Kharla Vezzetti

Feb 4th, 2009 – While the DEA continues to stage medical marijuana raids in California, nearly three-quarters of voters think President Obama should honor his campaign pledge to end the raids, according to a poll of 1,053 likely voters by Zogby International.

In a question sponsored by NORML, voters were asked: During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama said he would stop federal raids against medical marijuana providers in the 13 states where medical marijuana has become legal. Should President Obama keep his word to end such raids?…

A White House spokesperson has told the Washington Times that the Obama administration will re-evaluate policies of DEA interference in state medical marijuana laws.

“The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the federal government, he expects them to review their policies with that in mind,” White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said.

Obama repeatedly said during his campaign that he would end the DEA raids, and that he supported medical marijuana “with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors.”…

February 3 – California NORML has confirmed reports of four DEA raids in L.A. today. Contrary to rumor, no doctor’s office was raided. The raids were all “smash and grab” operations: agents took medicine and money, destroyed surveillance cameras and grabbed computers, but did not arrest anyone.

The professionalism of the operations was questionable. In one case, agents reportedly failed to leave a written receipt for cash that was seized. No rhyme or reason was apparent in the selection of targets, other than they were in the same neighborhood.…

January 31, 2009 – Last February, I was among 70 North American delegates at the UN NGO consultation on drug policy in Vancouver. Representing NORML, I called for an end to the criminalization of cannabis users. The overwhelming consensus of the conference was that current policies are excessively punitive, and should be revised in the direction of harm reduction. This conclusion was admirably reflected in the official report of the conference.

Unfortunately, the US delegation to the UN has strongly opposed our position, adopting the hard-line prohibitionist stance of the Bush Administration.…

Jan 30, 2009 — The newly released biennial Attorney General’s Survey of Student Drug Use in California shows that marijuana use among 7th. 9th and 11th graders remained stable during 2007-8, but reports an “alarming rate” of prescription drug abuse.

“The survey confirms that California’s medical marijuana law has had no adverse impact on youth marijuana use,” comments California NORML coordinator Dale Gieringer. “At the same time, it shows that youth prescription drug use has been seriously underestimated in the past.”…

January 23, 2009 — Cal NORML is sorry to note that the DEA yesterday conducted its first medical marijuana raid under the Obama administration. Agents raided the Holistic Solutions facility in South Lake Tahoe, taking cash and product but not arresting anyone.

Supporters are urged to call the White House and ask that Obama act promptly on his pledge to end DEA medical marijuana raids. The White House hotline phone is 202-456-1111 and the website is www.whitehouse.gov/contact/. Or use their FAX line (open weekends) at 202-456-2461.…

Buoyed by Obama’s election and the end of the Bush regime, California NORML will be pushing for meaningful changes in marijuana enforcement in the coming year.

* END FEDERAL RAIDS AND PROSECUTIONS

An immediate, high-priority goal is to realize Obama’s pledge of ending DEA medical marijuana raids in California. Scores of raids have been reported in the last year, including several since the election.

Over 100 defendants have been cited with federal charges for medical cannabis under the Bush regime, according to a compilation by Cal NORML.…

California NORML Release – Dec 12, 2008

The California Police Chief Association urged the DEA to close medical marijuana distribution centers, seize their profits and prosecute them in federal court, according to a letter to DEA administrator Karen Tandy. The letter, dated Oct 2, 2006, appears in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee.

In the letter, CPCA President Steve Krull specifically called on the DEA to “send a message to local and county governments that medical marijuana is not allowed,” in disregard of Prop 215, state law SB 420, and local ordinances that authorize licensed dispensaries and patient collectives.…

Cal NORML Release – Nov. 24, 2008

In a blow to medical marijuana providers, the California Supreme Court ruled that defendants are not entitled to a defense as Prop. 215 caregivers if their primary role is only to supply marijuana to patients. The court unanimously overruled an appellate court decision in the case People v. Roger Mentch, writing:

” We hold that a defendant whose caregiving consisted principally of supplying marijuana and instructing on its use, and who otherwise only sporadically took some patients to medical appointments, cannot qualify as a primary caregiver under the Act and was not entitled to an instruction on the primary caregiver affirmative defense.…