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Legislator Asks DEA To Explain Pot Club Raids

Thu, May 08, 2008 4:04 pm

With drug trafficking and violence from international cartels on the rise, "do you think the DEA's limited resources are best utilized conducting enforcement raids on individuals and their caregivers who are conducting themselves legally under California law?" House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., said in a letter to the agency.

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He also noted the DEA's recent tactic of sending letters to hundreds of property owners who rent to medical marijuana dispensaries, advising them that they could be prosecuted and lose their property under federal law.

Property forfeitures, Conyers said, have typically been reserved for "the worst drug traffickers and kingpins" and might have the unintended effect of driving medical marijuana distribution underground. Medical marijuana advocacy groups say the letters have led to evictions and closures of dozens of supply shops that had been operating with state and local approval.

The congressman also asked how much the DEA was spending on the raids.

The letter, dated April 29, was addressed to the DEA's acting administrator, Michele Leonhart. Agency spokeswoman Rogene Waite declined to comment on the questions Wednesday, saying only that "the federal government does not recognize medical marijuana. ... The DEA, of course, would be part of the federal government."

Conyers attached a copy of a resolution approved by San Francisco supervisors in February, attacking the DEA for "its irrational policy and hysteria" and calling on the city attorney to support property owners facing prosecution or forfeiture for renting to medical marijuana dispensaries. The Los Angeles City Council also has condemned the federal agency's actions.

Conyers also cited statements by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums criticizing the DEA, and a resolution introduced by state Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, urging that Congress pass a law ending federal raids and prosecutions in states that have legalized medical marijuana.

» add a comment

opinion

Jun 6 2008, 6:14 pm

We are all sitting here preaching to the chior. Why doesnt the NORML, High Times, and other activist groups advertise in regular civilian periodicals or billboards to educate and motivate the average person with no cannabis knowledge?

We can all help by posting on regular (non marijuana based) news and discussion forums. Take the knowledge you gain here and from groups like NORML and repost to educate the average American.

Thats the key !!!

Mature Adult

May 18 2008, 7:48 am

"Legislator asks DEA to explain Pot Club raids " .
The DEA's stance on the issue is well known . I can't believe anyone interested on the subject is not aware of that stance . Surely nobody thinks anything has changed recently ?
I wish him luck with the election .

umm

May 16 2008, 12:08 pm

And how could anyone think they know more than physicians and scientists, and let people die without their medicine, and without remorse. What the government is doing is a crime against humanity.

umm

May 16 2008, 11:08 am

The reason people want to know why the dea raids Cannabis shops is because people die without their medicine, and people can not believe how the dea can be so heartless.

:o)

May 15 2008, 10:48 am

yea .he's running for congress . Checkout his website.

Mature Adult

May 15 2008, 8:52 am

Why ask the dea to explain their raids ? All this has been gone over time and time again . Is this guy running for something ?

Reality Check

May 14 2008, 4:52 pm

to the chidren below :
Must you be so silly ?

Check Reality

May 14 2008, 4:42 pm

I'm convinced that you are not the one who needs .

Reality Check

May 14 2008, 4:40 pm

I'm not the one you need to convince .

Reality Check

May 14 2008, 4:33 pm

I'm not the one you'll have to convince .

umm

May 14 2008, 4:16 pm

And as far as the government is concerned, religion is regulated, meaning that in the usa, people are NOT allowed to practice their religion using cannabis. This is bullshit. Freedom of religion is what the government gloats about, but when a person practices their religion with the sacrament, the haters bitch.

umm

May 14 2008, 12:58 pm

That medicine thing is considered a threat to the wealthy ely lillys pocket book, and the sacrament thing has been observed and practiced for thousands of years, however the government wants a war against some drugs. Just the ones that won't help ely lillys stocks.

Meanwhile, although Cannabis has never killed anyone, the government has. The government is responsible for thousands of needless deaths through the consumption of their poisonous pills. Thousands of patients needlessly die every year from complications of the pills they take.

When will the government lose their hate for humanity?

Reality Check

May 14 2008, 12:38 pm

" I for one would like to think " ?
We wish you luck with that .
The medicine thing is considered a ploy . And yes that whole sacrament bullshit doesn't fly either from the federal standpoint .

umm

May 14 2008, 10:54 am

Well, I for one would think that the amerikkkan public would like to know why the dea thinks that letting medical patients die without their medicine isn't a crime against humanity.

Reality Check

May 14 2008, 5:08 am

I don't believe state charges are being made .
Its all federal charges ie:Federal crime . Are you suggesting this is not common knowledge ?

MartyMar247

May 13 2008, 3:32 pm

Yea, We expect them not raid the clubs because what they are doing in that state is LEGAL. This is an example of federal tyranny.

Reality Check

May 13 2008, 6:10 am

"Legislator asks DEA to explain Pot Club raids " ?

DEA - They were selling pot , a crime , end of story .

Does anybody really expect anything else ?

umm

May 10 2008, 3:58 pm

Sounds like a tobacco smoking drunkard Archie Bunker to me. Throwing around racial words when all along, we are all the same on this globe. Its just that not all are aware of that.

LOVE

Not an anti-Semite

May 10 2008, 1:03 pm

The people in this country need to have an honest ADULT conversation about America and its relationship with Israel. The fact is there are more JEWS living in the US than in ISRAEL. That is why our politicians pander to the Jews, just as they do to whites, blacks, hispanics, etc...As long as the Jews in this country continue to influence our policy in the middle east, we will continue to have all the problems we have in that part of the world. We're not fighting muslims in the middle east because they hate our freedom. To quote Lamb of God..."This isn't a war, this is an annhilation." I love jews, some of my best friends are jews, and I love John Stewart from the Daily Show...I don't know how more Jew friendly I can get...But if I talked candidly like this in front of a jew, let's face it, I'd be offending them because I'm attacking their race's "agenda". Not all jews fall in line with the Zionist agenda...for instance many Orthodox jews (Hacidic) are AGAINST Israel's existence. It's because they know they are wrong and they also admit that Zionists in Germany had the chance to free thousands from the Nazi Death Camps but chose not to because they were deemed "Undesirable Jews" for the homeland. Kind of funny how those Jews were making life and death decisions about their own people at a time when the Nazis were doing the same thing! Here's an interesting fact...during the Third Reich's tyrannical reign, there were only 2 flags permitted to fly in Germany, The Swastika and the Star of David flag! Don't believe me? I must be a racist huh? Just google this shit...or even better, ask a jew!

sirsmokesalot

May 9 2008, 7:52 pm

Fuck both you assholes,why hate America or the people,most of us are cool as hell,and this is a beautiful country, it's the Government you dickheads. If you don't like it get the fuck out. The government has taken over and unless we all do something about it we're fucked.
But I wont be counting on fucking pussy's like you two to do shit, if you hate this country , why the fuck are you here ? get out dickheads !

Suggs4Drugs

May 9 2008, 3:43 pm

Woah bro, I hate America as much as any other jackoff,
but support your clame that we kill inocent people for Jew money.
Hey, I dont have a problem with Jews,
and as far as the inocent killing go,
that our GOVERNMENT, not the American people,
we cant control what our Gov. does anymore.
Oh, and dont forget, we are the most powerful country on this Earth, if you dont like it, then go suck a dick.

Americans are dics

May 9 2008, 1:36 pm

Do not support the American economy
Americans are all pieces of no good shit
Americans are killing innocent people around the world for Jewish money

blademir ayala

May 9 2008, 2:54 am

the only problem with the comment above that if we legalize it then the market will take a huge hit there will be no cash crop. pot will dramaticly drop in price and as for dea raids and threats to shut down dispencerys, its problably a higher level of organized crime were a certain group is connected with another certain group and they are allowing there buddies to cartell the game and running a monopoly under the table like the real g's do it. but hey can you blame them? money talk bs walks or maybe its a figment of my imagenation but why not if that what puts the money in the pockets right? in other words every man for them selfs do your thing make your cash and keep it low dont get poped good luck to you all!

RealmWalker

May 9 2008, 2:25 am

It's true. This isn't no fuckin' free country, don't know that it has ever truly been one. We gave our elected officials power knowing full well what they would do with it. Scratch that, a bunch of people they have scared into submission have given our freedoms away. We free thinking, free-willing individuals must now hide from the flock of sheep and their gatekeepers.

darryl in N.C.

May 8 2008, 11:56 pm

AFTER 35 YEARS OF SMOKIN - im still waiting for our idiot leaders to wake the fuck up on this issue. farmers are desperate for a new cash crop, the prisons and local jails are over crowded, and were not gonna stop EVER ! Whats the worst thing the bstrds fear - more tax money (lol). we must kick NORML in the mooseknuckle for not putting more pressure on the government. i work for myself, pay my taxes an am a law abiding citizen . Why must i hide like a crackhead everytime i want to burn a spliffy. We need to set a johnny appleseed day n flood our outdoors with so much fucking weed - it will be impossible to stop ! WHOS WITH ME !!! July 4th - indepedence day sounds like a winner. KEEP BURNING THOSE FATTYS, DARRYL

Lol

May 8 2008, 9:16 pm

Fuck the Governmen. No such thing as free. Its just a word.

Suggs4Drugs

May 8 2008, 4:38 pm

What the fuck people, this isnt fucking photobucket, stop fucking posting pictures.
The DEA is evil, fucking deal with it, we gave our elected officials power, which means they can do whatever the fuck they want, and we cant do shit about it, get the fuck over it. What do you think this is, a free country?

danny danko

May 8 2008, 4:19 pm

danny danko

May 8 2008, 4:17 pm