Amador County – Amador County Supervisors heard Tuesday from three medical marijuana growers who spoke against the outdoor ban of marijuana growing in Amador, but supported long-term regulation.

During “public matters not on the agenda,” three people gave unsolicited comments about Supervisors’ recent urgency action to ban outdoor marijuana cultivation, after a fatal shooting in September at a collective marijuana growing operation near Ione.

One man, David Doddy, a white collar professional, home owner, taxpayer and veteran said: “I am a caregiver for my wife.” She suffers spinal pain, but refused a recommended spinal fusion because it was not guaranteed. To ease the pain she used prescription opiates such as Vicotin and Darocet, which affected her personality and made it hard to communicate with her.

Doddy suggested she try medical marijuana and witnessed a transformation. He said: “I got my wife back.” They bought medical marijuana, but to save on costs started growing their own. It guaranteed they know what goes onto the plants.

He keeps it discreet, fenced off, under lock & key, with surveillance. Doddy said: “I understand the need to be a good neighbor and an upstanding citizen.” He told Supervisors “when you banned outdoor growing, I became a criminal.”

He said he would like to be a part of that process of drawing up the long-term ordinance for the county. Supervisor Chairman John Plasse said: “I think you reflect the sentiment of this board,” and recommended he submit his name for the ordinance committee. Doddy said he had already spoken with the Planning Department.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Louis Boitano said: “I assure you. If it wasn’t for these cooperative grows, we wouldn’t even be talking about this,” if not for “a few bad apples.”

Emerson Grant said he was a 100 percent disabled American veteran, and for pain took Valium, which left him unable to eat, and lethargic. Other drugs gave him anxiety. After moving to California, and six months of access to medical marijuana, “I was completely free of narcotics.”

He said: “I grow my own, but I don’t have 100 plants… I have a small garden under lock & key, behind my house in the country.”

Thomas Liberty of Collective Patient Resources said it was great to have a couple of people here to put a face on medical marijuana. He wanted to clarify that his opposition to the urgency ordinance and temporary ban did not mean he was against regulation. He said “I am very much in favor of your long-term code.”

Supervisors Brian Oneto said it was “nice to see a face” involved in the issue, and see how it helps people.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.