Drug Policy Alliance, together with the prestigious law firm Bingham McCutchen, is representing the City and County of Santa Cruz and seven seriously ill and dying patients in a lawsuit against John Ashcroft and the DEA for the right to grow and use marijuana for sick and dying patients.  It is the first time that local government has sued the federal government to expand medical marijuana rights.  The plaintiffs claim that the constitution prevents the feds from interfering with patient's rights. 

Eladio Acosta suffers from throat cancer.  Medical marijuana is the only medication that stimulates his suppressed appetite and alleviates his chronic and severe pain – all symptoms of his cancer and side effects of his conventional treatment.   Eladio is a 54 year old native of the Phillipines, who never smoked marijuana before using it for medical purposes.

Michael Cheslosky was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1983, and since then has suffered from debilitating side-effects as well as several other chronic medical conditions, including Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Hepatitis C.  Michael experiences recurrent pneumonia, chronic pain and wasting syndrome as a result of his illness.  Michael started using medical marijuana to help treat his nausea, and chronic pain and has found it to be more effective than any of the other treatments he has tried.  Additionally, Michael speaks throughout Santa Cruz about his experience with HIV/AIDS, and has found that his use of medical marijuana has had a positive impact on his ability to serve the community.

Valerie Corral was in an automobile accident at the age of 20 suffering a severe closed head trauma and subsequent grand mal seizures.  Doctors prescribed a myriad of anticonvulsants and pain medications which were unsuccessful in preventing seizures and were only minimally successful in reducing her pain.  The medications also sedated Valerie to a near vegetative state.  Valerie’s use of medical marijuana has controlled her seizures and restored normalcy to her life; she can now do virtually everything that she did before her accident.  Valerie started WAMM with her husband, Michael, in the mid 1990’s to help other low-income patients be able to access medical marijuana in a safe and supportive environment.

Dorothy Gibbs is the oldest member of WAMM, at age 93.  Dorothy suffers from Post-Polio Syndrome, which has caused permanent damage in her legs, spine, and back.  She has been in nearly constant pain for decades and homebound for several years.  Her physician has prescribed various medications for her over the years, but they either did not work or caused harmful and debilitating side effects. When Dorothy began using medical marijuana at the age of 86, she almost immediately experienced its positive effects on her pain and nausea.  Dorothy believes that she should have the right to use anything that may help to relieve her pain, and that her last years, months and days should not be spent suffering. 

Jennifer Lee Hentz is 37 years old and was diagnosed with Stage IV colon and lymph node cancer one and a half years ago.  She suffers intense pain from the cancer, and every round of chemotherapy brings on waves of nausea that leave her doubling over with pain.  Jennifer uses medical marijuana to relieve these symptoms as well as to keep down the other traditional medicines that she must take. 

Harold Margolin developed a massive edema after a double cervical fusion operation, and was later diagnosed with chronic peripheral neuropathy.  Harold experienced a loss of muscle control after using the conventional medication Neurontin to control his pain.  When he does not use Medical Marijuana, Harold suffers from debilitating pain that prevents him from being active. With Medical Marijuana, Harold is able to live a very active life, walking, exercising and volunteering for the community.