Copyright © 2012 by Leo E. Laurence for Zenger’s
Newsmagazine • All rights reserved
In every corner
of the state from San Diego to San Francisco, federal prosecutors are on a massive
national campaign to close all medical marijuana dispensaries!
The Obama
administration is at war with the medical marijuana community, violating his campaign
pledge not to use federal resources to attack activities that are legal under
state law.
The “Feds’”
method is to hit landlords who rent storefront space to dispensaries.
Procedurally, under federal, criminal law the “feds” can confiscate the
property and send violating landlords to 40 years in a federal penitentiary.
We need a
massive campaign on social networks to flood the White House and the Department
of Justice in Washington, D.C. with protests against this blatant violation of
state’s rights.
I’m personally
asking YOU, my reader, to use social networking to demand that the White House
and/or the Justice department stop their idiotic campaign to close ALL
medical-marijuana dispensaries. That violates the U.S. Constitution.
My confidential
sources in the White House, who cannot be named because they are not authorized
by the White House to speak on this controversial issue, say the president
himself quietly signed off on this federal attack on medical marijuana.
IRS and Drug
Enforcement Administration agents recently raided a northern California medical
marijuana training school, Oaksterdam University, founded by Richard Lee.
Lee had been
involved in pushing ballot measures to legalize cannabis. He gave more than
$1.5 million to support legalization in California.
Oaksterdam
University has offered classes to would-be medical-marijuana providers in
courses ranging from horticulture to business skills and legal issues involved
in operating legal dispensaries. The university did not distribute marijuana,
according to confidential sources.
Lee is closing
the large operation after local, state and federal agents raided his school,
his home and his dispensary.
“I am now in
this legal situation, so it’s better for me to step aside,” Lee explained.
The (federal)
agents confiscated marijuana, computers and company files, making it difficult
to continue operations.
Lee said, “The
agents came to my home and showed me search warrants. They did not list what
they were seeking, or the purpose of the raids.” If true, the warrants may have been defective and challenged
on motions before trial in the Superior Court.
“(The raids)
were something we’ve always feared, but we have always known it’s a part of the
politics” on marijuana issues.
Tens of
thousands of our tax money is being thrown against the medical-marijuana dispensaries
in the months-long crackdown; approved by the White House and the Department of
Justice in Washington.
Hundreds of
protestors hit the streets in downtown Oakland within hours of the raids. More
than 18,000 have signed Lee’s on-line petition demanding an end to the federal
crackdown on medical-marijuana dispensaries.
“I don’t know
how this will play out,” says reporter Peter Hecht of the Sacramento Bee.
Landlords of
dispensaries throughout California are very scared because they could lose
their property and/or spend 40 years in a federal penitentiary.
“We may need the
help of law-enforcement organizations like Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
[L.E.A.P.] to prevent the collapse of the medical-marijuana industry
nationwide,” he added.
Inside sources
estimate that there are only 19 dispensaries now operating in San Francisco,
and only four in Oakland.
In San Diego, at
one time before the federal crackdown scared landlords, there were about 220
dispensaries operating.
Now there are
only about 3 operating in San Diego.
HopeNet is a
bohemian establishment in San Francisco where marijuana patients could toke
from vaporizers and bongs at a breakfast bar. On-site consumption was allowed
by the city because it was more than 1000 feet from an elementary school.
Recently,
however, a Mandarin language school opened nearby, and the feds now want the dispensary
closed. Were the feds instrumental in establishing that Chinese-language course
as a means of closing the dispensary?
Legislative Progress
An Assembly committee
recently passed legislation to create state oversight of medical marijuana
dispensaries. Its chair, San Francisco Democrat Tom Ammiano, said, “The worst
choice is for Californians to sit idly by doing nothing and let this failed war
on medical marijuana by the feds to continue unchecked.”
AB2312 would
charge fees on dispensaries and other medical marijuana businesses to create
and finance a policing agency, the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Enforcement.
The board would
approve licenses for businesses selling, growing or transporting marijuana for
use by people with physicians’ recommendations.
Challenge to All Readers
Reader, you are
challenged to send TWO e-mails or letters to both (1) the White House and (2)
the Department of Justice in Washington. Your message can be simple:
Mr. President:
Please keep your campaign promise not to use federal agents to shut down medical-marijuana
businesses that comply with state laws.
Send me a blind
copy of your e-mails to: leopowerhere@msn.com. If you need to discuss it, call me at
(619) 757-4909.
L.E.A.P. needs
calls or e-mails from current and former law-enforcement officers who support
medical marijuana. Our contact can be totally confidential.
L.E.A.P has over
50,000 supporters in over 80 countries. and most have carried a badge. Share
your stories by calling me: (619) 757-4909.
