The passing of Proposition S in San Francisco, CA, brought a ray of hope for drug reformers around the country in what turned out to be rather somber election results.  Voters approved the measure which allows the city to explore growing it’s own medical marijuana for eligible patients.  Despite a 1996 state law that authorizes marijuana for medical use, the Drug Enforcement Agency has relentlessly raided medical co-operatives and clubs throughout California this year.  Supervisor Mark Leno, sponsor of the bill, proposed Proposition S to ensure that sick and dying San Franciscans have access to their medication.  The measure won by 63%.

Proposition S lets city officials study potential areas for farming and how the medicine could be potentially distributed.  Leno has suggested looking at vacant city property for the garden and promoting an agricultural training program for the unemployed.  San Francisco currently has nine medical marijuana clubs. 

The initiative’s victory follows a series of defiant actions that send a clear message to federal officials to leave California state law alone.  These actions included a recent medical marijuana give-away on the steps of Santa Cruz city hall and the San Jose police chief’s decision to stop aiding local DEA agents during any medical marijuana raid.