A question about medical marijuana raids.

[MineralMan]

In the cities where medical marijuana places were raided, were some raided and some left alone to operate, or did they raid them all? I'm not in a state where those raids happened, and this seems like a good question. If some were left alone, I wonder what the difference was between the ones that were shut down and the ones that weren't. If they raided them all, then it's a stupid question, I guess.

[tridim]

1. The 38 clubs raided in CA recently were allegedly breaking state law

Zoning violations and tax evasion.

The thousands of clubs that weren't breaking state law are all open for business.

[MineralMan]

3. So, it was a minority of dispensaries that were raided?

That's interesting. I'm going to have to see if I can find out more on this. It's sort of hard to research things that didn't happen, though. I'll have a look around.

[EOTE]

6. Actually, the bulk of the raids were due to the dispensaries violating federal law.

Which, of course, would make ALL of them illegal. Obama said that he'd let this be a state's rights issue, he was full of shit. But don't let that stop you from spreading your lies. Apparently you don't have anything else to do.

[robdogbucky]

2. Here in Cal, I think just the warning that they have 45 days

I don't recall the exact date, but that is where it stands.

Here is a short audio statement from the Pro-Cannabis group,Vote4Pot:


Medical Marijuana Raid Oakland 2011

Federal Government To Begin Cracking Down On Dispensaries 45 Days To Close

http://www.vote4pot.com/2011/marijuana-legalization-news/recent-medical-marijuana-raid-oakland-2011-update-on-federal-government-to-begin-cracking-down-on-dispensaries-45-days-to-close/


And then this response 5 days ago:


Medical marijuana advocates sue prosecutors over crackdown

October 27, 2011 | 2:52pm

A medical marijuana advocacy group has sued the U.S. attorney general and the top federal prosecutor in Northern California, asking a federal court to halt recent raids and threats of prosecution that have significantly stepped up the Obama administration’s assault on the state’s 15-year-old program.

Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group based in Oakland, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in San Francisco that accuses the Obama administration of violating the Constitution’s 10th Amendment by using coercive tactics to interfere with powers that are delegated to the states.

The four U.S. attorneys in California have dramatically ramped up prosecutions against medical marijuana operations and have advised cities and counties that they cannot adopt regulations that, in effect, authorize the distribution of the federally controlled substance.

“They’re not just enforcing marijuana laws, they are doing something extremely unusual in an effort to quash the medical marijuana programs in the various states,” said Joe Elford, chief counsel for Americans for Safe Access. “They’re not allowed to commandeer the lawmaking functions of the state.”

Tracy Schmaler, spokeswoman for U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder, could not be reached for comment. Jack Gillund, spokesman for Melinda Haag, the U.S. attorney for Northern California, said, “We have no comment...”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/10/medical-marijuana-advocates-sue-prosecutors-over-crackdown.html


Considerable pressure is also being applied behind the scenes by the Feds on landlords, municipalities, et al, to shut down growers and dispensaries.


We shall see what actually happens, but it does look like Washington has decided that state laws and the majority will do not matter to the drug warrior elements there. Is there any doubt the industries threatened by cannabis, a wild-growing weed, are behind this and behind the huge contributions to this administration's campaign.


Here is a story about a raid and the broken promises by Obama, that happened in 2009 in San Francisco.

DEA raids medical marijuana collective, breaks Obama's promise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_eoqV9UdwU


To Quote Ricky Ricardo, “Aye Yai Yai Yai Yai!”



And I found all that out in 3 minutes using a search engine.

That will be $10.99 please.





Hands off my Social Security!
Hands off Latin America!

[MineralMan]

4. I had already read those stories. They did not answer my question

at all. It's very difficult to find out about things that didn't happen. What I'm interested in is some idea of how many places were raided, compared to how many are still operating. Not opinions, but numbers, and maybe reasons why the ones that weren't raided weren't raided.

Please don't confuse my question with opposition to medical marijuana or marijuana in general. I'm in no way opposed to either. I just like information.

[NNN0LHI]

5. Haven't seen you for a while MM. You must have took a break?

Good thread you started here too. I have been wondering the same thing.

Thanks for posing this question and happy to see you back.

Recommended.

Don

[MineralMan]

8. Sometimes, a guy gets caught up in work and doesn't have time

to post much.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MineralMan]

11. Thanks for noting my "concern,"

and for the snide commentary. It's a real question, and a serious one.

[B Calm]

9. Not all the ones in Michigan were raided. .

[MineralMan]

10. We don't have any in Minnesota, so I don't have any info

from here. Certainly, a lot of people are using it medicinally here, but there's no law allowing dispensaries here. It's all underground.

[Xithras]

12. A lot of dispensaries are violating state law.

The law states that all dispensaries must be nonprofits. Dispensaries are required to calculate their expenses, the costs of obtaining/raising their product, and factor in a reasonable but fixed salary/wage for their employees, and then sell the product at that price. Unfortunately, many dispensaries price their product to be competitive with street pot, or even at a premium above street pot, and rake in large profits. This is completely illegal anywhere in California. The law is quite clear, and CHSC 11362.765 states bluntly: "...nor shall anything in this section authorize any individual or group to cultivate or distribute marijuana for profit." MM dispensaries are required to sell their pot WITHOUT PROFIT, and without regard to what others are getting for it.

There are a lot of "dispensaries" which are really nothing more than conventional pot sellers operating in the public under the umbrella of Prop 215, but which are still operating under the same "whatever we can sell it for" capitalist concepts that dominate the underground pot trade. Whether or not you AGREE with the law, operating his way violates both the intent and spirit of Prop 215, and harms the nonprofit collectives that are actually operating in accordance with the law.

MM supporters in California generally don't have a problem with the government nailing "dispensaries" that are breaking the law, but the feds have made it clear that they intend to shut down ALL dispensaries in California, and have threatened to prosecute everyone from the dispensary owners, to the landlords that rent them space, newspaper and radio managers who offer them advertising space, city clerks who give them business licenses, and on, and on. They're also made it clear that they will not respect Prop 215's provisions which permit MM patients to grow their own.

Our complaint isn't that a few scofflaws are being shut down, but that the federal government appears to have declared war on the entire system.

[DreamSmoker]

13. Its been posted here.. Now read

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2214498

[MineralMan]

14. That link doesn't really answer my question, but thanks.

In doing some further research, it appears that only some dispensaries, or whatever you prefer to call them, were shut down. The rest appear to still be operating. I'll keep an eye on the news to see if further raids take place.

I went to the websites of half a dozen of the ones that are still open. Some of them look like head shops inside, if the photos are accurate, not like anything where medicinal material is sold. Perhaps that's part of the problem. I don't know.

[DreamSmoker]

16. I did more research for you

With respect..

I did the homework.. I just don't settle for the way things may appear on this issue..
As i am one of those Medical Cannabis Patients in California that is effected...
All if they still exist are now in the Delivery Business...
One of the very last hold outs was just a block or two away for my home..
They did Raided By the DEA and Local Police two weeks ago..
As a Cannabis Patient.. I had resources such as WEEDMAPS.com or WeedTracker..
Both can easily be found online..
The Dispensaries as well as their Menus for Meds and Prices are listed..

Now just try and call one near you in Southern California and see what you get..
Most likely no answer or a recording if you call.. Maybe just maybe you will get one that will deliver your Meds..
But only if you can be verified to have the Doctors recommendation required...
Let me add that none of these Places were open to the General Public.. NONE..
They all were private and for the patients..
Most recently Dispensaries in my area have been hidden from Publics attention.. No signs Nothing..
You had to find them by referral or listed on one of the Web Sites I quoted..
Otherwise you would never now they even existed..

[shanti]

15. intimidation factor

is how i see it. they were not all shut down, but some were sufficiently frightened to close on their own.