Embry’s pot charges dropped

Mary A. Castillo

The Orange County district attorney’s office dropped two felony

charges of cultivation and possession for sale of marijuana against

Ross Embry of Laguna Beach.

“Based on the information we have, we felt that in the interests

of justice not to proceed,” said Susan Schroeder, spokeswoman for the

district attorney’s office.

Embry was exonerated last Friday after his court-appointed

attorney presented two letters from doctors.

“It’s a great relief, and I’m glad that it happened that way,”

Embry said during an interview at Laguna Health Club.

His attorney began proceedings on Wednesday to obtain a court

order to release the marijuana seized from his apartment during his

arrest on Sept. 17.

But because Embry lives at Hagan Place, which is federal housing

for individuals living with HIV and AIDS, federal zero tolerance

rules prohibit him from bringing the marijuana back to his home.

He plans to arrange meetings with respective representatives of

the oncology departments at South Coast Medical Center and UCLA to

discuss the possibility of donating the marijuana to cancer patients

suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy.

Although Embry’s doctor can prescribe marijuana to him to

alleviate the nausea caused by his medications, there is not yet a

legal method for Embry to buy it. The section of the California

Health and Safety Code that outlines the purpose of Proposition 215

encourages the federal and state governments to implement a plan for

the safe and affordable distribution of marijuana.

“Somebody has to take a stand and put themselves in the

forefront,” he said. “I’m ready. I’m strong.”

* MARY A. CASTILLO is a news assistant for the Coastline Pilot.

She covers education, public safety and City Hall. She can be reached

at mary.castillo@latimes.com.