Conyers asks DEA to explain raids on medical marijuana patients and suppliers

[babylonsister]

Legislator asks DEA to explain pot club raids

Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, May 8, 2008


(05-07) 17:40 PDT WASHINGTON -- A congressional leader, citing complaints from Bay Area mayors and lawmakers, wants the Drug Enforcement Administration to explain its increased use of "paramilitary-style enforcement raids" and property forfeiture orders against medical marijuana patients and suppliers in California.

With drug trafficking and violence from international cartels on the rise, "do you think the DEA's limited resources are best utilized conducting enforcement raids on individuals and their caregivers who are conducting themselves legally under California law?" House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., said in a letter to the agency.

He also noted the DEA's recent tactic of sending letters to hundreds of property owners who rent to medical marijuana dispensaries, advising them that they could be prosecuted and lose their property under federal law.

Property forfeitures, Conyers said, have typically been reserved for "the worst drug traffickers and kingpins" and might have the unintended effect of driving medical marijuana distribution underground. Medical marijuana advocacy groups say the letters have led to evictions and closures of dozens of supply shops that had been operating with state and local approval.

The congressman also asked how much the DEA was spending on the raids.

more...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/07/MN7C10IO0L.DTL&tsp=1

[truedelphi]

1. Here's his question:

"With drug trafficking and violence from international cartels on the rise, "do you think the DEA's limited resources are best utilized conducting enforcement raids on individuals?"

And the answer from any Crime Family is "Yes" and "Yes" and "Yes"

How can the Bush Crime Family keep its hold on power if individuals can be their own source for drugs?

[Wizard777]

2. They are shooting fish in a barrel.

If Conyers thinks that property seizures are used against the worst drug trafficers. He need to do some research. It's more likely to be used against middle class america than a drug king pin. But that is because the DEA has discovered that drug enforcement is dependant upon middle class attitudes toward drugs. In area's where the middle class thinks drugs aren't all that bad. Enforcement is typically lax.

[duhneece]

3. Am so glad Conyers is asking this question

New Mexico recently saw a bust of a patient using NM-legal medical marijuana. So sad, such a waste.
Why aren't more Reps asking? rhetorical q

[Wizard777]

4. The state of california needs to sue the DEA for fraud and perjury before Congress.

For the DEA's claim that Marijuana has no medical uses when it obviously does. The DEA can't say we didn't know. Before it was made illegal for racist reasons. Marijuana was a base for 85% of the countries medicines.

[Uncle Joe]

5. The Orwellian "War on Drugs" is nothing but an illusory premise for waging

war against the American People's freedom and privacy for the sole purpose of dis-empowering the people from participation in their government.

When the people are disenfranchised, the corporations and mega rich are the only beneficiaries, this whole asinine policy of waging war against an inanimate object is nothing but a shell game. In short, the same powers that pee their ideology of trickle down economics are afraid of our freedoms.

Thanks for the thread, babylonsister.