State Sen. John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara) denounced federal efforts to shut down California’s medical marijuana clubs, and called on state and federal officials to attend an upcoming Public Safety Committee summit on the “safe, responsible distribution of medical marijuana.”
“I’m appalled,” Vasconcellos announced at a January 12 press conference. “[I’m] dismayed our state and federal governments have acted so arrogantly in the face of California voters’ decisive support of Proposition 215. I’m particularly angry that a president who won this state by a smaller margin than voters who approved Proposition 215 has the temerity to send his federal law enforcement into our state to undo the decision of our citizens.”
Vasconcellos — who introduced unsuccessful legislation in 1997 to establish a Medical Marijuana Research Center at a campus of the University of California — announced a six-point program to uphold the spirit of Proposition 215. In the first piece of the program, Vasconcellos is inviting Gov. Pete Wilson, California Attorney General Dan Lungren, and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to join the Public Safety Committee in convening a statewide summit on medical marijuana distribution.
“While local governments and law enforcement from Arcata to Los Angeles have spent the last year working with providers of medical marijuana to ensure responsible, compassionate implementation of 215, the state and federal governments have shown no leadership on the essential if complicated issue of distribution,” he said. “We who are policy makers and purport to be leaders have an obligation to swiftly, smartly effectuate the will of the voters.”
Vasconcellos also promised renewed efforts to move legislation facilitating medical marijuana research and distribution through the state Assembly. In addition, he promised to circulate a letter to President Clinton urging him to reverse the U.S. Department of Justice’s position against California cannabis buyers’ clubs.
For more information, please contact either Dale Gieringer of California NORML or Rand Martin of Sen. John Vasconcellos’ office at (916) 445-9740.