cannabisnews.com: DEA Raids California Medical Marijuana Farm
DEA Raids California Medical Marijuana Farm
Posted by CN Staff on September 05, 2002 at 14:10:18 PT
By Martha Mendoza, AP National Writer
Source: Associated Press
Federal agents raided a marijuana farm Thursday and arrested the owners, who grow the pot for a medical users club, surprising community members and local law enforcement. Officers seized more than 100 marijuana plants, three rifles and a shotgun in the pre-dawn raid, said Drug Enforcement Agent spokesman Richard Meyer in San Francisco. Valerie and Michael Corral were arrested on federal charges of intent to distribute marijuana and conspiracy, he said.
The Corrals helped write the provision in California's Proposition 215 which allows patients and their caregivers to cultivate their own medicine. Their farm has been featured in national media and they work with local authorities to grow and distribute their pot to people with doctors' recommendations to use marijuana. The raid was a surprise to local medical marijuana growers and advocates, as well as the Santa Cruz County sheriff and even DEA officials in the agency's closest office, in San Jose. The marijuana farm about 15 miles north of Santa Cruz is well known to local law officers, who follow state medical marijuana law rather than federal drug laws, said sheriff's spokesman Kim Allen. "The DEA didn't tell us they did this, not before, and not after," he said. Steven Reiniger, DEA task force officer in San Jose said he didn't know anything about the raid either. DEA agents have repeatedly cracked down on high-profile medical marijuana advocates and distribution clubs recently in California, bypassing local law enforcement agencies that have condoned these activities. In February, agents seized hundreds of plants from a San Francisco club and arrested one of its suppliers, pot guru Ed Rosenthal, author of "Ask Ed: Marijuana Law. Don't Get Busted." Federal agents also raided three other cannabis clubs in California, seizing a garden of marijuana in Hollywood and taking away the records of 5,000 medical marijuana users from a doctor's office near Sacramento. Andrea Tischler, owner of the Compassion Flower Inn in Santa Cruz -- a bed and breakfast inn where guests with doctors recommendations are allowed to use medical marijuana -- said she was outraged. "We're absolutely shocked that the DEA would step in like this at harvest time when so many patients would be able to benefit from this medication," she said. "This is the one crop of the year they were growing." About 200 patients are served by the Corral's Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana. Santa Cruz has been at the forefront of medical marijuana efforts in California and nationally. In 1992, 77 percent of Santa Cruz voters approved a measure ending the medical prohibition of marijuana. Four years later, state voters_ including 74 percent of those in Santa Cruz -- approved Proposition 215, allowing marijuana for medicinal purposes. And then again, in 2000, the City Council approved an ordinance allowing medical marijuana to be grown and used without a prescription. Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon and Washington allow the infirm to receive, possess, grow or smoke marijuana for medical purposes without fear of state prosecution. However, the federal government maintains marijuana has no medical benefits and is an illegal drug. Complete Title: DEA Raids California Medical Marijuana Farm Just Before Harvest Source: Associated Press Author: Martha Mendoza, AP National WriterPublished: Thursday, September 5, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:WAMMhttp://www.wamm.org/The Secret Garden http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12358.shtmlHalf An Ounce Of Healing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8168.shtml
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on September 05, 2002 at 21:18:05 PT
The GCW
Thank you for the press release. I went ahead and set up the Oakland Tribune for an article since there will be one and will watch very closely California papers tomorrow. I hope they are out of jail by now!
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Comment #12 posted by Sam Adams on September 05, 2002 at 21:09:12 PT
Sickening
To me, these actions make all the conspiracy theories about 9/11 seem a lot more feasible. The current regime, with its roots in the intelligence/security apparatus, seems to stop at nothing. They derailed the entire executive branch of the federal government for 18 months over a blow job. (this attempt to seize power failed). They forced through corporate deregulation that crashed the stock market and nearly comprised the electric supply. They go directly after hundreds of terminally ill patients, savagely ripping up hundreds of plants that would have gone directly to the terminally ill. It seems obvious that they are trying to somehow keep war going through the 2004 election. Is it a coincidence that 9/11 happened within a year of the Bush cabal taking power? I'm starting to wonder......
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Comment #11 posted by The GCW on September 05, 2002 at 20:50:23 PT
Forwarded from MPP
Dear Friend,Just as Canada leapfrogs over England in the quest to reduce the
criminal market for marijuana, the U.S. government steps up its
persecution of the sick and dying ... * This morning, DEA agents raided the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical
Marijuana in Santa Cruz, California. This co-op grew marijuana and
distributed it free to its 300 members -- 85 percent of whom are
terminally ill with cancer, late-stage AIDS, or other horrible
illnesses -- and was known statewide as a caring and conscientious
operation. But that didn't matter to the two dozen armed DEA
agents who swarmed down on the co-op, tore up its garden and
arrested founders Valerie and Mike Corral on marijuana trafficking
charges, taking them away in handcuffs. In press interviews, DEA
spokespeople are no longer denying that they are explicitly going
after medical marijuana providers. Indeed, they appear to be
targeting the most conscientious and ethical dispensaries in an
effort to send a message that no one is safe. Please check
http://www.mpp.org tomorrow (Friday) for articles that will be
appearing in the Oakland Tribune and elsewhere. * Yesterday, the Canadian Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs
released a landmark report that calls for sweeping changes in
Canada's marijuana laws. The report states, "Clearly, current
approaches are ineffective and inefficient. Ultimately, their
effect amounts to throwing taxpayers' money down the drain in a
crusade that is not warranted by the danger posed by the
substance. ... As far as cannabis is concerned, only behaviour
causing demonstrable harm to others should be prohibited: illegal
trafficking, selling to minors and impaired driving. ... In our
opinion, Canadian society is ready for a responsible policy of
cannabis regulation that complies with these basic principles."
This group of venerable Canadian senators is recommending exactly
what MPP's Nevada ballot initiative would do. For details on the
Canadian report, see http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr090302.html . * Two days ago, the DEA debuted its distasteful and disgraceful
museum exhibit in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to exploit the
victims of the September 11 attacks by accusing casual drug users
of funding terrorism. MPP blasted the exhibit in a national
Associated Press story, while at the same time releasing our own
on-line exhibit that charges, "It is the 'War on Drugs' that
promotes terrorism, and the DEA and its law-enforcement allies
regularly commit terrorist acts." Please see ... http://www.mpp.org/states/site/quicknews.cgi?key=1467
http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr090202.html
http://www.mpp.org/TargetAmericaSincerely,Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
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Comment #10 posted by karkulus on September 05, 2002 at 19:37:29 PT
Does this remind anyone else..
Of the Nazi's shooting the prisoners at the end of the W.W.2 when they knew they lost..?
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Comment #9 posted by overtoke on September 05, 2002 at 17:36:02 PT:
Nice Timing
Do the DEA defectives pay attention to 'drug' news? We need to send a copy of the 600 page senate committee report (or at least the 55 page summary) to many many government officials.
FINAL REPORT: CANNABIS: OUR POSITION FOR A CANADIAN PUBLIC POLICY
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on September 05, 2002 at 17:24:35 PT
My 2 Cents
I can't believe how much this raid upset me. It makes me angry and it makes me very sad. I don't know why our government hates Cannabis so much. With all that is happening around the world with reform it makes it even that more puzzling to me.
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Comment #7 posted by DigitalFeonix on September 05, 2002 at 17:21:25 PT
Feds go over their own head
The timing does seem off, but the fact that the local DEA agency had nothing to do with this raid makes me very nervous. Does it means the core of the DEA is begining not to trust it's own men?Either way this just proves the Feds have WAAAAAY overstepped their bounds.
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Comment #6 posted by mayan on September 05, 2002 at 17:09:32 PT
Run Em' Outa' Town
It seems the Feds might be a little pissed off about the Canadian Senate Panel's recommendation to legalize. The timing is a little suspect isn't it? They also realize that public sentiment is increasingly against their ignorant stance. They can only conduct these raids for so long before they are run out of town. What will they do then? Will they implement martial law in the entire state of California? It wouldn't surprise me one bit. That might be just what it takes to open the eyes of the rest of America. The Fed's failure to recognize the will of the people will come back to bite them in the ass...bigtime.
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Comment #5 posted by john wayne on September 05, 2002 at 16:53:06 PT
git down to the fed building Friday noon
Please forward to all outlets and attend this Demonstration.We
need to united and respond to this most recent attack on medical cannabis
patients and their medicine!!!From: Don Duncan >ATTENTION CAP MEMBERS: The DEA has raided a cannabis
>dispensary in California. We are activating our
>emergency response plan immediately.>There will be demonstrations tomorrow at 12:00 PM at
>the federal buildings in Oakland and San Francisco (as
>well as federal buoldings all accross the country).>Oakland Federal Bldg. - 1301 Clay St. at 14th.
>San Francisco - 450 Golden Gate>Please arrive before noon and bring signs, banners,
>pictures of patients, etc. Everyone must do their best
>to get as many people out to the demonstartions as
>possible. Please forward this message to as many
>people as possible.>For more information call (510) 486-8083 or
>(888)929-4367 (HEMP). Visit www.safeaccessnow.org>Thanks... see you there!>- Don Duncan*This is an emergency alert from Americans for Safe Access. *EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVATEDOn September 5, 2002 , federal agents raided the WAMM medical cannabis
dispensary in Santa Cruz . Valorie has been arrested! We are asking all
medical cannabis supporters to rally in opposition to this raid at noon on
September 6th in front of the federal building in your city.These demonstrations are a vital part of our grassroots opposition to the
federal crackdown. Please make plans to attend and encourage others to do
so. Please check our web site or call the ASA office if you need additional
information about the location of your federal building or other
demonstration site.Our web site is www.safeaccessnow.org You can reach the CAN/ASA office
directly at (510) 486-8083.Thank you for your active support and participation.Americans for Safe Access is an aggressive grassroots campaign designed to
force the federal government to stop its attack on patients and respect the
rights of voters to choose medical marijuana policy.Our Demands:1. We demand that all prosecutions of medical marijuana patients,
growers, and dispensaries cease immediately.2. We demand that President Bush & Attorney General Ashcroft declare a
moratorium on the Federal anti-medical marijuana campaign.3. We demand President Bush declare his support for HR 2592, the
States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act.Steph Sherer
Executive Director
Cannabis Action Network www.cannabisaction.net
and Americans for Safe Access www.safeaccessnow.org
1678 Shattuck Ave. #317
Berkeley, CA 94709
phone: 510-486-8083
fax: 510-486-8090
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------
(the following is a separate msg from California NORML. The WAMM website is
http://www.wamm.org/ )Sept. 5, 2002: We are outraged to report that the DEA is currently
raiding the Women's Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Santa Cruz, a
collective serving 300 seriously ill patients. WAMM Director Valerie
Corral and Mike Corral are in handcuffs, and the DEA is destroying their
garden.
WAMM is a non-profit collective representing the most severely ill
(mainly terminal) patients. THIS MEANS WAR!
D. Gieringer, Cal NORML
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Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on September 05, 2002 at 16:32:46 PT
And the beat goes on.
Up and down, up and down. Really GOOD article, really BAD article. We make progress, we lose ground. Can you see how this would frustrate someone to the point of aggression? Anyone, who cares anything about their fellow human beings, sick or not, should be up in ARMS over these UNJUST LAWS!The DEA needs to be totally and completely torn down. Along with the other politicians and power jerks, who think it is just fine to arrest, prosecute, and persecute peaceful people, who simply want a plant, created by GOD, to feel better, sick or not. Doesn't science have a hell of a lot to do with the development of technology and other things they praise? But when science, and brilliant minds proclaim that legalizing Cannabis is the way to head, the anti's jump back, turn around, and stick their heads up their butts. A very sad place to keep your mind.Peace. Realize, then Legalize.
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Comment #3 posted by The GCW on September 05, 2002 at 15:21:16 PT
idbsne1
Thank You for Your observation. I may not have noticed it. People are sick of the scum, Fed Gov DEA!
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Comment #2 posted by idbsne1 on September 05, 2002 at 14:58:33 PT
Hmmmm.... AP on our side?
Oh boy... the DEA is going down with this one. Shame on them!!!! You know, with the news in Canada, does anyone else notice the spin on this AP write up? Usually, AP is SOOOO "unbiased" that is sounds like it doesn't see the DEA's BS....and they usually mention the Supreme Court ruling of 8-0. But not this time... this time they made them out to be idiots. First closing down a sanctuary for sick people, going over the local law enforcement's heads... and further, cluless as to their local DEA office....then the story adds that Santa Cruz citizens overwhelmingly voted for the initiative TWICE and that other states have passed similar laws....and then ending with the Federal Government's trite and ignorant view.I like it.....:)idbsne1
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Comment #1 posted by fearfull on September 05, 2002 at 14:22:42 PT
The Scum!
What a rotten thing to do. They just don't get it do they?
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