Solidarity with folks in Petaluma and elsewhere is important. Equally important is to demand a real and not just a symbolic one-time response such as the Tuesday distribution at City Hall.

Two years ago, city politicians and bureaucrats essentially criminalized the major marijuana buyers club in town (Cannibis Pharmaceuticals) with a flawed law, zoning restrictions, and the failure to declare a medical emergency as was done in other cities.

Other cities (either Oakland or San Francisco) have, I understand, made land available for growing medical marijuana. Nevada is proposing legislation to authorize state distribution.

I'm no big fan of state-sponsored stuff, but in this case, it's important to have the DEA face real opposition in its search-and-destroy missions.

When Councilmember Fitzmaurice was approached on this issue at the Neighborhood Organizations Forum on Thursday night, he refused to discuss it, just as he and the Council refused to act two years ago. We need local action on this issue. Fast local action.

Local organizations like SCAN, Peoples Democratic Club, SEIU, etc. have been endorsing Fitzmaurice and other recycled candidates (like Rotkin and Matthews) who have supported the Drug War locally and taken no local action against it. Today the Green Assembly meets at 4 PM at Louden Nelson Center to vote. The public is welcome to attend and supporters of medical marijuana should come to this event and the Greens endorse a candidate who will actually act on this issue.

Steve Argue and Thomas Leavitt would provide strong leadership to support a meaningful response other than simply letters, hand-wringing, and one-time symbolic events.