DEA Executes Orchestrated Raids on 14 Pot Dispensaries in Seattle Area

[Newsjock]

Source: The Stranger

Federal agents and local law enforcement are executing a volley of raids on medical-marijuana disperses throughout Western Washington this afternoon, according to several sources, who say some of the proprietors are being handcuffed and taken away in squad cars. Thus far, we've received reports of busts in Olympia, Lacey, Tacoma, Puyallup, and Seattle.

The Cannabis Defense Coalition has posted a tally of 14 dispensaries raided today.

... Activists have been expecting the raids since Governor Chris Gregoire vetoed most of a medical-marijuana bill in April, leaving a jumble of laws that further weakened criminal protections for dispensaries. But it was unclear how that veto would affect Washington State. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced in 2009 that feds won't focus on people in "clear and unambiguous" compliance with state marijuana laws. And DOJ spokeswoman Emily Langlie pointed to statement in April from US Attorney Jenny Durkan, who said, "The position of the Department of Justice... has not changed." But given Washington's weak medical marijuana law—which now technically only allows collectives of up to 45 plants grown by up to 10 people—the dispensaries being busted today may fail the test of being in "clear and unambiguous" compliance with state law.

"This is because Gregoire capitulated to federal law, in defiance of the state legislature," says Washington Cannabis Association leader Philip Dawdy. "In addition to the feds wanting to flex their muscles on this, we just have a vague state law. It is imperative that we have state law that has criminal protections for collective operators and patients."

Read more: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/11/15/feds-raiding-pot-dispensaries-in-western-washington

[gateley]

1. I've never been wowed by Gregoire. Vote for/volunteer for/contribute to Jay Inslee for Gov!

And this is just so discouraging - not just because Gregoire buckled, but the whole Fed approach. The DEA should focus on the fucking Mexican cartels who are seeping into our country. Unbelievable.

[midnight]

2. I'm so tired of this nonsense. This country needs to start behaving like adults...

[G3ND3R_B3ND3R]

3. Not this country, just the conservatives

.

[tpsbmam]

5. Is it the conservatives who have declared war on medical cannabis?

It's our purportedly Democratic president who's done so.

And welcome to DU!

:hi:

[G3ND3R_B3ND3R]

6. Bush was against it too.

The government was against medical cannibis long before Obama.

I am starting to think that Obama is turning out to be a lot like Bush on this one particular issue, but you can never know for certain, since a lot of Republicans will try and shoot down a bill just because a Democrat puts it forward.

[quakerboy]

8. Actually, you can

There does not have to be a bill for the president to point the justice department and federal LE resources in directions other than vigorous investigation and prosecution of MMJ. If they were, for instance, busy looking into interstate and international corporate and financial fraud, they would not have time to waste on piddly drug war crap. Or if they were looking into voter suppression. Or LE brutality towards citizenry. Or political corruption around the nation. Or contractor war profiteering. Etc.

But that's not where their energies have been pointed.

[Downwinder]

4. So much for today's much promoted local rights.

[Harmony Blue]

7. Waste of taxpayers money

the approach needs to change and medical marijuana needs to be embraced.

[boppers]

9. Why should MMJ dispensaries follow tax codes? Legal codes? Zoning?

Shouldn't a local bodega/convenience store be able to hand out MMJ to children, without paying taxes, because anything else is cruel persecution of cancer patients?

:sarcasm: