cannabisnews.com: DEA Tries New Push Against Medical Marijuana





DEA Tries New Push Against Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on December 14, 2007 at 17:03:23 PT
By Christina Jewett
Source: Sacramento Bee
California -- Federal agents in Sacramento are trying a new tactic to shut down medical marijuana dispensaries: telling landlords they could go to prison or lose their buildings if their tenants continue to peddle medical pot.Sacramento-based agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration have sent nearly a dozen letters out in the last month to dispensaries' landlords in the latest effort against medical marijuana.
However, medical marijuana advocates - who saw about 200 DEA letters roll out near Los Angeles this summer - say federal officials are being too heavy-handed against something California voters approved a decade ago. "This is one of the most insidious tactics we've seen them use so far," said Nathan Sands, a Sacramento-based communications director for The Compassionate Coalition, a medical marijuana education non-profit. "I think they're going to see a backlash here." Snipped:Complete Article: http://tinyurl.com/2lwfx7Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)Author: Christina JewettPublished: Friday, December 14, 2007Copyright: 2007 The Sacramento BeeContact: opinion sacbee.comWebsite: http://www.sacbee.com/CannabisNews DEA Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/DEA.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on December 19, 2007 at 13:37:38 PT
Press Release from The Drug Policy Alliance
DEA Targets Landlords in Effort to Shut Down DispensariesWednesday, December 19, 2007 URL: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/121707mcds.cfm
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on December 18, 2007 at 19:35:15 PT
Keep The DEA Out Of California
KEEP THE DEA OUT OF CALIFORNIA! TELL GAVIN NEWSOM TO SUPPORT MEDICAL CANNABIS!By Alex Franco Tuesday, Dec 18th, 2007 http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/12/18/18467750.php
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on December 18, 2007 at 19:32:24 PT
DEA Uses New Tactic Against Pot Clubs
Tuesday, December 18, 2007  By Carolyn TylerSAN FRANCISCO -- California voters approved the use of medical marijuana 10 years ago, but it's still illegal under federal law. And now, the Drug Enforcement Administration is starting a new crack-down to put pot clubs out of business. In the past the DEA relied on raids to shut down medical marijuana clubs. Now it's a letter writing campaign. First it was in Southern California including Los Angeles and San Diego. Now dispensaries in Northern California have been targeted. Compassionate Care on Church Street was the first medical marijuana dispensary to open in the city years ago. Now it'll be the first to close as a result of a new tactic by the Drug Enforcement Administration. "We've tried to make sure these facilities work for the neighborhoods and the patients and now the federal government says, no, no, no we're really going to step on you and hurt you," said Wayne Justmann from Compassionate Care. The DEA sent a letter to his landlord and about 80 others in Northern California, notifying them the facilities violate federal law and threatening them with possible criminal prosecution, imprisonment, fines and forfeiture of assets -- including their property. Patrick Goggin is a lawyer representing two medical cannabis clubs. "They are scared. They are working to follow local and state laws and these Draconian measures are being taken, threatening harassing by the DEA," said attorney Patrick Goggin. Compassionate Care closes its doors on Friday. This patient worries that's the tip of the iceberg. We're told other dispensaries are facing eviction proceedings following letters from the DEA. "They are getting the landlords to do their dirty work for them. I'm not surprised, I would be ashamed if I were a DEA agent right now," said patient Alex Franco. The head of the DEA's San Francisco Division says: "His agency sent letters to landlord's as a courtesy and that the DEA will continue to work to keep neighborhood communities safe from drugs and the negative ripple effects they cause." Medical marijuana advocates are now hoping for a political solution from elected officials including San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom. Newsom would not comment on the DEA's letter writing tactics. "If you give me an opportunity to read them, I'll be happy to respond," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. 
ABC7's Carolyn Tyler: "I've got a letter right here with me." San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom: "I will take the time to read it at an appropriate place." An official with the marijuana policy project, a national organization says so far the DEA's action appears to be more bluster than action. No one's property has been seized. Copyright: 2007 KGO-TV/DThttp://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local&id=5843172
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Comment #4 posted by john wayne on December 17, 2007 at 11:41:29 PT
why would he do that?
Ah-nold, like all other politicians is a paid employee of the prison/police state. 
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Comment #3 posted by Max Flowers on December 15, 2007 at 15:24:54 PT
California, the battered wife state
What a grevious insult to any sovereignty the state may think it has. What a condescending slap, and California will continue to not just take this abuse, but enable it. It's like a battered wife, it keeps coming back for more of it.If Schwarzenegger had any real courage as a governor, he would not just sit there and let this arrogance happen time and time again. He would tell the DEA that medical cannabis dispensaries operating lawfully under CA law are not theirs to harass, nor are the landlords. He needs to assert some jurisdictional boundaries... unless of course the real truth is that there actually is no boundary anymore!! And if that's the case, let's get that fricking fact right out in the open for everyone to see.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on December 15, 2007 at 05:46:19 PT
DEA Alerts Pot-Store Landlords
Letters warn of penalties for leasing to marijuana dispensaries.By Christina Jewett Saturday, December 15, 2007The Sacramento office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is turning to a new strategy against medical marijuana dispensaries: warning landlords they could be imprisoned or forced to forfeit their buildings if their tenants continue to peddle medical pot.Sacramento-based DEA agents have sent letters to dispensaries' landlords in recent weeks, viewing the mailings as a simple way to cut down on what federal officials consider illicit activity.However, medical marijuana advocates – who saw about 200 DEA letters go out in the Los Angeles area this summer – say federal officials are being too heavy-handed against such dispensaries, which California voters approved as legal more than a decade ago.  
 
Federal officials say U.S. law against such dispensaries pre-empts the California law, but medical marijuana advocates hope to resist the latest DEA effort."This is one of the most insidious tactics we've seen them use so far," said Nathan Sands, a Sacramento-based communications director for the Compassionate Coalition, a medical marijuana education nonprofit. "I think they're going to see a backlash here."Gordon Taylor, the special agent in charge of the Sacramento division of the DEA, said the agency sent 11 letters early in November to dispensaries throughout the 34 noncoastal Northern California counties over which it has jurisdiction. Most, he said, were sent to Sacramento-area pot clubs.A spokeswoman in the San Francisco DEA office said 80 such letters were mailed to dispensaries in the Bay Area earlier this week.Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/569154.html
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Comment #1 posted by john wayne on December 14, 2007 at 18:09:53 PT
"peddle", heh
I can't even remember the last time I saw a box on the street "peddling" the Sacramento Bee, and they used to be pretty common here in the Bay Area.
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