Feds Target California Marijuana Dispensaries

[jayfish]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=873913

<SNIP>
By DON THOMPSON Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. Jun 23, 2005 — Federal drug agents launched a wide-ranging crackdown on medical marijuana providers in northern California, raiding pot clubs, homes and businesses in San Francisco and arresting a husband and wife in Sacramento.

Officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. attorney's office would not say how many people were arrested or give other details, pending a news conference Thursday.

An attorney for the Sacramento couple said he believed Wednesday's arrests and sweep may have been prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court's medical marijuana ruling two weeks ago. The high court said federal law prohibiting the sale and distribution of narcotics supersedes state medical marijuana laws.
</SNIP>


You know what's really sad about this? Even opponents of the SCOTUS decision railed on that the decision wasn't as bad as it sounded because the the feds just didn't have the resources to go after everyone. Read it and weep folks. The USA sucks more than you could ever imagine.

Jay

[fooj]

1. Never say NEVER with these bastards!

:grr:

[TahitiNut]

2. As us frogs keep enjoying the warmer water.

:shrug:

[Moochy]

7. hotboxing the kettle

Ribbit, the frogs are hotboxing the Kettle. :smoke:

[SteppingRazor]

3. Ah well. They'll just go back to the black market like the rest of us.

Pity the SCOTUS couldn't be a little more forward-thinking, though.

[acmavm]

4. By all means, go after the providers of medical marijuana. You know,

those evil pushers of a 'drug' that can alleviate the side affects and the suffering of chemotherapy patients, help glacoma, and all that bad stuff.

While we're on the subject, anyone wanna bet that covert branches of our government aren't still pushing hard drugs? Also, do you think a member of a wealthy family isn't going to be able to get around these pot factory busts and get the drugs (and relief) if they need it? Of course they are (in both instances).

[jayfish]

5. Get Around Around Them?

Hell they probably have farms of the stuff. There's no better tax break then not paying any taxes at all.

Jay

[VegasWolf]

10. Can anybody say back alleys for their medicine. Coathangers next.nt

[Moochy]

6. A Distinction between clubs, and organized crime laundering operations

Playing devils advocate, and even as someone who supports the pot clubs, the Feds are saying that the group in question is laundering money for organized crime, but they are not going after other pot clubs (yet) in the city.

If the charges/allegations are true, that clinic should be shut down, and Mayor Newsom had better get those plans for licensing the dispensaries up and running. Not that a licensing program would stop all laundering, but if the clinics were forced to keep open books, and operators were required to go through some accreditation / background check process, maybe the *LOCAL* police could deal with this as a local investigation. If the people involved really were laundering money from other illegal operations, then throw the book at them.

Money laundering in the Florida Transportation dept. now thats an interesting crime that goes unpunished, and has undermined our political system.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/062105Madsen/062105madsen.html

[Sandpiper]

8. Remember: Jury Nullification for Medical Marijuana Prosecutions

If you ever find yourself on a jury for one of these cases, hang it or convince your fellow jurors to acquit in the interest of justice.

[VegasWolf]

9. That is for damn sure. nt

[TrogL]

11. Seen this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1575605

[Gregorian]

12. But tobacco is OK. Folks, it isn't about marijuana.

So let's get this straight- Nicotine kills. And it kills a lot. Cannabis is essentially harmless. Just what is all of this about? It isn't about cannabis. Not if nicotine is legal.

[getmeouttahere]

13. It's ridiculous that we even need to have these conversations....

I agree with the post regarding jury nullification...hang those juries!!!

[EFerrari]

14. So, they're going after those Al Qaeda cancer patients, and

AIDs patients and Glaucoma sufferers. Now, that's dangerous duty.

Go, DEA. Your mothers must be proud AND you cut down on the competition. Go, team. :sarcasm: