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DEA Sweeps WA Cont. from pg. 10 process of making arrests, as well, Elwin claimed, though he wouldn't be specific about how many people have been arrested so far. KING 5 News crews also went to raids at The healing Center and Olympia Patient Resource Center, both in Washington's capital city of Olympia. Some of the raided dispensaries are in Graham, Parkland, and Spanaway, according to Pierce County Sheriff Detective Ed Troyer. Two shops in Lacey (Cannabis Outreach Services and Lacey Cross) and one in Rochester (Triple D's) were also raided, reports Jeremy Pawloski at The Olympian.
"Our narcotics task force has been conducting an ongoing investigation for about the past five months into the medical marijuana dispensaries in Thurston County," Elwin said. "Today, that investigation culminated with five search warrants." Elwin said he had heard of "similar investigations" in King and Pierce counties that were also "culminating" on Wednesday, November 16th. "This is yet another example of the Obama Administration breaking their promise to leave patients and providers alone when they are abiding by state medical marijuana laws," activist Don Skakie, with the legalization group Yes End Penalties Washington (YEP WA) told Toke of the Town Tuesday afternoon. "Clearly, they were lying to us." Printed by permission from www.tokeofthetown.com. ©2011 Village Voice Media.
National News Obama's Drug Policy Cont. From Pg. 10 his first year in office. Instead of encouraging state and local authorities to regulate medical marijuana distribution in the interests of public safety and health, his administration seems determined to recriminalize as much as possible. It all adds up to bad policy, bad politics and bad faith." Large medical marijuana dispensary operations are not health care providers but criminal organizations hiding behind patients, the prosecutors claimed Friday. "Large commercial operations cloak their moneymaking activities in the guise of helping sick people when in fact they are helping themselves," said Benjamin Wagner, US Attorney for the Eastern District of California. "Our interest is in enforcing federal criminal law, not prosecuting seriously sick people and those who are caring for them. We are making these announcements together today so that the message is absolutely clear that commercial marijuana operations are illegal under federal law, and that we will enforce federal law." "The California marijuana industry is not about providing medicine to the sick," claimed Laura Duffy, US Attorney for the Southern District of California. "It's a pervasive forprofit industry that violates federal law. In addition to damaging our environment, this industry is creating significant negative consequences, in California and throughout the nation. As the number one marijuana producing state in the country, California is exporting not just marijuana but all the serious repercussions that come with it, including significant public safety issues and perhaps irreparable harm to our youth." The prosecutors said they had sent out "dozens" of threat letters to dispensary and grow-op landlords in the past few days. In the Southern and Eastern districts, they targeted building owners, while in the Central district they sent letters to landlords "in selected cities where officials have requested federal assistance." In the Northern district, they targeted their threat letters to landlords of dispensaries within 1,000 feet of schools or parks, but warned "we will almost certainly be taking action against others." The prosecutors also said they had already filed seven civil forfeiture complaints against properties where landlords allow dispensaries to operate. One complaint alleged that an Orange County strip mall had eight dispensaries and that recalcitrant city officials had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to shut them down. One letter targeted the landlord for the Marin
Alliance for Medical Marijuana (MAMM) in Fairfax, which has been operating with the support of the city and without complaint since 1996. In a letter to MAMM's landlord, the US Attorney for Northern California warned that the dispensary was operating within a "prohibited distance of a park." The letter threatened MAMM's landlord with up to 40 years in federal prison, seizure of his property, and forfeiture of all rental proceeds for the last 15 years if he doesn't evict MAMM. Similar letters have gone out to other dispensary landlords warning them of pending federal action because their tenants are too close to schools. The dispensaries are operating in accord with California law, which treats them like liquor stores and bars them from operating within 600 feet of a school, but federal law imposes additional penalties for the distribution of controlled substances with 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds, and public parks. MAMM is situated more than 600 feet but less than 1,000 feet from Bolinas Park in Fairfax. "This is nuts," said Greg Anton, attorney for the Marin Alliance and its director, Lynnette Shaw. "There's a dispensary near where I live that sells guns, narcotics, alcohol and tobacco and it's full of children. It's called Walmart, and it's safe. So is Lynnette's place. She's proven that over 15 years." "This is an outrageous abuse of law enforcement resources for the DOJ to use property forfeiture to enforce meddlesome, nanny-state regulations," said California NORML director Dale Gieringer. "The federal government has no business dictating local zoning decisions. No one has any problems with the Marin Alliance except the bureaucrats in Washington." The DEA is also along for the ride. "The DEA and our partners are committed to attacking large-scale drug trafficking organizations, including those that attempt to use state or local law to shield their illicit activities from federal law enforcement and prosecution," said DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart. "Congress has determined that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that its distribution and sale is a serious crime. It also provides a significant source of revenue for violent gangs and drug organizations. The DEA will not look the other way while these criminal organizations conduct their illicit schemes under the false pretense of legitimate business." And so is the IRS. "IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work with our law enforcement partners and lend its financial expertise to this effort," said IRS chief of criminal enforcement Victor Song. "We will continue to use the federal asset forfeiture laws to take the profits from criminal enterprises." Cont. on Page 16
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Gun Lawsuit Cont. from pg. 12 The gun dealer who refused to sell her the pistol cited a Sept. 21 letter from the BATF to all federally licensed gun dealers, which "specifically instructed [them] to deny the sale of firearms or ammunition to any person whom the licensee is aware possesses a card authorizing such persons to possess and use marijuana under state law," the complaint states. Wilson says a questionnaire she filled out when trying to buy the gun asked, "Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana, or any depressant, stimulant, or narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?" She says she left that question blank, but the gun dealer told her that "he could not sell her a firearm without jeopardizing his federal firearms license, since he had actual knowledge that Ms. Wilson possesses a state-issued medical marijuana registry card." Wilson says U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the directors of the BATF are violating her rights under the 2nd and 5th Amendments. She wants the pertinent regulations declared unconstitutional, including 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(3), 922 (d)(3) and 27 C.F.R. § 478.11. She also seeks compensatory and punitive damages. She is represented by Charles C. Rainey with Rainey Devine, of Henderson, NV.
Op-Ed: Mr. Obama Cont. from pg. 11 cohesive in our vote as we are united. At a time when legalization alone has polled at 50%, and Medical Marijuana is polling at over 70%, you continue this War. These policies that are in place have lost public support, and will continue to loose support as the last generation ages. Never so obviously has the side you’re on been so clear in this war of attrition. I will admit though, the way YOU fight this war is different than any of your predecessors’ strategy of shock and awe, smash and grab on individuals. No, your war has been cold, calculating, and scheming; utilizing what I call the “lawyers” approach to war, not as much guns and grenades but pens and judges. Perhaps you’re patting yourself on the back at its success, but so are the cartels in Mexico. You give us grief, you gave them guns. You may have won the support of those on the black market, but those of us on the side of wanting legitimacy are balancing on a precipice. Those on one side of the fence may not, and likely, will not ever vote for you, but Progressives like me are put in a horrible place. In a midterm election with no other choice but choosing between you on the left or a multitude on the right, all of our options leave a bad taste in my mouth, a wretched flavor of ineptitude and bile. My disappointment in you and the War you continue has forced my hand and forced my pen. You still have time to convince me otherwise, but doubts persist. You have less than one year Mr.Obama, one year to turn these disastrous policies around. Bravery is not standing behind those who are wrong; bravery is using the truth to lead.