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For Immediate Release: July 6th, 2006
DEA Raids San Diego Medical Marijuana Dispensaries; Operators Arrested
Advocates Urge City to Engage Patient Community Before Calling DEA
SAN DIEGO-- Federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) today raided as many as 13 San Diego-area medical marijuana dispensaries and arrested at least two of the dispensary operators.
“The DEA continues to waste valuable resources on attacking medical marijuana patients,” said Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access, the leading national medical marijuana advocacy group. “The vast majority of Americans believe the sick and suffering should have legal access to marijuana if they are helped by it.”
Today’s DEA action in San Diego follows raids on 13 area dispensaries last December. All of these dispensaries were also targets of the December raids. The San Diego Union Tribune is this evening reporting that the District Attorney’s office is also filing state charges, though the indictments are federal. The distinction affects whether those charged will be able to argue their activities are protected under the state law that makes legal the use and possession of medical marijuana.
“In matters of health, the city has an obligation to strive to meet the needs of patients in its community,” said Kris Hermes, ASA legal director. “If the City of San Diego has received complaints about patients and their providers there are many options of dealing with this situation that do not include calling in the DEA. The city should listen to their constituents on both sides of this issue who are urging dispensary regulations.”
The raids come exactly one week after the defeat of a Congressional amendment that would have prevented the DEA from expending resources on the arrest and prosecution of medical marijuana patients and providers in states such as California that allow it. The bipartisan amendment, known as Hinchey-Rohrabacher, was a modification of the funding measure for the DEA. It garnered 163 votes in the House of Representatives last Thursday, June 29.
Americans for Safe Access is the nation’s largest organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research.
For more information or comments, contact ASA at (510) 872-7822.
 Homepage:: http://www.safeaccessnow.org
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i want to know whats going on one day i am going to my dispensarie the next its shut down i dont know why the owner is arrested and hes my friend i dont know if hes coming out staying injail cant go to hisaaraingment i dont even know if hes been arainged the dea needs to stop this crap the goverment should be more worried about all the meth labs poping out everywhere i look it seams like every time i wink onother one of my friends are tweeking go get those people making all the meth instead of HARRASING US the patients we are not even violent
DO YOUR JOB RIGHT
P.S. anyone know anything about whats going on with the owner of co-op please let me know
ANYTHING AT ALL
dre of co-op
 e-mail:: sailormoon420@hotmail.com
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