Pompo

State laws cited in SF pot clinic raid
3/26/09|MarketWatch| Press release - United Press International

Federal agents say evidence of state drug-law violations led to a raid on a San Francisco medical marijuana outlet this week.

The San Francisco Chronicle said Thursday its sources indicated Emmalyn's California Cannabis Clinic in the South of Market district may have been having some issues with payment of sales tax.

The Drug Enforcement Administration closed down the clinic Wednesday afternoon, a week after U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the feds would be ending raids on legitimate pot clinics.

Holder, however, said the policy change did not apply to operations that were in violation of state drug laws and were likely fronts for marijuana sales to customers who did not qualify for medicinal pot.

"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 written statement.

The Chronicle said pot advocates decried the raid and said public opinion was solidly in favor of allowing sick people to use marijuana for relief.

Buzzby

It sounds like dispensaries need to be sure to obey all state laws. They should be doing that anyway.

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reggie_the_dog

The DEA raided over STATE SALES TAX???? sure

Buzzby

The United States Attorney General said that medical marijuana facilities would not be raided unless they also broke state laws. The DEA is testing to see what they can get away with. My feeling is that they're going to be slapped down and told to go with the spirit of the AG's message, not the letter, and only raid if the facility is breaking state drug laws.

troublemaker_42

We'll see I guess...2 days after the raid, and we still haven't heard diddly squat from the White House on the issue.... It obviously didn't ruffle TOO many feathers, or at lerast it doesn't seem so at this point. I see three possibilites, myself

1. Obama/Holder lied
2. This was a "show of force" reminding dispensaries that if they want to operate in peace, they had better covere their asses in every way possible and bend over backwards to comply with the law
3. Obama, as President, cannot even control the DEA.

Its an ugly situation all the way around, but dispensaires should know by now that ANY signs of wrongdoing on their part will arouse suspicion and the ire of the DEA/law enforcement. This may be a sign that if someone inside a dispensary even farts too loudly, the DEA will be knocking.......down their dooor

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Ted Nugent: "To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic."


If total government control equals safety, why are prisons so dangerous?

RandomOne

why are the feds getting involved in a state matter

did the state ask them to raid it?

LowRider

Another reason we need Federal law change. policy don't mean crap

nornerator

This is complete bull.

I'm fine with Dispensaries being prosecuted for not paying taxes or breaking other state laws, however a paramilitary style raid is not appropriate in the least. This is a scare tactic, plain and simple. There is no reason there needs to be a federal raid just because a business may or may not be breaking a state law. The dispensaries need to be handled by the state, not the federal government. Let the state decide if they want to fine these business's or take them to court.

Militaristic style raids on places that are dispensing medicine is absolutely immoral by my personal standard of morality. This is a scare tactic. They are trying to intimidate us.

Sure this may be within the comment made by Eric Holder, but that still does not justify this ridiculous waste of taxpayer dollars to scare people into not opening dispensaries.

This is immoral and I will not support a government that refuses to fix this.

tdlex420

I was going to make a post about this, but you summed up how I feel about it pretty well.

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mud_head

Any federal institution would be looking for the smallest excuse to make a move, even if its just failing to completely pay state taxes. However, to remark upon a previous comment, even if its just state taxes, the federal government can intercede, just because its a law being broken. They dont really take the time to differentiate between state and fed laws, a law is a law to them, and they WILL pounce. The DEA is a cougar right now, all tensed up and ready to jump, all they need is an excuse. Don't give it to them!