/districT.HTM
OR
call the Office of the Board of Supervisors at (209)
525-4494

It's also very important that we fill the board
chambers with patients and advocates backing the
program. Please mark your calendars for this important
meeting, tentatively scheduled for the morning of
Tuesday, October 24 in Modesto. Details for the
meeting time and location will be sent out within the
next few days.

Thank you for expressing your support for safe, legal
and hassle-free access to medical marijuana and the
medical marijuana ID card program. Once implemented,
not only will it reduce patients' risk, it will also
further strengthen California's decade-old medical
marijuana law.

Sincerely,
Aaron Smith
Safe Access Now
safeaccessnow@gmail.com
(707) 291-0076

Feel free to use these talking points when addressing
this issue with your elected officials:

* The Modesto PD and DEA recently raided a local
medical cannabis dispensary, California Healthcare
Collective, because agents were able to obtain
marijuana using falsified documentation. The ID card
program works to reduce the risk of such abuse of our
medical marijuana laws because it offers a uniform
means of identification for legitimate patients who
are qualified to use cannabis under state law.

* The ID card program will greatly assist
law-enforcement in distinguishing patients with
legitimate medical marijuana recommendations from
those who are using false or counterfeit
documentation. The county-administered ID program
clarifies the current patchwork of patient
documentation and frees our law enforcement and
judicial system to focus on genuine criminal activity.

* The ID card protects patients and caregivers from
lengthy detainment, arrest, seizure of property or
unnecessary court proceedings. While patients are not
required to participate in the ID card program, many
choose to because they cannot afford the personal risk
of wrongful prosecution that those without ID cards
face.

* The county has a legal responsibility to the State
of California to implement the program because it is a
requirement of Senate Bill 420, signed into law in
2003

* Voters' support of safe and legal access to medical
marijuana has only grown stronger since the passage of
the Compassionate Use Act (Prop. 215) in 1996.
According to an independent field poll conducted in
2004, 74% of Californians support the implementation
of our state’s medical marijuana laws.

Sample email message:

Honorable Supervisor _______________,

I am a patient residing in Stanislaus County who uses
medical marijuana under the supervision of my doctor,
as permitted by state law. I am contacting you today
because I have been waiting far too long for
Stanislaus County to fully implement our state’s
long-standing medical marijuana laws.

Please vote to approve the medical marijuana ID card
program at next Tuesday's meeting. The County is
required by statute to implement this program, refusal
to do so would not only be a violation of law, but
would be a slap in the face to the sick and dying in
our community.

The recent raids on the medical cannabis dispensary in
Modesto only demonstrate the urgent need for
implementation of this registry program.

The program will benefit local law enforcement because
it provides a quick and easy means of identifying
patients using medical marijuana under state law.
There is no reason to spend precious resources
arresting or detaining critically ill residents who
are abiding by a decade-old, voter-approved law.

As a voter in Stanislaus County, I am counting on you
to follow state law and the will of the voters by
approving the implementation of this important
program. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

[insert first and last name]
[city/town of residence, within Stanislaus Co.]

F. Aaron Smith
Safe Access Now
phone: (707) 291-0076
fax: (866) 204-1341
e-mail: fa_smith@yahoo.com