SAN FRANCISCO -- A medical marijuana celebrity with a brain condition said a local hospital kicked her out after she attempted to use medical marijuana inside.
Angel Raich, who fought for the right to use medical cannabis in a case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004 and 2005, talked to us outside of UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco moments after she said they booted her out.
"The pharmacist says 'you’re not allowed to have cannabis in this hospital,'" Raich said. "'And if you’re gonna try to have cannabis in this hospital we’re going to call the feds.'"
Raich said she checked into the hospital Monday morning for doctor-ordered tests on her brain. She suffers from chronic pain and seizures from an inoperable brain tumor and doctors didn't give her very long to live, she said.
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"You’re basically saying if I stay it’s like giving me a death sentence 'cause I’d have to be without my cannabis,'" Raich said she told a hospital employee.
Raich said she had no choice but to leave the hospital.
"I’m in a state university hospital in the state of California," Raich said. "I have the right to have the same medical care as any other patient does."
UCSF Medical Center released the following statement:
"UCSF is a smoke-free campus and this includes medical marijuana. Several members of the media have asked if UCSF allows the use of a vaporized form of marijuana. It does not. Even a vaporized form of medical marijuana releases particles in the air that are damaging to the lung. Any particles from vapor and odor could have an impact on other patients and hospital employees.
Under federal and state law, a physician is at legal risk related to any activity that could be construed as prescribing medical marijuana to a patient."
During our interview with Raich, she appeared to have a seizure. When the fire department and paramedics arrived, Raich refused to return to UCSF. Instead, they took her to St. Mary's Hospital.
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