AMMA Press Release: Mendocino's COMMET Grant Approved

Release Date: April 17, 2007 Contacts: Steve Kubby, National Director The American Medical Marijuana Association (AMMA) http://www.americanmarijuana.org/ 707-964-7743 Board of Supervisors Office [email protected] (707) 463-4221 (707) 463-4245 Fax Mendocino's COMMET Grant Approved The Mendocino Board of Supervisors unanimously approved another COMMET Grant request for funding from the DEA. (Supes Delbar and Colfax were missing, but probably would have canceled out each other's vote.) After discussions with local citizens, patients, attorneys and activists, who were all present at the BOS meeting, The American Medical Marijuana Association has identified two key issues that urgently need to be addressed: 1. FRAUDULENT OPINION BY THE COUNTY COUNSEL REGARDING MEASURE G. The current Mendocino County Counsel insists that Measure G has no weight as a law. However, that is very different from what Mendocino County officially told the voters on June 5, 2000 in their legal opinion for the ballot. In an "Impartial Opinion" written by the previous County Counsel, voters were told that, if passed, Measure G would have very specific requirements for the Supervisors, Sheriff and District Attorney, especially with regards to funding any marijuana arrests or prosecutions. 2. COMMET USED STATE FUNDS TO WAR ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS IN MENDOCINO. This grant came from the DEA, but it was issued by a California State Agency, which was required by the California Constitution to obey state laws. So when local COMMET officers destroyed medicine belonging to bona fide patients and seized California State MMJ ID cards, they broke California state laws -- using funds from a California state agency. A number of activists at the BOS meeting expressed their opinion that Mendocino voters need new Supervisors who will take up Measure G as their sword and shield, not run and hide from it. ###