cannabisnews.com: Medical-Pot Backers Protest To Feds Medical-Pot Backers Protest To Feds Posted by CN Staff on June 07, 2002 at 08:15:27 PT By Brian Seals, Sentinel Staff Writer Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel Medical marijuana proponents on Thursday protested increased action against pot clubs by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration during the past year.As part of a nationwide protest, about 35 medical-marijuana users from Santa Cruz were among a group asking the agency to end enforcement against medical-marijuana clubs. Some 47 "cease and desist" requests were slid under the doors of DEA offices in San Jose, said Valerie Corral, executive director of WAMM, an area medical marijuana cooperative. "That’s quite a few people willing to say their names out loud," Corral said by phone from a Dominican Hospital room, where a fellow medical user is on life support.The protests were launched in 50 cities, according to the group Americans for Safe Access. A protest in San Francisco resulted in the arrests of six people for obstructing the entrance to a federal office. Medical-marijuana patients say the increased federal enforcement is a strain on the morale for people living with painful and sometimes life-threatening illnesses."It feels like harassment pure and simple," said Suzanne Pfeil, a member of WAMM who suffers from post-polio syndrome. "They are harassing sick people."Supporters say the federal government is not heeding the will of the people in states where medical-marijuana measures have passed at the ballot box. California approved medical use in 1996 under Proposition 215."Whatever happened to the democratic process?" Corral said. While for the most part, local and state authorities have not cracked down on medical users, the DEA began raiding marijuana clubs and cooperatives last year. San Francisco DEA spokesman Richard Meyer said the agency is only doing what its is required to do under federal law."We are committed to doing our job, and our job is to enforce federal laws," Meyer said. And what about the will of voters in states that have approved it?"That’s for the politicians to resolve," Meyer said.Last May the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that medical necessity is not a defense for possessing pot. Since then, there have been DEA raids on medical pot clubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, El Dorado County and, last month, in Santa Rosa.Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)Author: Brian Seals, Sentinel Staff WriterPublished: June 7, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Santa Cruz SentinelContact: editorial santa-cruz.comWebsite: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/Related Articles & Web Site:WAMMhttp://www.wamm.org/Protestors Decry Medical Marijuana Raidshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13065.shtmlMarijuana Backers Stage Protests Across UShttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13063.shtmlMany PHOTOS. 10 Arrests at Washington D.C. DEA. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13062.shtml#8 Video. 10 D.C. DEA arrests at Medical MJ Protest. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13063.shtml#1 News Reports from Richard Lake, Mapinc. Senior Editorhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13065.shtml#12 Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by The GCW on June 07, 2002 at 13:31:18 PT Retired Police Officer / testimony I am neither for nor against marijuana. I do know that pot smoking causes law enforcement zero problems. The prohibition of pot causes police officers and others to die every day. And for what? Howard J. Wooldridge Retired Police Officer GCWGCWGCWGCWCanada: PUB LTE: Smoke Screen Pubdate: Fri, 07 Jun 2002 Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1055/a03.html?397 If this were pursued more, we would see more of these! We know these people are out there! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment