Medical marijuana advocates plead with supervisors to drop federal appeal

Kelly Simione, Correspondent
Posted: 11/18/2008 09:17:32 PM PST


Several members of the Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project on Tuesday asked the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to reconsider its opposition to issuing medical marijuana identification cards to patients.

Forty of California's 58 counties are distributing marijuana cards.

"It's about the responsibility of government to protect its citizens." said Barbara MacKenzie, a representative of Shelter From the Storm.

Lanny Swerdlow, a medical marijuana advocate, hopes the supervisors will consider dropping a planned appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court with San Diego County.

"We want them to stop arresting medical marijuana patients and stop wasting taxpayer's money on frivolous lawsuits," Swerdlow said.

None of the supervisors would comment about the request.