Medical marijuana clinics raided in L.A.
SuzannePjam
Posts: 411
It's just so ridiculous that when something natural, like marijuana, can help someone reduce their suffering the government refuses to allow it. If the big drug companies discovered it, patented it and sold it for a fortune in pill form you know the government would be just fine with it.
Medical marijuana clinics raided in L.A.
Federal raids reflect disparity with state law that allows prescription use
LOS ANGELES - Federal drug agents raided nearly a dozen medical marijuana clinics in California, seizing several thousand pounds of processed marijuana, along with weapons and money, authorities said.
Several people were detained, although no arrests were made after five dispensaries in West Hollywood and six others in Venice, Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley were searched Wednesday, said Sarah Pullen, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The raids highlighted a conflict between a California state law and the federal drug agency.
California voters in 1996 approved the Compassionate Use Act, which makes marijuana available by prescription for medicinal uses. The DEA, which does not recognize California laws legalizing medical marijuana use, has recently increased its enforcement.
Under seal
Pullen declined to provide details of the latest investigation, saying the search warrants remained under seal.
"But obviously we are looking for marijuana and other illegal drugs, marijuana edibles and evidence of ongoing criminal activity and anything from paperwork to documents — you name it," Pullen said.
City officials in West Hollywood said they were surprised by the action, learning of the raid as it was happening. City spokeswoman Helen Goss said West Hollywood has a "long-standing commitment" to the use of medical marijuana for people suffering from illnesses like HIV and AIDS.
Agents in bulletproof vests, gloves and face masks left a West Hollywood storefront with boxes and trash bags filled, as about 50 protesters booed and shouted "states' rights."
At one dispensary, The Farmacy on Santa Monica Boulevard, amateur videographers and others mobbed officers filling three cars with evidence.
"Today's enforcement operations show that these establishments are nothing more than drug-trafficking organizations bringing criminal activities to our neighborhoods and drugs near our children and schools," said Ralph W. Partridge, head of the DEA in Los Angeles.
Medical marijuana clinics raided in L.A.
Federal raids reflect disparity with state law that allows prescription use
LOS ANGELES - Federal drug agents raided nearly a dozen medical marijuana clinics in California, seizing several thousand pounds of processed marijuana, along with weapons and money, authorities said.
Several people were detained, although no arrests were made after five dispensaries in West Hollywood and six others in Venice, Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley were searched Wednesday, said Sarah Pullen, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The raids highlighted a conflict between a California state law and the federal drug agency.
California voters in 1996 approved the Compassionate Use Act, which makes marijuana available by prescription for medicinal uses. The DEA, which does not recognize California laws legalizing medical marijuana use, has recently increased its enforcement.
Under seal
Pullen declined to provide details of the latest investigation, saying the search warrants remained under seal.
"But obviously we are looking for marijuana and other illegal drugs, marijuana edibles and evidence of ongoing criminal activity and anything from paperwork to documents — you name it," Pullen said.
City officials in West Hollywood said they were surprised by the action, learning of the raid as it was happening. City spokeswoman Helen Goss said West Hollywood has a "long-standing commitment" to the use of medical marijuana for people suffering from illnesses like HIV and AIDS.
Agents in bulletproof vests, gloves and face masks left a West Hollywood storefront with boxes and trash bags filled, as about 50 protesters booed and shouted "states' rights."
At one dispensary, The Farmacy on Santa Monica Boulevard, amateur videographers and others mobbed officers filling three cars with evidence.
"Today's enforcement operations show that these establishments are nothing more than drug-trafficking organizations bringing criminal activities to our neighborhoods and drugs near our children and schools," said Ralph W. Partridge, head of the DEA in Los Angeles.
"Where there is sacrifice there is someone collecting the sacrificial offerings."-- Ayn Rand
"Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead,
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed..."-- Elvis Costello
"Some of my friends sit around every evening and they worry about the times ahead,
But everybody else is overwhelmed by indifference and the promise of an early bed..."-- Elvis Costello
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It would be helpful if we knew what was in the search warrant...b/c if the law IS being broken there (i.e. illegal dispensing of marijuana or other drugs) there shouldn't be as big an outcry b/c of the underlying legal issue.
LOL thats some funny shit! yeah two hippies selling legal weed are a danger to the community. there are so many things wrong with this I dont even know were to begin.
Strong National Government Beaurocratic Agency Bullshit. Simply another reason I'm libertarian.
This is a tremendous waste of resources.
I assume nothing was done to the 6 billion corner stores selling prescription drugs, tobacco and alcohol.
Congrats DEA you are fucking worthless.
you're assuming that it was only weed. I'd be surprised if it was just weed.
Amen. This country's priorities are so out of whack this doesn't surprise me.
Yup. The same people who champion the federal government's intrusions into other areas, like mandating minimum wages, sqeal when the federal govt entangles itself in issues like this. Why are they surprised. You can't encourage them to become nannies, and then get upset when they actually do.
naděje umírá poslední
just curious why they needed weapons in a "legal" clinic?!??!?..........
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!
- Benjamin Franklin
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went.
-Will Rogers
_____________________
I'm kind of suprised a Republican is against an individual states ability to form it's own laws.
You do support States Rights do you not?
Same reasons a liquor store needs weapons.
If I had pounds of weed (I wish) I'd have some sort of security as well. Not guns, though.
naděje umírá poslední
said in a Tommy Chong voice: "So no one steals our shit, man...."
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Second Amendment. Same reason other private citizens need to own weapons. The state is not capable of protecting individuals in every possible situation.
100% agree. The proceeds of weed selling should be going to organised crime, where it belongs. We don't want to take money out of there pockets.
the government wants you to buy your drugs on the street where it can't be regulated or taxed. this supports organized crime. 70 years of enforcement has brought an increase in marajuana use each year. a kid can buy a pound and sell off quarters and make $3240 USD pure profit in days. seems the government supports free enterprise.
OBVIOUSLY there is no other crime in los angeles, and the police had NOTHING better to do, next they will be handing out j-walking (giggle, j, heehee) to old ladies
Albert Einstein
i caught that too, my initial reaction was 'oh, they had weapons, obviously somethings up', but then i realized that guns are legal in the usa, and that many storeowners have a gun. when drugs are your business, doesn't it seem logical to have a gun? i mean, if i supported guns, etc etc
Albert Einstein
robbery is a big reason. legal pot cuts into the profits of organized crime. there's also a market for the high grade pot distributed. a pound of the government's G-25 will gross $7680 USD at the very minimum and be turned over in days. government pot is more valuable than gold so i can see where it needs protecting.
if you factor in time spent, and time in jail, dealing is actually a minimum wage job
even my mom is coming around on legalization, and whe wanted to send me to rehab when she suspected that i smoked pot in high school (lets all have a laugh about that one)
Albert Einstein
I was diagnosed with anxiety/deprission yearssss ago and all the meds and counceling worked half ass... the only thing that ever made me feel level was a little joint every now and then. Im married now and have a 2 yr old " Im a grown up" haha.. anyway this little guilty pleasure was a hard sell to my husband ( he doesnt smoke) but he sees this difference. Of course I dont smoke in front of either of them but he knows me and knows the difference. Just like everything else in this world with money comes greed comes bad people comes regulation
And knowing the way the Feds like to show how successful they are in the War on Drugs, in their world a butter knife is a weapon and sandwich bags are paraphernalia.
And you just gotta love this line: "Today's enforcement operations show that these establishments are nothing more than drug-trafficking organizations bringing criminal activities to our neighborhoods and drugs near our children and schools,"
Remember, its all for the children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where I'm not ugly and you're lookin' at me
hi neighbor. i live just west of you. if a person knows how to launder money; you can set yourself up for life. put the bulk of the profits off-shore and draw on it a little at a time so you don't show a red deficit.