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Hike in medical pot limits stalls
The Alameda Times-Star | Thursday, April 29, 2004

Some members of Berkeley council worry about crime, query amount of cannabis needed

By Kristin Bender, STAFF WRITER

BERKELEY -- Councilmember Kriss Worthington's proposal to increase the limit on indoor medical cannabis plants from 10 to 72 was tabled Tuesday following concerns about increased crime and questions about how much dry marijuana one plant produces.

Backed by medical cannabis users and the Berkeley Patients Group, one of the city's four cannabis clubs that dispense marijuana as pain medicine, Worthington proposed that Berkeley patients be allowed to grow up to 72 indoor plants, which is the number allowed in Oakland.

Proponents said the number needs to be raised to keep legitimate users -- those with a doctor's note -- from breaking the law.

"The overwhelming majority of patients in the world and in Berkeley have more than 10 plants, and it's tragic that we are criminalzing them because of a randomly-picked number of 10," Worthington said. A total of 10 indoor and outdoor plants are allowed under a 2001 city ordinance.

The proposal was met with sharp criticism from the moderate faction and from progressive council members worried that giving patients the right to grow more pot at home will bulk up the city's cannabis clubs and lead to outbreaks of crime and violence. Patients often donate extra marijuana to the clubs.

[zombienote: Donating marijuana is terrorism.]

Both Councilmember Margaret Breland, who represents West Berkeley, and Councilmember Maudelle Shirek, who represents South Berkeley, voiced concerns that African-American neighborhoods could see more crime and violence if medical cannabis limits were increased.

Breland, a breast cancer survivor, said she doesn't support the use of medical cannabis. "You can survive without it," she said. "Why do I need (medical cannabis) when I can go to the doctor and take my medications?"

Councilmember Gordon Wozniak said the proposal has several holes.

"The proponents were asking for an increase by a factor of 7 and they didn't really present much justification for that," he said. Wozniak pressed Don Duncan, the director of the Berkeley Patients Group, to estimate the amount of dry cannabis one indoor plant can yield.

Duncan was reluctant to even guess, but gave a broad range of 5 to 14 grams from one plant.

"I can't believe they don't know how big a plant is or how much it produces," Wozniak said.

[zombienote: How much does a car cost? Depends on a lot of factors, doesn't it? Same issue here.]

Police Chief Roy Meisner said police brass have "a lot of concerns" about an increase from 10 to 72 indoor plants. Meisner said two murders in Berkeley last year were related to marijuana. Prowlers also have been caught staking out some patients' crops. Increasing the number of plants will increase temptation from criminals, Meisner said.

[zombienote: Prohibition is to blame, not the plant. The more effort put into prohibitiong the plant, the more valuable it is. On the other hand, we will never be rid of numbskulls who simply insist on stealing anything not nailed down. Can't blame the plant or pot smokers for that.]

Councilmember Dona Spring, who uses a wheelchair because of a medical condition, presented a different view.

"I'd like to make a plea as someone who suffers from chronic pain. Those who need (medical cannabis) aren't going to be selling it," she said.

Worthington said he plans to bring his proposal back to the City Council next month.

"I'm going to keep bringing it up," he said. "If the council won't look at the logic, then I will gather signatures and take it to the voters.

Medical cannabis backers also are circulating a petition that would replace the 10-plant limit with "personal medical needs" that would be determined by doctors and patients.

Kristin Bender covers Berkeley. E-mail her at kbender@angnewspapers.com .

[zombienote: Plant limits are sheer stupidity. Reefer Madness-induced ignorance. People should have all the herb they think they need.

See: 'It is not unreasonable to have 72 plants' ]

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