THE LATEST POT SHOP RAIDS

Temecula, CA – As promised here is the latest from the guy who got elected telling sick MMJ people they could trust their vote to him for the right thing to be done. Oh Mercy! The wolves are right. Those who do not use their intellect are steaks on the table. Now the unions who voted for ‘change’ are getting change they didn’t bargain for. But for others there is no change in sight. Just in time for a lesson unlearned comes Obama and his boys, the DEA. Here in two reports is the latest, with the first story from Montana and the second a little closer, Hollywood, CA.

‘Even as the Montana Senate was killing an effort to repeal the state's medical marijuana law, the DEA was behaving as if the law had never been passed by voters in the first place. As senators were debating the measure, the DEA and other federal law enforcement agencies assisted by local law enforcement conducted raids against at least 10 medical marijuana dispensaries or grow operations across the state.

A move to repeal Montana's voter-approved 2004 medical marijuana law died in a state Senate committee Monday on a tie vote. The measure had passed the House, but members of the Senate Judiciary Committee said what was needed was regulation, not repeal. After the vote, committee Chair Terry Murphy (D-Cardwell) appointed a three-member subcommittee to work on a bill to tighten regulations over marijuana. But another legislative committee has already crafted regulatory legislation that is working its way through the legislature.

One business hit was the Montana Cannabis greenhouse near Helena, where the company grows more than 1,600 plants to supply its four dispensaries across the state. DEA and FBI wearing respirators conducted the raid while sheriff's deputies and Helena Police stood guard. The company's four dispensaries were all hit, too.

"They came in guns drawn, got us down on the ground, and in cuffs as fast as they could," Montana Cannabis employee Brett Thompson said. No arrests were made, except for one person wanted on an outstanding warrant.

A search warrant for a raid in Bozeman listed 13 items to be seized in an investigation of "drug trafficking," including cash, plants, products, computers, and data storage devices. But the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant, which would provide some basis for alleging criminal offenses had taken place, has not been released.

The Obama Justice Department in October 2009 sent a policy memo to all US Attorneys directing them to not use their resources against medical marijuana patients and providers complying with state law in states where it is legal. At this point, with no evidence of state law violations by those businesses raided, it looks like someone didn’t get the memo.’ (P. Smith, sourced from Helena, MT)

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raided two medical cannabis collectives in the City of West Hollywood on March 15, 2011.

Americans for Safe Access strongly condemned the raids and called on the Obama Administration to live up to its promise of a more reasonable federal policy. ASA will publish more information about the federal raids and the grassroots response later if any info is forthcoming.

Attorney Bill Kroger was on scene and reported to me that the DEA raided 2 medical marijuana dispensaries in West Hollywood the afternoon 3/15. The 2 locations are Zen Healing, 8464 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, 90069 and AAHS (Alternative Herbal Health Services), 7828 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, Ca, 90046.

“DEA agents raided Zen Healing and AHHS, both permitted collectives in the City of West Hollywood. The agents raided the collectives via the alley ways. The alleys were blocked with numerous SUVs and vans, all unmarked.

There were no patients protesting these raids and PAN was the only organization on the scene. The City Council observer nor the sheriffs were there, so I left for my own safety. PAN has alerted West Hollywood City Council as they have requested I do in the past and we contacted the sheriff. West Hollywood City Hall staff seemed surprised as they should (be since) these are permitted collectives in good standing with the City. More as it develops....” Sincerely, Degé Coutee. Education & Advocacy Director, Patient Advocacy Network.

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