I am in the same boat. What county are you in if you don't mind my asking?? I am in Placer, and got popped with a few grams of herb (misdemeanor) and .2 grams of hash (felony). As i understand Placer is one of the few counties that will pursue felony charges with small amounts of hash, and really it takes a dick cop too. I also had no clue that concentrated cannabis was such a freaking problem in some counties in california BW. I am about to be put on probation, and will be drug tested once monthly at least, for 18 months. I too have a fucked back and use both cannabis (without a card still, lazy ass me), and rx narcotics (methadone, morphine WITH a prescription, which BTW the judge is planning to prohibit me from using as well). I am planning to acquire my 215 card this week, and am planning to petition the court for my right to smoke MJ on probation. I am already using under informal oral reccomendations from several doctors in several states, but I doubt they would acknowledge this or back it up in writing. My lawyer says getting the card now will not help me and tht I will have to quit. He is the public defender, and I am planning on hiring a real lawyer soon. I know ultimately I will be able to because the California court of appeals has ruled in favor of felons on probation or parole in this matter at least twice. The only problem i see is that the judge has made a deal where I can have the felony reduced to a misdemeanor after only 6 months (as oppoosed to 1
If i am 1. drug free including cannabis,and rx narcotics (and maybe even alcohol) and 2. fully employed. These requirements are unfortunately mutually exclusive and completely derail the plans that I and several doctors are working on to transfer me from a narcotic pain solution to an herbal one.
A third charge I picked up at the time was a drug paraphernalia charge for having a spoon (in my camping mess kit) that had soot on it, on all surfaces, as did the fork, pot, and stove in the same bag. This charge was later dropped as there was nothing but ramen noodle residue on it. The DA is still trying to use the spoon as some sort of indication of a greater drug problem and keeps saying that that aggravates the first 2 charges and (he and the judge) refuse to allow the .2 grams of hash to be reduced to a misdemeanor (even though conc. cannabis is a "wobbler charge" and is supposed to be a felony if for instance they believe it to be = to more than a felony amount of marijuana. .2 grams is not however = to a felony amount. however, the DA also claims that the lab's expert opinion is that .2 grams of hashish = ~25 joints!. maybe 25 inhales of low grade cannabis might produce th effects from .2 g of hash, but certainly no more than 5 joints, and thats being liberal. anyways to top it all of the judge gives me some bit about opium eradication and replacement by hash crops in afghanistan and some BS about supporting the taliban and al qaeda. ridiculous. this particular .2 g of hash was purchased legally (by a friend ) in the bay area.
Anyways the point of all this is that the calif court of appeals will rule in your favor, given your condition, if you can get there.
check this out
The California Law on Smoking Pot While on Probation or Parole - 420 Magazine