City Attorney Silent on San Diego Cannabis Regulations

Hope Unlimited has asked the City Attorney's office to clarify the guidelines for cultivating and possessing medical cannabis in the City of San Diego. Patients are forced deal with San Diego law enforcement officials on a daily basis who have a variety of opinions on the current law regarding medical marijuana.
The City Attorney's office has the power to take a public stand for State Law.

Hope Unlimited members have contacted the City Attorney's office over 100 times requesting clarification on what the
current guidelines are for growing medical cannabis in the city of San Diego.  We have had no response from Mike Aguirre or his staff. 
His office has been informed that there are over 80 Hope members who are legitimate medical cannabis patients who deserve an answer.
They know that many of our members have families need to know they are within the established limits for possession and cultivation of medical cannabis.

If more Hope Unlimited members contact the City Attorney we can make it harder to ignore us!


You can either write an email or give her a phone call. --below find a script to send by email or read to his office.

REMEMBER EVEN A FEW PHONE CALLS or emails  MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

Office of the City Attorney
Civic Center Plaza
1200 Third Ave., #1620
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 236-6220
TDD/TTY: (619) 702-7198
Fax: (619) 236-7215
E-mail: cityattorney@sandiego.gov


SAMPLE SCRIPT

Mr Aguirre,

Hope Unlimited is a group of patients and caregivers using cannabis for relief of chronic medical
conditions. Our group is concerned with following established guidelines for medical marijuana use. We are seeking
clarification from the City’s Attorney’s office on current policy towards medical marijuana in the City.
Patients and law enforcement officials need clear guidelines for this program to be successful.
We are operating under guidelines established in September of 2003: Adult marijuana patients with the approval of a San
Diego County doctor may keep up to 1 pound of marijuana and grow up to 24 plants. Under the measure,
caregivers can keep up to 2 pounds of marijuana and grow up to 48 plants for as many as four patients. Are
these still acceptable guidelines?

The suit by the County of San Diego to avoid issuing medical marijuana ID cards has now moved to appellate
court. It is our view that this suit has a slim chance of being decided in the County’s favor. What action
can we expect on ID cards from the City/County after this ruling?

Thank you

Anecdotal Evidence for Treatment of Bipolar with Cannabis

Scientific and medical research of medical cannabis has been limited by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug. A schedule I drug is one with a high potential for abuse and NO MEDICAL VALUE. Crack, PCP, heroin and meth are schedule II drugs. This category is reserved for drugs with a potential for abuse but with legitimate medical uses. Psilocybin (magic mushroom) is another Schedule I drug. The FDA is telling us marijuana and mushrooms are much more dangerous than Crack, PCP, heroin and meth. If you don't believe me read it for yourself,

FDA Drug Schedule / DEA Shopping List


So why are California doctors recommending medical marijuana if it has no value? Why are they not recommending a drug our government thinks has medical value... medical meth perhaps? The answer lies in anecdotal evidence. When you get past the rhetoric and talk to actual bipolar sufferers you find a surprising number who medicate with marijuana. Cannabis is by no means a panacea for everyone with bipolar disorder. But anecdotal evidence clearly shows that it gives significant relief to sufferers of bipolar.

The scientific/medical community sees it as a chicken and the egg question. Do sufferers of depression smoke marijuana because they are depressed or are they depressed because they smoke marijuana? It's an easy question to answer for most people.... marijuana provides relief for their symptoms. For those who feel they are depressed because they are smoking marijuana there are a huge number of well-funded organizations out there to help them. Here is a very small sample:

Marijuana Addiction Drug Rehab
Marijauna Addiction Treatment
How to Stop Smoking Marijuana.com
Marijuana Anonymous


Clearly there are a huge number of free resources available to anyone who feels marijuana is detrimental to their health. Those who experience a benefit from medical marijuana are not so lucky. The 70-year prohibition of marijuana in America has made it difficult for many patients to be honest with their doctors about their use. However, that hasn't stopped them from searching out other patients on the internet. Bipolar sufferers in particular have sought to build the knowledge of cannabis as a treatment method. The following are examples of that effort:

"Numerous patients report significant improvement and stabilization with their bipolar disorder when they utilize adjunctive therapy with medical cannabis. While some mental health professionals worry about the impact of cannabis on aggravating manic states, most bipolar patients trying cannabis find they "cycle" less often and find significant improvement in overall mood. Bipolar disorders vary tremendously in the time spent in the depressive versus manic states. Those who experience extended depressive episodes are more likely to be helped with cannabis.

Patients who use cannabis to "relax" may be treating the anxiousness sometimes associated with depression. Cannabis aids the insomnia sometimes present in depression and can improve appetite. Better pain control with cannabis can reduce chronic pain related depression. While cannabis cannot yet be considered a primary treatment of major depression it may improve mood when used under physicians supervision and in combination with therapy and/or SSRI’s.

There is currently a debate as to which "strain" of cannabis is most appropriate for the adjunctive treatment of depression. Since symptoms are so individualistic it is hard to determine what strain is right expect empirically. In general Sativa dominant strains tend to be more "up" and Indica dominant strains more relaxing.

Patients themselves are often the best judges of whether or not cannabis helps relieve the symptoms of depression. A poorly educated or narrow-minded physician may think any use of cannabis to be a substance abuse related aspect of depression. More enlightened psychiatrists (i.e. Lester Grinspoon of Harvard Medical School) appreciate the often beneficial aspects of cannabis therapy.

Perhaps the most reliable yardstick of the efficacy of medical cannabis in the treatment of depression is whether or not specific aspects of functionality improve. Functionality includes aspects such as self-care ability, job or school attendance, social interaction, normal sleeping, and cognitive skills." source

"I find marijuana the right drug for me, because it helps lower my BP, prevents me from being quite so obsesive and relaxes me. I have Epilepsey, stress related seizures and Bipolar Disorder NOS and last but not least, Post Tramatic Stress Disorder. I believe it helps me control all of my disorders."

"Good for Mania, not for Depression I am fortunate enough to live in a state that allows medical Cannabis. I use it for the severe nausea of Menieres Disease and have to smoke it several times a day. I also am manic depressive though considered what they call,"borderline". I find that great when I need to chill out and calm down from a mania phase. However if you've ever smoked pot, you should remember that when you are high...it makes you think a lot. Sometimes thinking about your problem over and over can make you feel worse. Pot can make you do just that. So beware. Also count on being treated like a second class citizen if you choose to medicate with cannabis. In some counties of California, they actually do arrest and take away all a patients medicine......and feel it is up to the courts to figure it out. So expect to be treated like a criminal no matter where you live.....except San Francisco." source


"I use cannabis as a herbal alternative to pills. I suffer from acute depression or clinical depression aka bipolar disorder (anxiety, mood swings). Also suffer from recurring pain in my lower back and both knees from a car crash. One... What state should I move to? To get a medical card.. Two what strains would be the best for treatment? Three.. does anyone else suffer from bipolar disorder?"

"I also use cannabis as a safer alternative to the pills. In Alaska it is legal to own/cultivate for personal use. If you are goin for medical strains, i would suggest bubblegum, jock horror, or white widow.... anything with an abundance of THC... Hey good luck, and i know what its like to be bipolar.. this shit really helps doesn't it!"


"That is exactly what I use cannabis for. I hate taking pills."

"My wife is bi-polar and has taken so many meds over the years I can't remember them all. Right now she is down to Clonazapam and smoking AK47. This seems to be working well at this time. She has also used Cinderella 99. Both strains create a positive mental attitude...we live in Oregon and you can get a medical card here."


"I am extremely bi-polar, diagnosed at age 12 with the rapid cycling type of disease. Seroquel helps more than anything, I take 500mg a day. But weed definetly helps with the depression part." source

Medicinal Cannabis as Treatment for Bipolar

Many patients who have have attended Hope Unlimited meetings in 2008 discuss their use of cannabis as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder. Some use it to treat mania, depression, or both. Some use it as a substitute to lithium others combine the two. Their have been at least 6 bipolar patients with San Diego medical cannabis ID cards at this year's hope gatherings.



Want to read more about using cannabis as a treatment for bipolar disorder:

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder - Medical Marijuana - Wikipedia

Peer-Reviewed Medical Cannabis Studies

The use of cannabis as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder: anecdotal evidence and the need for clinical research. - L Grinspoon

Steve Francis attends Hope Unlimited meeting

Candidate for mayor Steve Francis was in attendance at last night's Hope Unlimited meeting. He pledged to re-establish the dialog between police and medical marijuana patients if elected. The previous council under mayor Murphy voted to accept guidelines established by the city's medical marijuana task force. This work has stalled under mayor Sanders.

Full story coming soon.

Medical Marijuana Voting Guide for City Attorney

The June 3rd election for San Diego City Attorney is the one of the most contentious in years. Five candidates, Mike Aguirre, Amy Lepine, Jan Goldsmith, Brian Maienschein, and Scott Peters are vying for the seat. If no one candidate wins 50% of the vote, the top two vote getters will run against each other in a November run-off election. Hope Unlimited has been seeking to gather public opinions from the candidates on medical marijuana. The following voter guide has been prepared based on the response to our inquires and research of past medical marijuana legislation.

We will update as we hear new information from the candidates.

Grading the City Attorney candidates on medicinal marijuana

Jan Goldsmith B+

-Superior Court Judge, endorsed by Republican party, former State Assemblyman for North County

Goldsmith was a State Assemblyman when Proposition 215 came before California voters in 1995. Prop 215 became Bill 1529 when it reached Assembly. It passed committee by a vote of 5 to 2. The bill then went before the full assembly where it narrowly passed 41 to 30. Goldsmith was one of the 41 who voted in favor of implementing prop 215 guidelines. However, he has been labeled an anti-drug Republican, and when bill 1529 came back to the Assembly for a second vote Goldsmith was absent or abstained.

Scott Peters B-

- Represents District 1 and is currently president on City Council, Democrat, attorney

Peters sat on the San Diego City Council in 2003 when recommendations from San Diego's Medical Cannabis Task Force came up for vote. The measure authorizing medical patients to possess a pound of tried cannabis or 24 plants was a milestone in San Diego. It passed 6 to 3, Peters was one of the 6 voting in favor of adopting local medical marijuana guidelines. More recently in 2006 he was criticized by San Diego Americans for Safe Access (ASA) for obstructing them in getting a resolution docketed for City Council.


Mike Aguirre F

- Current city attorney, claims office should be used to "serve the public interest", Democrat

Aguirre has never been in a position to put himself on the record with a yes or no vote on a medical marijuana initiative. Hope Unlimited has contacted him repeatedly to give him a chance to state his views on medical marijuana but neither his campaign or his city office have responded. Judging from his recent attempt to shutdown "smoke shops" shows his motivations. Publicly he told City Beat he was going after crack and meth pipes. The actual letter sent out to smoke shops had the following passages underlined and asterisked: "bongs", "otherwise introducing into the body a controlled substance", & "marijuana, ... hashhish, & hashhish oil". Aguirre seems to have been caught in a lie on this one.



Brian Maienschein F

- Represents District 5 on City Council, Republican, attorney


Maienschein also sat on San Diego City Council for the 2003 vote. He was one of 3 who voted against implementing medical marijuana guidelines. When this item was voted on it took about 7 hours to hear everyone who wanted to speak on the issue. Many passionate cases were made for individual's medical need of marijuana. Maienschein made a point at the time to speak out against the guidelines.


Amy Lepine ?

- Former Deputy City Attorney under Aguirre, quit and filed suit claiming sexism



Has no taken no public stance on the issue to the best of our knowledge.

Marc Emery Extradition Trial Update

The BC3 still needs your help. The next hearing in the extradition trial is scheduled for April 9th 2008. The latest reports are that a tentative plea bargain has been reached. The deal would see Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams go free, while Marc Emery serves a 5-10 year sentence. However, one of Emery's stipulations, that he be allowed to spend more than half his sentence in a Canadian prison, has caused the deal to hit a snag. A 5 year sentence for selling marijuana seeds does not fit within Canada's sentencing guidelines. Essentially the Canadian government is saying they cannot agree to the plea because the sentence is illegal under Canadian law.

The BC3 need your help more than ever in their battle with the DEA.

Please call the Canadian Minster of Justice at (613) 957-4222 to tell them it would be "cruel and unjust", and an insult to Canada's sovereignty, to extradite Canadians Marc Emery, Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams to the United States to face life in US prison.

If you can help with money please donate to the BC3 Legal Defense Fund .

Ocean Beach Hope Unlimited Picnic Fireside Support Group Meeting

Hope Unlimited
HOPE UNLIMITED'S primary purpose: To improve the lives of people living with illness on a local level. Four Major Functions of the group: advocacy, outreach, education, support/friendship
The Creation of Community
The creation of community is an aspect of paramount concern to those disenfranchised by illness. We enlist a collective council responsible for initiating ideas and responding to internal problems. During our weekly support meetings participants join together to find much needed emotional and social support. Sick and dying people often face discrimination, intolerance and arrest. Problem solving, attention to the personal, empowerment, consciousness and awareness are among the gifts that we are called upon to share.
Ocean Beach Hope Unlimited Picnic Fireside Support Group Meeting
Theme: Help Save Marc Emery and the BC3 From Extradition--"Becoming involved and healing by helping others"Meet by the Lifeguard StationTuesday October 2nd @6:30Cookout (Burgers and Brats-and Vegetarian Friendly Burgers and Brats)www.hopeforfree.blogspot.com