[420 Girl]

California - Perhaps it was the strong odor of a neighbor's garden, increasing late night calls from burglars as in the January home invasion robbery and murder of a Los Molinos man or the federal government backing off, but something happened that made Tehama County wake up to face the medical marijuana issue growing in its own backyard.

Local authorities thought medical marijuana was like an invasive plant they could get rid of by using a weed killer known as zoning ordinances.

Medical marijuana patients thought authorities were just being invasive, treading on their state rights under the Compassionate Use Act.

The issue first popped up at a the county level.

Tehama County Supervisors introduced a zoning ordinance in June to ban medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives and dispensaries.

They settled on a temporary ban for unincorporated areas that is in place until August 2010. The cities of Corning and Red Bluff followed suit.

Corning's ban extends into this year.

Red Bluff almost made history by becoming one of the first municipalities to ban cultivation. It backed off after threats of litigation and retracted the entire ordinance.

Instead, a temporary ban has been placed. A crowd of 150 gathered to strum up support for patients' rights and got the attention of attorneys as far away as the Bay Area. An attorney fund was created and several thousand dollars have been collected and doled out.

Several court cases are ongoing. The most high profile is that of local monster trucks promoter Joe Froome who faces charges of cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana with the intent to sell.

A handful of cannabis collectives sprouted up, and all but one were quickly squashed. With more than 900 members, Tehama Herbal Collective in Corning is the only one still open in the county.

Supporters of marijuana use are trying to get a measure that would legalize marijuana for the general public on the statewide November ballot.


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