cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Co-op Closes After Warning by Police Marijuana Co-op Closes After Warning by Police Posted by FoM on August 01, 2001 at 09:07:17 PT By Lewis Kamb, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer The co-founder of a local co-operative that supplies marijuana to scores of patients suffering from AIDS and other health conditions closed down operations this week after receiving a letter from Seattle police saying her actions may violate state law.JoAnna McKee of Green Cross Co-operative said yesterday that she received a letter from the commander of the Police Department's narcotics division requesting that Green Cross "cease and desist" delivery of marijuana in the manner it currently does. "We got the letter late Friday, and we didn't open our doors on Monday," McKee said. Green Cross, which McKee said delivers marijuana to about 20 doctor-approved patients per day, four days a week, has suspended operations while the co-operative's lawyers work with police and prosecutors to resolve the matter. At issue is a difference in views of state law over the way medical marijuana can be legally distributed to patients who have received permission from doctors to use it.The department's letter, sent to McKee by Narcotics Division Capt. Jim Pryor, says state law requires that a person delivering marijuana for medical use "be the primary caregiver to only one patient at any one time."In the view of police and prosecutors, the letter says, that means that each patient may have only one caregiver, and each caregiver only one patient.But McKee sees things differently, saying that because she deals with patients individually -- one at a time -- she is within legal guidelines.Seattle police Sgt. John Hayes said yesterday that the letter was prompted in light of recent citizens complaints and a Supreme Court ruling that cast doubt on legal medical marijuana use.In May, the top court ruled that marijuana grown and sold for medical purposes is not protected from prosecutions under federal anti-drug laws. The decision involved a California case, but did not overturn California's medical-marijuana law or similar laws in eight other states, including Washington. Initiative 692, which allows marijuana use for medical purposes in Washington, went into effect in December 1998. Since then, no county prosecutor has filed charges over medical marijuana.Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA)Author: Lewis Kamb, Seattle Post-Intelligencer ReporterPublished: Wednesday, August 1, 2001Copyright: 2001 Seattle Post-IntelligencerContact: editpage seattle-pi.comWebsite: http://www.seattle-pi.com/Green Cross Patients Co-ophttp://www.hemp.net/greencross/Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on August 01, 2001 at 12:45:02 PT: The amoeba extends a pseudopod trying to find a way, any way, to railroad MMJ."Seattle police Sgt. John Hayes said yesterday that the letter was prompted in light of recent citizens complaints and a Supreme Court ruling that cast doubt on legal medical marijuana use.Let's see, now. The origins of the complaints are conveniently vague; who made the complaints? Isn't it conceivable that the so-called "plainants" are the police, themselves? Attempting to do covertly what they lawfully are forbidden from doing in a public fashion? And, of course, you have to wonder; given the absolutely incestuous relationships between the police and anti-run 'concerned citizens groups', how many complaints probably came, not from nearby residents, but anonymous antis?It really amazes me, sometimes. The rest of the world has some strange beliefs about Americans. Some foreign friends I know once asked me if I had a gun. I answered in the affirmative. They nodded their heads, as if I had confirmed something. I asked them why they had asked, and one told me that because American society is inherently violent, we all have to travel armed. I tried to explain that the average American does not own a firearm, that we have very prohibitive (and blatantly unConstitutional) laws governing such ownership, and it's doubtful that many of the people who own them have ever fired shots in anger. but they thought it was a given that American=violent.If that were true, then there would be scores of dead policemen shown on the nightly TV news laying still on the front lawns of MMJ users, for having the temerity to threaten their lives by denying them their medicine.Whereas, in some countries I've 'visited', the first sign of a government tax collector or a cop snooping around the neighborhood is the trigger for a popular uprising. In those countries, they've been where we are heading; they've had the jackboot applied to their throats, with the the owner of such footgear smiling down at them and saying it's for their own good.But push too hard, antis, push the wrong person, the man who's dying and has nothing left to lose, and you'll understand why it's not such a good idea. Problem is, it may be the last thing you ever learn...literally. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment