Protest DEA Raids Under Obama Administration

Good news and good work to all who have contacted the White House about the DEA raid
on Holistic Solutions two days ago. If you haven't called yet, please take a moment
to do so--sounds like staff are listening! Some activists' experiences are below:
Date: Friday, January 23, 2009, 8:32 AM

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Hi All,
I just called the White House and stated the verbiage as per below. Andrea, the
volunteer that answered the phone, said she's getting several phone calls
back to back in regards to yesterdays raids. Keep Calling!!

She also recommended that we send in emails. You can do a cut, paste, copy
and demand for these raids to stop. Here's the email link to the White
House:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Andrea (from the White House) also said, "keep the calls coming in,
there's a lot of support for you guys"...

Kim

--- On Fri, 1/23/09, Caren Woodson wrote:

From: Caren Woodson
Subject: RE: DPFCA: First Medical Marijuana Raid by DEA under Obama
Administration
To: "'DPFCA'"
Date: Friday, January 23, 2009, 4:01 PM

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Hello,

ASA is already getting great feedback from activists around the country who
have taken part in ASA's latest action alert urging supporters to call the
White House. In fact, the White House comment line is currently staffed
with LIVE volunteers taking hand-written notes from callers. These notes
will be compiled and provided to the call center manager. IF ENOUGH CALLS
ARE MADE TODAY, OUR REQUEST TO HALT DEA RAIDS COULD MAKE IT TO THE WHITE
HOUSE DESK!

In other words, you can make a difference! Check out the feedback from one
of our excellent activists:

I just called Obama at 202-456-1111. They have no computers and are
taking hand-written notes. The VOLUNTEER who answered the phone for me
said, I wasn't the only one to call him about this and there are over a
dozen volunteers and the phones are ringing off the hook. I told him about
the DEA raid yesterday & asked for Obama to keep his promise about ending
DEA raids on medical cannabis patients and hoped he would end them for
medical cannabis providers as well. He speculated that the DEA may have
been trying to get one last raid in before the transition is complete. All
the notes will be gathered into "subject" and given to the
call-center boss
and may be reported to Obama. Please call. Let your voice be heard. If you
get a busy signal, try again. Leave a voicemail or speak to a real person.
You want change, demand it. Be the Change you want to see in the World.

We couldn't say it better ourselves!! It is important that you to action
RIGHT NOW!

Call President Obama and urge that he issue an immediate suspension to all
federal funds used to investigate, intimidate, arrest, and prosecute
individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their
state laws. CALL THE WHITE HOUSE at (202) 456-1111 and say:

"Hi, my name is _____________. Yesterday, the Drug Enforcement
Agency raided a medical cannabis dispensary in Tahoe, California. The
dispensary was raided by DEA despite numerous statements by President Obama
saying he would end federal interference with state medical cannabis laws.
I'm very concerned about outgoing DEA officials undermining these state
laws
and aggressively threatening innocent Americans. I'm also concerned about
DEA taking action that is in direct conflict with President Obama's stated
position. I am pleading with President Obama to issue an immediate
suspension of all federal funds used to investigate, intimidate, arrest, or
prosecute individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with
their state laws. Medical marijuana patients want change, too! Please help
us now."

Caren Woodson
Americans for Safe Access

-----Original Message-----
From: On Behalf
Of Kris Hermes
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:16 PM
To: DPFCA
Subject: DPFCA: First Medical Marijuana Raid by DEA under Obama
Administration

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*PRESS RELEASE
Americans for Safe Access
For Immediate Release: *January 22, 2009
*Contact: *ASA Media Liaison Kris Hermes 510-681-6361

*First Medical Marijuana Raid by DEA under Obama Administration* /Advocates
call on president Obama to quickly change harmful, outdated policy/

*Oakland, CA *-- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raided a medical
marijuana dispensary today in South Lake Tahoe, California, in the first
days of the new Obama Administration. Even though President Barack Obama had
made repeated promises during his election campaign to end federal raids in
medical marijuana states, many high-ranking Bush Administration officials
have yet to leave office. For example, still at the helm of the DEA is
acting Administrator Michele Leonhart, who has been responsible for numerous
federal raids in California, following in the footsteps of her predecessor
Karen Tandy. Neither Eric Holder, President Obama's pick for U.S. Attorney
General, nor a new DEA Administrator, have taken office yet.

"Whether or not this unconscionable raid on a medical marijuana provider
is
the fault of federal officials from the previous administration, President
Obama has an opportunity to change this harmful and outdated policy," said
Caren Woodson, Director of Government Affairs for Americans for Safe Access
(ASA). "We are hopeful that these are the last remnants of the Bush regime
and that President Obama will quickly develop a more compassionate policy
toward our most vulnerable citizens."

Medical marijuana and an unknown amount of cash was seized during the raid
today from Holistic Solutions, but no arrests were made. This first DEA raid
under the new Obama Administration is another example of more than 100 raids
on medical marijuana providers that have occurred in California over the
past two years. While the greatest federal enforcement has occurred in
California, the DEA has been active in other states as well. Federal agents
raided the Washington State offices of a medical marijuana advocacy group
that was supplying starter plants to hundreds of authorized patients. In
Oregon, a federal grand jury was used by the DEA to obtain the medical
records of several patients, an effort that was later rejected by a federal
court. The DEA also went as far as to threaten New Mexico officials for
planning to implement that states medical marijuana distribution program.

"I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical
marijuana users," Senator Obama said in an August 2007 statement.
"It's not
a good use of our resources," he continued. This statement was followed up
by Obama in other public events in the run up to the election. "President
Obama must rise to the occasion by quickly correcting this problem and by
keeping the promise he made to the voters of this country," said Woodson.
ASA has been working with the new Administration on changing federal law
around medical marijuana, which has included providing a comprehensive set
of policy recommendations.

Further information:
Comments by Obama on ending medical marijuana raids:
http://granitestaters.com/candidates/barack_obama.html
ASA medical marijuana recommendations for incoming president Barack
Obama: http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/PresidentialRecommendations/

/
# # #

With over 30,000 active members in more than 40 states, Americans for Safe
Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of patients,
medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and
legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA works to
overcome political and legal barriers by creating policies that improve
access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation,
education, litigation, grassroots actions, advocacy and services for
patients and the caregivers.
/
/

--
Kris Hermes
Media Specialist
Americans for Safe Access
http://www.SafeAccessNow.org
1322 Webster Street, Suite 402
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-251-1856 x307
Fax: 510-251-2036
Email: kris [at] SafeAccessNow.org

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based
organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned
citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and
research.