cannabisnews.com: One Toke Over the Line





One Toke Over the Line
Posted by FoM on December 14, 2001 at 23:11:18 PT
By Sara Rimensnyder
Source: Reason Magazine 
Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously to let the feds shut down six California co-ops that distribute medical marijuana in strict accordance with state law. Back in 1996, Golden State voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 215, allowing doctors to prescribe pot to patients with severe, chronic pain. In effect, the nation's highest court decided that state laws legalizing cannabis for medical use weren't worth a dime bag.
In the aftermath of the May ruling, patrons and proprietors of California's 50-odd medical marijuana clinics waited anxiously to see whether the federal government would aggressively crack down. In October, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration began to answer that question. Agents surveilled or busted several co-ops, finishing their tour with the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center, a West Hollywood clinic that provided pot on site to 960 patients suffering from AIDS, epilepsy, cancer, glaucoma, and other painful illnesses. Thirty armed federal agents seized 400 marijuana plants, computers, financial documents, and medical records.On December 10, authorities informed Scott Imler, the co-op's director and founder, that he would face a grand jury on December 20. That court will decide whether to indict him for defying the Supreme Court ruling, a charge for which he could face hard time."I don't want to whine or duck here," says 43-year-old Imler, his voice suggesting the bemusement of someone who's facing up to 10 years in prison for helping sick people. "I knew what I was getting into, and I'm prepared to take whatever responsibility comes my way. But I would imagine…they're focusing on me because the minute they raise the issue of conspirators, it would be a whole different kettle of fish."Imler is referring to the co-op's wide swath of supporters. In addition to employing several staff members, the Cannabis Resource Center was created with the close cooperation of the city council and local law enforcement agencies. If the federal government tries to hone in on "co-conspirators," it may well have to indict the entire paid staff of the city of West Hollywood. (West Hollywood is an independent city surrounded by Los Angeles.)When I talk to Councilman Jeffrey Prang on the phone, he's clearly exasperated. "Instead of contributing to the war on terrorism, someone in Washington, D.C., thought it was a good idea to send someone to raid the Cannabis Resource club. It defies any sense of propriety—or priority."Prang and the rest of the city council have now passed a resolution stating that West Hollywood is a "sanctuary" for medical marijuana. I ask Prang whether the move is purely symbolic. "To the degree that local authority has any authority, people can count on West Hollywood as a sanctuary. However, if the federal government chose to come in, we are in no position to stand in their way."The clash between federal and state authorities is particularly irritating to Prang and other West Hollywood residents. Until recently, residents of this liberal, trendy enclave primarily understood the concept of "states' rights" as a concern of the extreme right and kooky Confederate racists. Now the concept has new relevance. But at the same time, the rhetoric of anti-drug right-wingers is seen as even more vividly hypocritical than before."We have expressed our will" through state and local laws, says Prang. "Yet the federal government believes it's extremely important to spend time and money cracking down on sick people."Elsewhere in California, co-ops continue to treat the patients who depend on them amid growing uncertainty. Says Reverend Lynnette Shaw, founder of the Marin County Alliance of Medical Marijuana, "Mostly, we're all very worried on behalf of the patients. If the DEA closes everybody, it will throw all those patients back into the arms of the gangsters. And that's exactly what the gangsters want. So in a sense, the DEA is working for the gangsters."Note: The feds vs. medical marijuana. Sara Rimensnyder is Reason's assistant editor. Source: Reason Magazine (US)Author: Sara RimensnyderPublished: December 14, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Reason FoundationContact: letters reason.comWebsite: http://www.reason.com/ Related Articles & Web Sites:Los Angeles County Research Centerhttp://www.lacbc.org/Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmCannabis Center Opens Tree Lot To Keep Afloathttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11543.shtmlDEA Raids West Hollywood Cannabis Club http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11343.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by Robbie on December 15, 2001 at 10:57:54 PT
I'm with ya, dddd
But, what do we dump in the harbor?Cigarrette tobacco? Prozac et al? Aspirin?I'd like to dump the DEA into the harbor.
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Comment #3 posted by DdC on December 15, 2001 at 09:44:53 PT
Wod Junkie D.E.A.th Worshiping GOPercrat Fools!
Why the sick natzi wod junkie D.E.A.th worshiping money slut GOPercrat fools!Killing, starving and raping kids with the GOPercrat Golden Rules...Can't take it with ya but you hord it anyway, another Bushit different day. Asa your a disgrace! D.E.A.th worshiper's and moneysluts that's what you're about, all natzi's either in the closet or out. Preaching morals from mouths of morons only attracks those without minds to think on their own, opposed to what this country stands for. Till the moneysluts sold it all out for some quick clear cut profits or caved in coal mines or now bilking the unemployed of their taxes paid, while paying the airlines massive amounts for old times sake. You are what is known in Pa as a jagoff to the nth degree. Whining about saving money polluting the sky and water with filth while you drive around in your strip mined ore fossil fueled SUVisas. Biomass and biodiesel kept off the shelves for reefer madness!What a hypocrite you are, smoking fags and drinking in bars searching for that elusive sinner to torture into submission. Then go spare changing widows mites to pay for Fortune 700 clubs. You skum that molest kids minds into jellyfish following blind, through the fields of legal land mines you cry we need, just not the weed? Stubble legs and dead babies are ok with you as long as the bomb manufacturer gets paid for them, Bushit's & Asscrap Inc keeps them legal. What a sick bastard you are boy. You make America ashamed. Shove that up your portfolio to your capital gains! Lick the jackboots and jerk the plastic flag while you steal our heritege. But as long as I have a breath I will tell you to your face you ain't of the USA! You might live here and exploit it but your a coward of the fascist and not even human as I see it. Go bow down and pray to the neo Geeeeeeezus you made, and kick those who do not heed into the streets as warnings, and the sinners who kill improperly, to the gallows to OD, while the capital punishers are ok, like some of the drugs they sell, even the ones used to make the ones that are illegal. Take the food and tuition, revenge on Selma I suppose, religious freedom in a dictatorship is as lame as you GOPercrat whores! What a lowlife to spout mimicks of someone else, look straight forward and watch the back of the one in front, stand in line and pledge allegence then spit on Freedom you bloody fascist! Words and truth are nothing to you, but a way to get the end you seek, lies are tools in your eyes and foolish blabbers only show those losing hold of the obedience, a way to go. How many have to tell you before you stop this D.E.A.th worshiping? You're not amuzing, scratching, clawing for that last grip of pseudopower, what a twit. Frothing, lying rants without focus, same as those tagging along the despots before ya. Might makes right and money buys, and avoiding truth and spreading lies makes your world pitiful to me. Go back to SpringerJerry and dream about the burning times that may return if this Bushit isn't exposed. Though now the world is also seeing what your kind have hidden all the years, what you enforce and why, and it ain't about the kids or health, getting raped in juvi prison, or getting cancer and asthma and neurological illness choices to no end, just not the choice to be oneself. You boy, are one sick puppy! Bringing down the herd of yuppies the same as past metiors removed the slow closed minded saurs and flathead flatearth theorist as false as DARE or the chemical Partnerships. Oh well my lunch awaits, still lots more to come for fascist GOPercrats selling our country out to the highest bidders, herding masses into classes who can't afford the Liberties and Persuits of those in the Ivory Towers or Skull and Bones New Weird odor fraternity.Half the folk's can't vote, many from racist tactics eliminating prisoners who served their time but lost the right to cast, but they can protest. Another 1/4 makes a choice to sit on their asses instead of voting. Whats the dif, they're both the same and they're probably right most of the time. But locally anyone can run and soon things can change from the bottom up. Now we have 1/4 left to decide who runs things for us, just informing those who see the logic of clean air and water and the benefits of cannabis to leave the WTO representatives and form a new party of the people, with the disinfranchised we can run the reefer madhatter Korpses Khemical Klansmen out! Then the money can provide for the people and not just greedy idiots like Asa's Bushit Asscrap Walters conserving compassion. Eddie Eagle smells like chicken. I just shotgunned ole Johnney Birch with a blast of kynd bud while he was perched and searching for commies behind my TV set! Got him so stoned I think I'll set him up as a lawn jockey! And call it Assa. That was refreshing... 
Sorry Mr.Gandhi! ¶8)Peace, Love and Liberty
DdC
Welcome
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Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on December 15, 2001 at 08:43:46 PT
time and money
"I tell you and I tell you but you never listen."The government, the DEA, the anybody who says 'no'crowd are going to keep it that way. No if's, and's, or but's about it, it is just that way.Until they are gone(one day they will be), that is how it is gonna be.So, all of this screaming and hollering does absolutely no good.That is my 'whiney-assed opinion' today.I found a speck in my eye. When I looked closer, it was a log.It's fun though. To hell with the money.
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Comment #1 posted by dddd on December 15, 2001 at 00:55:17 PT
...For the time being....
..I dont think that there are any "States rights",left in Amerika....From what we have seen from the federal regime,the concept of states rights has been reduced to the level of Constitutional rights.The federal government,and its' arrogant clique of big-dog powerPigs,has demonstrated that they have no respect for states rights.....We are experiencing the formation of an Amerikan taliban,,everything is different now,and it promises to get worse....I'll bet that over 50% of the Sheeple,could not even tell you who Ashcroft is,or who their state senators,or congresspersons are,,and this ignorance makes ripe ground for the federal embezzlement of all our Constitutional rights.......think about it,,,we the people,have very little left in protection from the thuggery of todays lawPigs.....A good example,is the raid on the LA Cannabis club.Even though this was a comparatively "polite" raid,,it was nonetheless unstoppable...
..I'm afraid we have come to a point,where we the people,are now subject to a very similar situation,and tyranny,,that our ancestors came to this land to escape from in the first place...,...I think we need some kinda Boston tea party or something....No taxation without representation!.....dddd
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