Drug defendant
says he has
prescriptions

By Rod Thompson
Big Island correspondent

HILO -- Marijuana legalization advocate Jonathan Adler says he has two doctors' prescriptions to smoke marijuana to treat his asthma and insomnia.

Adler, 47, a nonpartisan County Council candidate last year and previously a mayoral candidate, was indicted recently for commercial promotion of marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia for events in 1998.

The indictment lists a single instance when police found more than 50 marijuana plants at his rural home, but Adler says police raided his house four times. He admitted to police after the first raid that the plants were his.

But he quoted a section of state law that says it is a defense from prosecution if the person possessing marijuana does so "as an ultimate user of the drug pursuant to a lawful prescription."

Adler says he has prescriptions from Dr. Daniel Susott in Honolulu and Dr. Todd Mikuriya in Berkeley, Calif.

Their written statements are displayed on Adler's Internet site: http://www.medijuana.com

The Star-Bulletin attempted to contact both doctors, but reached only answering machines.

Adler is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Nov. 9.