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06/23!1999 19:10 8087352971 LICHTV PAGE 02 <br />the <br />US` Drug, I» rum <br />of hawat1 <br />P.O. Box 61233 • Honolulu, Hawaii 96839 - Voice & Fax To 808-988-4386 <br />dmt@,Apthi.org • w-ww.dpfhi.org <br />P.O. Boy: 3401, Honolulu, HI 96801 <br />Voice: 808 522.-5900, Pax: 808 522-5909 - officeraaclu.org <br />July 24, 2002 CONTACT: DONALD TOPPING: 988-4386 <br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, BRENT WHITE: 522-5907 <br />ACLU & DRUG POLICY FORUM CONDEMN RAJDS :DSCTT <br />MEDICAL TVIARIJUANA USERS <br />HONOLULU -- The Americaii Civil Liberties Union of Flawai'i (ACLU) and the Drug Policy <br />Forum. of HaNvai' i (DPFH) today joined a chorus of voices throughout the state protesting the <br />unwarranted harassment of legally registered Big Island patients who use medical marijuana. <br />"Since July 8t6 there have two raids on Big Islanders who hold medical marijuana cerliadcates <br />issued by the Department of Public Safety," said Donald Topping, President of DPIFH. "This <br />intrusive b+ehaNior on the part of the Hawaii County police is an unconscionable atta:A� on sick <br />people who have been certified by a physician and are using marijuana legally to treat their <br />ailments." <br />ACLU Legal Director Brent White deplored the "out of control" behavior of the police who last <br />week arrested three patients in North Dona, one of whom had just returned from a two week bout <br />of chemotherapy on Oahu, <br />In the second raid. in the Puna district; a police officer rappelled from a helicopter and destroyed <br />3 of 7 plants that were growing in the patient's yard. In both cases the police alleged that the <br />patients had more than the legal number of plants. State law permits 3 `mature" plus and 4 <br />"irnmatweones per registered patient. Patieat advocates, as well as botanists, belio�e it is <br />inappropriate for police officers to make This detet;mination. <br />White and -Popping noted that Big Island ?•Iayor Harry Kim signed two sets of rules on July 19`b <br />which govern procedures for cannabis eradication and for medical marijuana claims. The <br />signing took place atter the raids and vas likely designed to mollify public opinion which laas <br />been strongly critical of the police activities. Despite the signing, residents of Puna. Palisades <br />plant to deliver a petition to Mayor Kim today protesting the police behavior. <br />"We hope," said'Alite, "that implementation of these rules, which were dratted by Hawaii <br />County Police and have been situ uosigned on the ?Mayor's desk since April, will pert a halt to <br />the overly aWessive behavior of the Big Islazrd police." Call DPFH at 988-4386 or ACLU at <br />522-5907 for more iafibrmatioa. "# <br />