Urge your mayor to denounce the DEA's threats

Marijuana Policy Project Alert: Calif. December 19, 2007


TO: Norma Harrison
FROM: Karen O'Keefe, MPP assistant director of state policies

The DEA (drug enforcement administration) is mounting a statewide war on
California's medical marijuana providers. They have
put all of California on notice, and many Bay area landlords have recently received
the asset forfeiture threat letter that has
plagued Los Angeles since the summer. The DEA's threats are imperiling safe access
for patients throughout the state.

Last week, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers, Jr. announced
that he would hold hearings on the DEA threat.
It is vitally important that the mayors of affected cities speak out against the
DEA's war on safe access to medical marijuana.
Please help energize local mayors. Urge your mayor to support the recent statement
by Congressman Conyers. Ask him or her to call on
the judiciary committee to initiate in-depth oversight hearings on the DEA's tactics
immediately.

Please take the time to contact your mayor now:

Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco
phone: (415) 554-6141, fax: (415) 554-6160, e-mail: gavin.newsom [at] sfgov.org

Mayor Tom Bates of Berkeley
phone: (510) 981-7100, fax: (510) 981-7199, e-mail: mayor [at] ci.berkeley.ca.us

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles
phone: (213) 978-0600, fax: (213) 978-0750, e-mail: mayor [at] lacity.org

Mayor Heather Fargo of Sacramento
phone: (916) 808-5300, fax: (916) 264-7680, e-mail: hfargo [at] cityofsacramento.org

Mayor Marty Blum of Santa Barbara
phone: (805) 564-5321, fax: (805) 564-5475, e-mail: MBlum [at] SantaBarbaraCA.gov

Congressman Conyers' statement reads:

"I am deeply concerned about recent reports that the Drug Enforcement
Administration is threatening private landlords with
asset forfeiture and possible imprisonment if they refuse to evict organizations
legally dispensing medical marijuana to suffering
patients. The Committee has already questioned the DEA about its efforts to
undermine California state law on this subject and we
intend to sharply question this specific tactic as part of our oversight efforts."

For articles on the DEA's threatening letters to landlords, click here, here,
and here.

Please be sure to contact your mayor today. We have no time to lose. Safe
access is in serious jeopardy. No asset forfeiture.
No more raids. No more arrests. No more threats. California needs safe, affordable,
legal access to medical marijuana.

Together we can make a difference!

This effort is endorsed by: ASA, California NORML, DPA, MPP, and the Patient
Advocacy Network.

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