cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Backers Stage Protests Across US Medical Marijuana Backers Stage Protests Across US Posted by CN Staff on June 06, 2002 at 19:19:00 PT By Todd Zwillich Source: Reuters Activists criticizing the US government's partial crackdown on the medical use of marijuana launched a nationwide string of protests at Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) offices Thursday. Federal police arrested 10 protesters who had chained themselves together here outside of Justice Department headquarters, federal police confirmed. Activists said they were protesting DEA plans to crack down on "cannabis clubs" in California, cooperatives that grow marijuana and distribute it to patients with AIDS, cancer and other ailments. Protests were also planned for Thursday afternoon outside of DEA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia and at 55 other DEA offices around the country, according to activists. A federal district judge in San Francisco is expected to issue a permanent injunction early next week against the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative and four other similar organizations in California. Judge Charles Breyer already issued a temporary injunction against the cooperatives in October 1998 and ordered federal marshals to occupy the Oakland club when members defied his order in May 1998. Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said in an interview that DEA officials have raided five "buying clubs" in California since October. "Instead of five raids since October we might see five in the next week" after the court issues its ruling, he said. As many as 20 similar clubs currently operate in the state, he said. Parts of the case went before the US Supreme Court earlier this year, which ruled 5 to 3 that medical necessity is not an allowable defense against federal drug charges. Cooperatives brought their case back to federal court in California arguing that federal officials were violating states' rights and individual doctor-patient relationships by cracking down on the clubs. "The federal government for political reasons having nothing to do with healthcare has been blocking patients' access to medical marijuana," said Robert Raich, an attorney representing the cannabis clubs. California is one of eight states that allow individuals to grow or use small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes as long as the use is ordered and supervised by a doctor. California's cannabis clubs, while not legal under state laws, have largely been ignored by state and local authorities there. But federal drug officials have vowed to take further action against the clubs. "Cannabis is illegal under federal law," said Thomas Hinojosa, a DEA spokesman. The cannabis clubs "are actually marijuana distribution centers. We will enforce the Controlled Substances Act," he said. Hinojosa said that the DEA views state medical marijuana laws as "lacking scientific basis." But the agency has largely ignored individuals in those states who grow and use marijuana for their own medical use. While the agency does consider such users criminals, "that appears to be a local law enforcement issue. We target organizations," Hinojosa said. Source: ReutersAuthor: Todd Zwillich Published: June 6, 2002Copyright: 2002 Reuters HealthRelated Articles & Web Sites:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Americans for Safe Accesshttp://safeaccessnow.org MPP Protest Pictureshttp://www.mpp.org/june6.htmlPatients Challenge Feds' Crackdown On Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13062.shtmlMarijuana Praised Despite Legal Issues http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13056.shtmlStop the War on Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13053.shtmlMany PHOTOS. 10 Arrests at Washington D.C. DEA. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13062.shtml#8 Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by freedom fighter on June 06, 2002 at 23:03:42 PT Thomas Hinojosa, a DEA spokesman We, the 75% of America population consider you..a WAR CRIMINAL.ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by eco-man on June 06, 2002 at 21:15:42 PT Video. 10 D.C. DEA arrests at medical MJ protest. The first arrest warning is at just over 9 minutes into the streaming video. If you have the free Real Player, the video starts playing soon (10 to 20 seconds) after clicking this link: http://flow.mediavac.com/ramgen/sinkers/2002/dojJun0602.rmGo to the first indymedia link below to see the video article. More comments, links, and photo links are there. http://dc.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=24165There is a link there (and copied below) to a good streaming video of Washington DC DEA protest and arrests for medical cannabis June 6 2002. The video played fine for me with the free RealOne Player. The free player can be acquired at http://www.real.com --Real.com homepage. Once at the homepage go halfway down the page until you see the link called "Free RealOne Player." Click it and follow the instructions for downloading. You do not need to give any credit card numbers, etc. in order to get just the free player. If they ask you for your credit card number, then they are offering you a free short-term trial of MORE than just the free player. You CAN get the free player BY ITSELF without giving up any financial info. Once the player is downloaded and installed, just click the .rm link below to see the video. ----------------Medical Marijuana "Jump-Out Squad" Scores at DOJ! http://dc.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=24165by Mike Flugennock 9:21pm Thu Jun 6 '02 flugennock sinkers.org Drug War Resisters demand AG Ashcroft and DEA "Cease and Desist" from ignoring voters in California, Alaska, Hawaii and several other states and persecuting the seriously ill who use marijuana medicinally on instructions from their doctors. RealVideo, 16:00 http://flow.mediavac.com/ramgen/sinkers/2002/dojJun0602.rm---end of D.C. Indymedia message--- [ Post Comment ] Post Comment