Medical Marijuana in the News: Weeks of 1/19 & 1/26

Americans for Safe Access News Summary: Weeks of 1/19 & 1/26
a.. FEDERAL: Opinion on Raids Condemns DEA Action
b.. FEDERAL: Simultaneous Raids on LA Dispensaries
c.. CALIFORNIA: ID Cards Becoming Costly
d.. VERMONT: Broader Patient Protections in Works
e.. SOUTH CAROLINA: State Considering Patient Protections
f.. WASHINGTON: Sentencing for Woman with Calif. Recommendation
g.. WASHINGTON: Implementation an Issue
h.. DISPENSARIES: Serving Patient and Community Needs
i.. CALIFORNIA: Return of Property Sometimes Sticky
j.. CANADA: Juries Can Acquit Medical Cannabis Defendants
k.. CANADA: Private Suppliers Still Preferred
l.. GREAT BRITAIN: Conservative Leader May Back Cannabis
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FEDERAL: Opinion on Raids Condemns DEA Action
Opinionmakers joined protestors in speaking out against the coordinated,
simultaneous federal raids on 11 medical cannabis dispensaries in the Los
Angeles area. ASA was instrumental in the protests the day after and the
following Monday, which drew 100 and 500 protestors each.



Foolish and wasteful raids
EDITORIAL, Orange County Register (CA)
The storm-trooper-like raids Wednesday by the federal Drug Enforcement
Administration on 11 medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles County
were not only a waste of taxpayers' money – especially in an era of
justified concern over terrorism – they amounted to a concerted effort to
create misery among especially vulnerable people.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4031



Let them have their pot
by Manuel S. Klausner, Los Angeles Times
In the fictional world of the hit show "24," federal law enforcement
agencies are pouring every last resource into the search for a nuclear
terrorist in Los Angeles. In the real world, federal agents apparently have
so much free time that they can dress up in bulletproof vests and masks in
order to raid clinics that serve patients battling cancer, AIDS and other
diseases.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4064



Day After DEA Raids, Protests Spark in West Hollywood
EDITORIAL, LAist
In the wake of yesterday's LA raids by the DEA, about 100 protesters marched
in front of the West Hollywood City Hall this morning. Clearly the state of
medical marijuana in America has become the line in the sand between state's
rights and the power of federal law.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4043



Narrow medical pot-user list
EDITORIAL, Tracy Press
Eleven years after Californian voters passed Proposition 215 and four years
after state lawmakers clarified it, some people are going to great lengths
to prevent medical marijuana from getting to qualified patients.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4065

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FEDERAL: Simultaneous Raids on LA Dispensaries
The Drug Enforcement Administration may have intended to send LA-area
cannabis patients and local officials a message by raiding 11 dispensaries
simultaneously, including five in West Hollywood that were operating under
city supervision. The Los Angeles city council is working toward regulations
for the dispensaries operating there.



Medical marijuana raids are criticized
by Tami Abdollah, Los Angeles Times
A day after agents raided 11 Los Angeles County marijuana dispensaries,
local officials and residents complained Thursday that the federal
government was trampling on state laws that allow the cultivation and sale
of marijuana for medical uses. "In truth, what people all over the state are
saying is they want dispensaries regulated. That's not the same as saying we
want them closed down," said Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans
for Safe Access.

http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4034



WeHo demonstrators protest pot raids
by Tami Abdollah, Los Angeles Times
About 100 people demonstrated outside West Hollywood City Hall this morning,
protesting a series of federal raids that shut 11 outlets for medical
marijuana in the county. "There are hundreds of thousands of patients in
California who need safe and reliable access to a medication that their
doctors recommend they use and these raids are an example of the federal
government going out of its way to interfere with the lives of patients,"
said Steph Sherer, founder of Americans for Safe Access, a national advocacy
group for medical marijuana use, based in Oakland.

http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4047



Activists Rally As Feds Raid Medical Marijuana Clinics
by City News Service, NBC 4 TV (LA)
About 100 people demonstrated outside West Hollywood City Hall Thursday to
protest Wednesday's federal raids on 11 medical marijuana dispensaries in
Los Angeles County, organizers said. William Dolphin, a spokesman for the
Oakland-based pro-medical marijuana group Americans for Safe Access, said
the gathering was an "angry and concerned protest."

http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4044



Medical pot dealers protest
by Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Daily News
On Wednesday, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration raided 11 medical
marijuana clinics, seizing 5,700 pounds of pot and shaking up the
pro-cannabis community. "It looks like what they are trying to do is
intimidate and use fear to shut down the collectives," said Don Duncan, the
Southern California coordinator for Americans for Safe Access, a cannabis
advocacy group.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4042



Medical Marijuana Activists To Protest Raids
by Associated Press, KFSN ABC 30 (LA)
Medical marijuana advocates plan to demonstrate outside West Hollywood City
Hall this morning, after raids by federal agents shut down eleven outlets
around L.A. County. Medical marijuana advocate Steph Sherer denounced the
DEA for denying seriously ill patients access to marijuana that they
consider medicine.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4040



Federal Agents Raid 11 Medical Marijuana Clinics
by City News Service, KNX 1070 (LA)
Medical marijuana advocates plan to demonstrate outside West Hollywood City
Hall in the wake of Drug Enforcement Administration raids that shut down 11
outlets around Los Angeles county.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4039



DEA Raids Medical Marijuana Clinics In LA
Associated Press
Federal drug agents raided nearly a dozen medical marijuana clinics, seizing
several thousand pounds of processed marijuana, along with weapons and
money, authorities said.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4041



Feds Raid 5 Of 7 Medical Marijuana Clinics In WeHo
by CBS and the Associated Press, CBS 2 TV (LA)
Federal agents raided five of the seven medical marijuana dispensaries in
West Hollywood Wednesday, along with six others throughout Los Angeles
County, authorities said. Supporters of the medical marijuana dispensaries
said they plan to stage a protest at West Hollywood City Hall tomorrow to
condemn the raids.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4046



Agents Raid West Hollywood Marijuana Dispensaries
by NBC 4 and City News Service, NBC 4 TV (LA)
Federal agents on Wednesday raided five of the seven medical marijuana
dispensaries in West Hollywood, a city councilman said. "The DEA continues
to say that they are not going after patients," said Steph Sherer, executive
director of Americans for Safe Access. "But every time they raid a medical
cannabis dispensary, hundreds of the most seriously ill lose their access to
medicine.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4045

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CALIFORNIA: ID Cards Becoming Costly
State officials say they need to raise ID card fees to cover the cost of the
program, but the price increase is enough to further discourage patients
from opting in to the program. But even subsidizing the program could save
money, since the cards help law enforcement identify qualified patients and
keep them out of the judicial system.



Medical Pot Advocates Decry State Fee Increase
by Bay City News Service, CBS 5 TV (San Francisco)
A steep rate hike in state fees to obtain a medical marijuana identification
card has advocates worried about hassled patients and wasted police
resources. The rate hike "is obviously a significant barrier for patients
being able to receive the full protection of the law,'' William Dolphin,
spokesman for Americans for Safe Access, said today.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4032



Medical Marijuana Program card fee will jump to $142
by Josh Richman, ANG Newspapers
State-approved medical marijuana use is about to get much more expensive as
the state raises its voluntary identification-card fee almost elevenfold.
The fee increase "certainly will not encourage people" to rush out to get
the cards, said Americans for Safe Access spokesman William Dolphin. "It's
an additional barrier ... and a substantially higher cost than would seem to
be necessary for running the program."
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4055



Marijuana cards taking price hike
by K. Kaufmann, The Desert Sun
Call it the ultimate high. The cost for state-issued medical marijuana
identification cards is set go up March 1, from the $13 the state now
charges to $142.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4081

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VERMONT: Broader Patient Protections in Works
State lawmakers are being asked to broaden their medical cannabis law to
accommodate more patients and recognize reasonable cultivation amounts.



Panel approves expansion of medical marijuana program
by Nancy Remsen, Burlington Free Press (VT)
More Vermonters would have the option of using marijuana to treat severe,
persistent and debilitating symptoms that have failed to respond to other
medical treatments under a bill approved Friday by the Senate Judiciary
Committee.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4074



Senate committee wants to expand use of medical marijuana
Associated Press
The Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a bill that would expand
the state’s law to include more chronic disease symptoms and allow legal
users to grow more marijuana for their personal use.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4073



State Senate advances expanded Rx marijuana bill
by Louis Porter, Rutland Herald (VT)
After 1996, when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis after two years of
symptoms, Mark Tucci of Manchester began taking a battery of heavy duty
drugs. But those medications came with their own problems and side effects.
Then he began smoking marijuana.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4050



Panel approves expansion of medical marijuana program
by Nancy Remsen, Burlington Free Press
More Vermonters would have the option of using marijuana to treat severe,
persistent and debilitating symptoms that have failed to respond to other
medical treatments under a bill approved Friday by the Senate Judiciary
Committee.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4049



Senate committee wants to expand use of medical marijuana
WCAX TV News (VT)
The Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a bill that would expand
the state's medical marijuana law to include more chronic disease symptoms
and allow legal users to grow more marijuana for their personal use.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4048



Senate Judiciary Committee recommends expanding Vermont's medical marijuana
law
Burlington Free Press (VT)
The Senate Judiciary Committee recommended today modifications to the state’
s existing medical marijuana law.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4035

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SOUTH CAROLINA: State Considering Patient Protections
No one can deny either the efficacy of medical cannabis nor the moral
imperative of making it available to the seriously ill and dying once they’
ve seen it assuage the suffering of a family member or close friend. A South
Carolina lawmaker who had just such an experience is leading an effort to
remove criminal penalties there.



S.C. lawmaker proposes legalizing medical marijuana use
by Jim Davenport, Associated Press
A state senator whose first wife suffered a painful death wants the state to
legalize medical marijuana use.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4075

__________________________________________________________

WASHINGTON: Sentencing for Woman with Calif. Recommendation
While there are many advantages to allowing individual states the
opportunity to develop their own programs for providing or protecting access
to medical cannabis, the lack of federal recognition creates problems for
patients crossing state lines, even between two medical cannabis states.
Fortunately this woman will not do jail time, but wasting resources on this
sort of prosecution would seem to run contrary to the spirit of state
protections.



Patient gets home confinement for marijuana use
by Gene Johnson, Associated Press
A medical marijuana patient who lost her case before the state Supreme Court
last fall was sentenced Thursday to 60 days of home confinement after her
lawyers argued that she was too sick to spend any time in jail.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4063



________________________________________________
WASHINGTON: Implementation an Issue
Limitations on the state’s medical cannabis law may be preventing it from
protecting patients in the way it was intended to. Once voters or the
legislature act to remove criminal penalties for medical cannabis, they must
then confront how to allow for its use.



Patients struggle with legalized marijuana rules
by Jeff Humphrey, KXLY4 TV (Spokane)
Back in 1998 Washington voters passed an initiative giving people who suffer
from certain types of diseases the right to use and possess small amounts of
marijuana. But now even nine years later those same patients struggling to
make sure if they get the treatments they need they won't wind up here in
court.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4070



Case highlights medical-pot dilemma
by Diane Brooks, Seattle Times
The lush, green replacements began arriving the day after an Olympic
Peninsula-based drug task force raided Steve Sarich's North Everett home,
carting away an estimated 1,500 marijuana plants.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4068



Agents raid medical marijuana grower
by Rob Piercy, KING 5 TV (WA)
Investigators raided members of a medical marijuana advocacy group called
Canna Care, saying it was the home of a big-time drug dealer. But resident
Steve Sarich said it's a home of compassion, where cannabis plants are
sprouted and given to people who are sick so they can grow their own medical
marijuana.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4036

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DISPENSARIES: Serving Patient and Community Needs

The DEA raids (perhaps encouraged by the LAPD chief’s comments) made LA’s
dispensaries a media focal point, but other communities were wrestling with
the issue locally. For some, the closure of dispensaries are creating
problems for patient access. For others, whether to let them operate and, if
so, where and when are the questions.



Bratton Wants City To Examine Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
by City News Service, NBC-4 TV (Los Angeles)
The Los Angeles Police Commission agreed Tuesday to a moratorium on the
issuance of permits for new medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4076



Moratorium sought on new pot clinics
by Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
Concerned by a 2,350% increase in the number of medical marijuana
dispensaries in Los Angeles in a one-year period, Police Chief William J.
Bratton is calling for a moratorium on new facilities until strict rules can
be adopted governing them.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4079



Possible medical marijuana shortage here in the Valley
by Arnell DiMaandal, KESQ ABC TV (Palms Springs)
Medical marijuana patients may soon be facing a crisis here in the Valley.
That's because there might not be enough medical pot to go around.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4053



CAPS closure may leave only one dispensary in Coachella Valley
by K. Kaufmann, The Desert Sun (CA)
Medical marijuana users in the Coachella Valley may be facing problems
getting the drug as the possible closing of a dispensary in Palm Springs is
overwhelming the only other outlet in the area.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4082



It's official: CAPS is closed for good
by K. Kaufmann, The Desert Sun (CA)
The closed sign has been on the door at the Collective Apothecary of Palm
Springs since last Thursday, but now it's official. The medical marijuana
dispensary at 333 N. Palm Canyon Drive has closed permanently.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4052



CannaHelp holds open house, rally today
by K. Kaufmann, The Desert Sun
The doors at CannaHelp will be wide open today, but the medical marijuana
dispenary at 73-350 El Paseo will not be selling any of its usual products.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4051



Ferry Plans to Fight Pot Dispensary
by Kristopher Daams, The Signal
One of Santa Clarita's five city council members wants a local task force
aimed at combating drug and alcohol use to fight a proposed medical
marijuana dispensary reportedly making its way toward Castaic.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4083



Pacheco pot store ordered to close
by Ryan Huff, Contra Costa Times
A Pacheco medical marijuana dispensary must shut down because it has
operated for the past year without a proper zoning permit and stands in
violation of the Contra Costa's moratorium on such facilities, county
supervisors ruled today.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4077



Manteca seeks to weed out pot clubs
by Paul Burgarino, Tri-Valley Herald (CA)
While the national debate over the use of medical marijuana has yet to be
settled and a nearby city is debating the issue, Manteca city officials are
hoping to nip the cannabis club situation in the bud.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4067



Claremont applies additional pressure on marijuana dispensary
Claremont Courier
Last Friday, the city of Claremont served an injunction order on the medical
marijuana dispensary in an effort to force it to cease business operations.
At the same time, the city continues to fine Darrell Kruse, the owner of the
dispensary, $500 a day for operating his business without a city-issued
license. The fines began last Tuesday and have increased incrementally in
price each day, eventually capping at $500.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4066



A shift in values
EDITORIAL, Santa Cruz Sentinel
For the first time, since Californians authorized the use of medical
marijuana, Watsonville is being asked to come to grips with the implications
of the 10-year-old law.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4080

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CALIFORNIA: Return of Property Sometimes Sticky

Patients who have law enforcement encounters should be protected from arrest
or the seizure of their property, but occasionally a law enforcement agency
ends up with medicine belong to a qualified patient. Most understand they
should return what is legal property for patients, but some balk.



Grover Beach police ordered to return patient's pot
by Associated Press, Mercury News (CA)
A judge ordered Grover Beach police to return medical pot seized from a
medical marijuana patient who was acquitted of a drug possession charge.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4054



Grover Beach Officials Debate Return of Medical Marijuana
by Amy Andrews, KSBY NBC TV (CA)
Grover Beach city officials are meeting tonight, with an unprecedented task:
to decide whether to have the city's police chief return marijuana to a
local resident.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4037

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CANADA: Juries Can Acquit Medical Cannabis Defendants
Courts rarely inform jurors, in either Canada or the U.S., that they have
the right to find a person innocent--no matter what the evidence--if they
believe the law to be unjust. Such “jury nullification” is one way that the
people can directly have a say in the outcome of medical marijuana trials.



Jurors have options in a compassion club trial
by Neil Horner, Parksville Qualicum News (Canada)
If Central Island Compassion Club founder Mark Russell ends up going to
court to face charges of trafficking in marijuana, Chuck Beyer says he
should opt for a jury trial.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4078



CANADA: Private Suppliers Still Preferred
Health Canada has been providing cannabis to patients for some time now, but
many patients continue to criticize the quality of the government product
and seek out private suppliers. Unfortunately, some how are helping patients
run afoul of tight cultivation restrictions.



Pot bust concerns local medical user
by Rebecca Aldous, Ladysmith Chronicle (Canada)
A Ladysmith man is worried recent charges against a medical marijuana
supplier will force chronically ill people to the streets for their herb.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4069

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GREAT BRITAIN: Conservative Leader May Back Cannabis
Even though England is home to GW Pharmaceuticals, a company responsible for
a considerable amount of research and the development of a standardized
cannabis spray medication, the medical use of cannabis is still not
recognized. A conservative leader may help change that.



Cameron calls for legalisation of 'medical marijuana'
by Andrew Grice, Political Editor, The Independent
David Cameron, the Tory leader, has supported calls for cannabis to be
legalised for medical use provided that clear health benefits can be shown.
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4072


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