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DEA Raids Pot Dispensary in SF

Thu, Mar 26, 2009 11:17 am

more: headline news, medical marijuana, medical news

Federal agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco Wednesday, a week after U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder signaled that the Obama administration would not prosecute distributors of pot used for medicinal purposes that operate under sanction of state law.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided Emmalyn's California Cannabis Clinic at 1597 Howard St. in San Francisco's South of Market district mid-afternoon.

They hauled out large plastic bins overflowing with marijuana plants and loaded several pickup trucks parked out front with grow lights and related equipment used to farm the plants indoors.

The dispensary had been operating with a temporary permit issued by the Department of Public Health.

"Based on our investigation, we believe there are not only violations of federal law, but state law as well," DEA Special Agent in Charge Anthony Williams said in a prepared statement.

Williams, who runs the San Francisco field office that covers a territory stretching from Bakersfield to Redding, would not specify the alleged violations. The information was under court seal.

"As of now, we are prohibited from releasing further details of the case. Items of evidentiary value were seized and no arrests have been made," Williams said.

A source in San Francisco city government who was informed about the raid said the DEA's action appeared to be prompted by alleged financial improprieties related to the payment of sales taxes. DEA Special Agent Casey McEnry, spokeswoman for the local office, would not comment on that information.

Representatives from Emmalyn's could not be reached for comment. It was not clear whether they were on the premises when authorities arrived.

Word of the raid spread quickly in the medical marijuana advocacy community via text-message. About a dozen people, many with cameras in hand, gathered in front of Emmalyn's as federal agents guarded the front entrance. The scent of marijuana wafted through the crowd and several bystanders shouted epithets at the agents as they walked by.

Emmalyn's provides marijuana for free to poor people on Wednesdays.

"It's awful that raids like this are still happening. Public opinion favors medicinal marijuana," said Troy Dayton, senior development officer for the Marijuana Policy Project, a national organization that advocates for the decriminalization of marijuana, particularly for medicinal purposes.

Thirteen years ago, California became the first of more than a dozen states to legalize medical marijuana, although federal law still prohibits its use.

In a marked shift from Bush administration policy, Holder said last month that dispensaries only would be prosecuted if both state and federal drug laws were thought to be violated.

Video coverage:

DEA Raids a Cannabis Dispensary

» add a comment

glass half full

Apr 1 2009, 8:43 pm

If they were behind on there taxes, well then we have seen more verification of a policy shift! They are now enforcing taxes and not prohibition. After all it is the TREASURY dept that runs the DEA! Look at the bright side they could RAID THESE Dispensaries out of business they chose one behind on TAXES, alledgedly!

laugh more

Mar 30 2009, 4:37 pm

His laughter has caused NORML and MPP's cash donations to go up over 400%. I figure about 1 more joke about the most asked question will have the pro-pot organizations where we can have our ads play right b4 the anti-drug cartels ad's.

AngryPhil

Mar 30 2009, 4:32 am

very little details have been released about the reason behind the raid. until we know a little more, it is completely ignorant to blame anyone for this or call anyone a liar. maybe this store actually committed a legitimate crime and the raid was had a just motive, or maybe obama blatantly lied to the public, or maybe it was completely out of his control. with such little information, not much can be said about this without making some big assumptions.

tort

Mar 28 2009, 4:46 pm

How do you REALLY legalize pot: Basically we must address the fact that pot is never going to be lagalized by conventional means, because there is whats called liability in law. Pot can never really be legalized because the government would have to say they're sorry for all the hate literature, and lies that they generated for the last hundred years.
Now, they just can't legalize, so there has to be a creative legal move done by we the oppressed because if we don't make a consession of having a solution for reparations, its never going to happen. Its very simple. We have to make an offer, and we can do that through an injunction. We can file that through a class action suit, or we can file it through an interveaner with the courts. The reality is that we have a war on drugs. The reality is that this war on drugs has no one to negotiate peace with. We have to give peace a chance. There are so many people who have been harmed by this law that its impossible for the legislature to change tha law because it would bankrupt the government. There would be millions and millions of claims that would have to be paid. Now to address the liability issues, we can make the position that the pot industry could levy a charge on it to pay these damages.
People who have done jail time really do deserve compensation for all the harm caused by bigotry hate and lies. Now theres no way they can legalize, and they're going to continue their bullshit lies. Its the only defence they've got.

We are at whats called a tort in law. The tort is the government has to legalize it, but they can't cause they can't afford the liability. A tort is where one idea conflicts with another and the whole marijuana issue is nothing but one giant tort, because the government can't get out of it. Its sad to say but they can't, and they can't pass a law saying we passed a law that legalizes pot, and wethe government aren't paying any damages. The government can't do that. Lawfully, they can't do that. But the marijuana community "we" can make an offer to pay damages to the people who suffered in the marijuana community, and the biggest thing we can do is hire them. If a guy went to jail for growing, give him a job at a grow op when he gets out. If a guy got busted selling pot, give him a job selling pot through the clubs. That would be the best thing we could do to those who have suffered hardship is give them a job. It would be the number one reparation that you could do to everyone of the people who have suffered. Everybody that broke the law, did so because its a shitty law.
From marijuanamans hash plant video with the brilliant and honerable Marc Boyer

eugenics

Mar 27 2009, 1:35 pm

now that the new world order has gained control of our government, they will start putting american citizens in concentration camps called FEMA camps wich they advertise as people friendly, they will have military guarding the gates and you will be inoculated with viruses that will destroy your immune system, they plan to reduce the population, and if you don't do what you are told you are a terrorist, this is the wonderful future of the
New World Order freedom has a price.

teresa

Mar 27 2009, 11:28 am

did u read the part about sales tax??
Obama said they would not be raided or prosecuted IF they
are complying with state and federal law...
we can wait to see all the details, but from the fine print it sounds like they were skating on paying sales tax,
that doesn't work very well............im pro-weed too...fyi

HU210

Mar 27 2009, 10:34 am

Piece of shit walk away. Obama is gonna feel real alone in the near future.

Mar 27 2009, 7:23 am

Affirmative action Presidency at its best !

Fatty!!!!

Mar 27 2009, 12:52 am

Dude, I guess I just do not appreciate the President spitting in everyone’s face about a serious question. Maybe you trust him and the other politicians in Washington, but I do not! He has given an order to the DEA, not to raid if legitimate. Please tell me, who is working for who? Please tell me why the President laughed at the millions of us who think MJ would help the economy? Yes, although he is a breath of fresh air from GWB, I still do not see him moving away from the middle. Sorry, but I have no faith in any politician.

dude

Mar 26 2009, 10:20 pm

All you morons shitting on Obama are fucking morons, He cannot change the fact that the raids will still occur for months and maybe years. He just stepped into a fucking minefield of government corruption with the intent of straightening it out, you really think he's going to be able to fix that shit overnight? It is ignorant fucks like you who bring this country down with your attachment to instant gratification. Aka attachment to desire. These things take time and delicacy to make right, there's no handle to flush it all away. You are seeing your view of what should be done, one of many views that can be taken but you fail to see the bigger picture.

Fatty!!!

Mar 26 2009, 10:10 pm

Obama is "BIG BROTHER." He lied, no surprise there. He is nothing more than a filthy politician and a scumbag lawyer who is being run by the Pharm companies just like the rest of Washington.

The underground still works very well.

Dimebag420

Mar 26 2009, 8:27 pm

HEY OBAMA SUPPORTERS,......TOLD YOU SO! EASILY LED SHEEP WHO ATTACHED THEIRSELVES TO ONE MAN'S COAT TAILS BECAUSE OF THE WORD CHANGE? PLEASSSSSEEEEEE OVERGROW THE GOVERNMENT!

Mar 26 2009, 6:51 pm

theres no 1 man solution to any problem. and if there was obama would never have an answer. whoever said obama makes himself out to look like a god is right. words can only take something so far, let alone a country.

HU210

Mar 26 2009, 6:36 pm

And now to speak ill Of RP and the daily paul site

Many if not most of those addresses come back with fatal error reply notices.

HU210

Mar 26 2009, 6:22 pm

@ kevin

What a bogus argument.The budget, education, etc will always get attention. Always.

I have never understood how standing with the truth about cannabis was a mistake.(usage or otherwise) How could standing against the racisist origins of these laws not be benificial to a politico this day and age?

Presenting the truth about how hemp could easily replace corn to make ethanol and other bio-fuels. Leaving corn as cheap feed and using hemp as an inexpensive source cellulose, fibre and seedoil. Thus diversifying the crop base making farming profitable-with out subsidies- as well as creating numerous spinn off industrues as new uses for hemp emerge.

The next Political that gets the shot needs to say." Yes, I have consumed cannabis, big deal." Then proceed to tell the cannabis truth. Since ya got the bully pulput and challenge anyone to refute -in public- these truth's

The anti-drug vermine would quickly scatter back under their rocks and out of the light of the truth, saying "we was with ya all along." When the laws change.

It takes courage. Nobody in washington DC with that kind of courage, absent Ron Paul

hmm

Mar 26 2009, 5:58 pm

obama is a bitch hes just now starting to show his true colors.. and someone needs to tell obama to stfu he only talks and trys to make himself look like a god.. were all fucked..

Shank

Mar 26 2009, 4:02 pm

Ha, you people actually still belive in an "honest" government? Please, the day an honest politition is born is the day crime will forever stop. Although I can't belive we didn't see the 20 foot dick of Obama slowly inching towards all of our arse's. It begain right as soon as you pushed the button that said "vote". But I can't say I hate Obabma as a whole, because he is a brilliant man, read his book "The audacity of hope" and you'll understand what I mean.

Eirik

Mar 26 2009, 3:20 pm

I like Santacruz, he actually is making sense and using his head to try and get something done. Ron Paul was the legalization advocate (and he advocates a lot more common sense things than just drugs) that garnered the most support for president. He has a site that drops the emails of pretty much anyone who has any power, the media, the gov't, all kinds of place, send some emails out people here is the link:

http://www.dailypaul.com/node/64011

there are hundreds and hundreds of names, from media outlets, to businesses, lets spread awareness the intelligent way.

SantaCruz1000

Mar 26 2009, 2:28 pm

Lobbyists are people who lobby for causes. There are lobbyists for literally everything! education, hospitals, guns, cars, and believe it or not marijuana. A politician's only worry is getting re-elected though. If his or her district does not support marijuana then he or she will not get re-elected. Lobbyists will provide financial support for politicians that are agreeable to their issues. So far, the marijuana lobby hasn't been able to influence many politicians. It just doesn't have much sway in Congress, maybe if all the stoners out there "that got Barack Obama elected" got involved it would.

Look at Dennis Kucinich, he advocated drug legalization and he never received more than 5% of the vote in any primary.

California politicians can run on marijuana issues because the voters!!! We support pro-marijuana politicians and if they don't go along with our issues, they don't have a job!

Wait! What?!?!

Mar 26 2009, 2:20 pm

To Anonymous:
You and I need our own lobbyist
Blind sheep, ignorant, busy, never thinking, always working, entertained people that make up America need to stop and take a look, a real hard look into truths about their government.
Pretty soon it may be too late

anonymous

Mar 26 2009, 2:12 pm

You couldn't be more wrong Cruz1000. Special interest corps make the laws and lobbyists get them passed, our government is mere illusion to give sheep like blind followers that small glimmer of faith in the system. We have rallied, we have wrote letters and we have got national attention but its still to no avail. Stoners got Obama elected not smug little pricks, not everyone has the money to go to college and to be this example pot smoker citizen. Perfection just like anything else we socially conceived is in the eye of the beholder.

HU210

Mar 26 2009, 2:05 pm

So make him feel the heat!!
Piss on all of the electronic polling.
Bury the President's mailroom with postcards /Letters
Letters that demand a response on paper of his position.
Keep them stuffing envelopes to pot heads for four years explaining themselves over and over. Until booted out of office in 2012.
Write to your congress critter and demand legalization also. Dont forget we are dealing with real slow people in washington. So we will have to do this every week until they understand, that if they dont. It will be back to the farm for ya.

DEA raids cannabis Dispensary3/26/09 -- Change we can breath in?

SUCKERS!!!! Better back up your vote with work now. Otherwise you will have made your messia a liar

President Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington,D.C. 20500

Wait! What?!?!

Mar 26 2009, 2:04 pm

How can this be happening? I just don't understand. Does anyone know what state law was violated, because this is ridiculous. Why, as American, are we promised freedoms and then watch them get taken away? Will we ever have a government that we can trust maybe just a little bit? ... just a little itty bit? Right now, I have an extremely hard time trusting American government, and to think I was just starting to let my hopes raise...

Santa Cruz1000

Mar 26 2009, 1:58 pm

I have a few things to say...

1) People need to think of politics as micro- not macro. Political movements don't start from the top. In respect to a representative democracy, you need to rally people that agree with you to push politicians out of office that don't. We don't live in a monarchy where Obama can just magically legalize all drugs and not face political ramifications. Congress passes laws, not the President.

2) Public Opinion. Ok, so you wan't pot legalized? Create a good example for people to see. Let them know that you can be productive people in society and smoke pot. As of right now, the public opinion does not favor legalization. Why? Because people see stoners as unproductive. Complete college, get a good job, make something of yourself and then advocate marijuana. No one is going to listen to some punk ass 16 year old that wants to get high because he didn't get a super Nintendo for christmas.

3) VOTE. No politician is going to support your issues unless he or she knows that it will get them elected. Ever wonder how seniors get social security and other benefits? They vote! They are organized and have successfully lobbied their congressmen. Stop bitching on boards and tell your congressmen that if he wants your vote he needs to listen to your argument.

Reality Check

Mar 26 2009, 1:57 pm

Well . How about that .

High East

Mar 26 2009, 1:30 pm

Looks like we got our answer for whats to come for the next 4 years.

A complete ramp-up of the Drug War with Hillary leading the charge.

I expect the DEA in the news almost every day for the nexr few years.

Sad times, my friends.

Kevin

Mar 26 2009, 1:28 pm

Marijuana is a classic wedge issue that would lose him votes with conservatives on other more issues. I.e the budget, education, health care, energy. It would be the same as Iraq and Bush. After Iraq bush couldn't get anything through Congress. We have more pressing issues than marijuana and he was laughing at marijuana being a question. A lot of the money in the drug trade goes back into the American economy anyways.One more point, congress makes laws, if the votes are there then there are more incentives to sign. If you want weed legalized get involved, write your congressmen and if he or she doesn't agree don't vote for them! If you can turn the tide of your district a congressmen will have to adjust his agenda to favor weed to get elected.

sugardave

Mar 26 2009, 1:25 pm

I'm pretty disappointed that the President has decided to laugh off as a joke the idea that prohibition of marijuana should be immediately repealed. I'm also surprised that he chose to belittle the online community in such a way as he did. I'm pretty sure that Internet-izens helped his campaign in many ways.

It's a sad day.

kinder

Mar 26 2009, 12:53 pm

There's a new word and a new use for this word,can you guess
what this word is? ps we'll joke later.

D-Bag

Mar 26 2009, 12:31 pm

It looks like if you want marijuana legalized in order to help our failing economy, don't bother bringing it up with Obama.

He will laugh at you. You are a joke to him. Your new president has spoken and his answer is "No", marijuana will not help our economy.

Looks like the next 4 years are looking a lot tougher from here on out.

smoker

Mar 26 2009, 12:21 pm

stop putting people in prison for smoking, they are not killing or raping, we are human beings who deserve to have a choice to smoke, we don't want mind control or electronic surveillance, you don't own the world, and you are not all mighty, stop the mind control
and torture, america has been invaded by the slave masters and their executioners and we don't want that, we already know what it's like to live in the dark ages, and we are now in the new dark ages, you should not be put in prison for your ideas.

the answer is no

Mar 26 2009, 12:17 pm

Well,we got our answer,and it was as expected,he passed it off as a joke. So get your shovels and hoes ready,because if you want weed,you'll have to grow your own. And when the prisons get full enough,he'll know it wasn't a joke.

BIGJOE

Mar 26 2009, 11:27 am

DID ANYONE SUMMIT A QUESTION TO OBAMA FOR HIS WEB ANWSERING
DEBUT? I HOPE SO. IT STARTS IN ONE HOUR!!!!!!