cannabisnews.com: Pet Shop Raid Nets Pot Stash Pet Shop Raid Nets Pot Stash Posted by CN Staff on June 18, 2002 at 14:14:22 PT By Alison Soltau, Special To The Examiner Source: San Francisco Examiner When Gary Thomas' pet shop, Exotic Pets, started to smell suspiciously like backstage at a Cypress Hill gig, a police raid found what they claim was one of The City's largest illegal drug factories, containing 500 marijuana plants. But Thomas told police he had chronic backaches and District Attorney Terence Hallinan assured him that, under Proposition 215, he could grow dope to toke away the pain -- without being weeded out by cops. While San Francisco police have their largest dope seizure in two years, and the officers involved are being nominated for a department commendation, they have not arrested Thomas. The police say they have to powwow with Hallinan this week. Hallinan's spokesman declined to comment last week, saying the DA would wait for police to investigate further and present a criminal case. "We could smell a real heavy odor of marijuana and people were complaining that it was coming from Exotic Pets," Sgt. Ricky Galande said of last week's raid. Police broke through a padlocked door inside the shop and discovered a sophisticated hydroponic system supporting about 500 cannabis plants in an 18-by-30-foot room. " Thomas told me he was growing it because it was legal for him to do so, under Prop. 215 for his bad back," Galande said. "He said Terence Hallinan told him it was OK to do that. "We said, 'We don't believe you.'" Police are investigating where the dope was being taken and whether it was part of a larger drug operation, unrelated to medical-marijuana consumption. Galande suspected Thomas was using the pet shop as a cover for a drug den, hoping the smell of animal feces would disguise the waft of the weed. He said he expected to charge Thomas this week after Taraval district Capt. Denis O'Leary discussed the case with Hallinan. Thomas could not be reached for comment.Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA)Author: Alison Soltau, Special To The ExaminerPublished: June 18, 2002Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Examiner Contact: letters examiner.com Website: http://www.examiner.com/ Related Article & Web Site:Marijuana Advocates Cheer on Hallinan http://freedomtoexhale.com/nc.htmFeds Should Stop Their Attack, Listen To People http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13087.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #12 posted by FoM on June 18, 2002 at 19:54:21 PT p4me Do you have the link to the article? I'd like to post it but haven't found it so far. Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by p4me on June 18, 2002 at 19:08:59 PT Asa shows his true self to the British Bongme is about a fifty year old man that puts up news articles at the DE website and someone made a remark that lacked the apreciation of the man's good works and good intetions. This message is here because of Bongme. Asa Hutchinson is talking his turn at being laughed at by another English speaking country and this time it is the UK.U.S. drugs head slams soft UKhiBy Sinead O'HanlonLONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. drugs chief has slammed Britain's controversial "softly softly" approach to cannabis, saying a high-profile pilot programme has only increased usage in drug-plagued areas. Asa Hutchinson, director of the powerful U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday that a flagship south London pilot programme -- where police stopped arresting people for cannabis possession -- had seen a jump in cannabis users and led children to believe it was legal. "Clearly, the evidence is that the pilot project in that area where they only issued citations for marijuana use, rather than an arrest, is that it increased usage," he said "Wherever you are dealing with harmful drugs, that is not the objective that we want to have." Hutchinson, in Europe to discuss international drug strategies and attend a high-level crime conference in London, said police were dealing with the cannabis problem from the standpoint of prioritising thin resources. "But that is sending a very mixed message to young people. As I travelled the neighbourhood, I asked about the young people and the impact on them and the response that came back was that most of them think it is legal now. "I have great concerns about the debate that may lead to a reduction of enforcement activities on cannabis. If we are to effectively confront drugs problems in our society, we cannot accept the myth that marijuana represents no harm -- it does."SOFTLY SOFTLY The "softly softly" approach to cannabis in south London was pioneered by Metropolitan police commander Brian Paddick -- dubbed "Commander Crackpot" by the media -- who was later transferred out of the area pending an investigation that he allowed cannabis to be smoked in his home. The programme has provoked widespread debate in Britain, which has one of the highest levels of drugs use in Europe -- particularly among the young with a third of teens admitting to regular use of marijuana. A recent government survey in the U.S. showed about 18 percent of those aged 18- 24 had used illegal drugs, falling to nine percent of those aged 12-17. Critics blame the tolerant British approach for increasing numbers of young children smoking the drug and for bringing them into contact with dealers. But last month, a parliamentary committee report urged the government to face reality and relax rules governing use of the drug enjoyed by around five million people across the country. Home Secretary David Blunkett has said he wants to downgrade cannabis to the lowest risk Class C drug category, making possession of small amounts a non- arrestable offence. A two-year independent inquiry concluded in 2000 that police wasted too much time trying to clamp down on soft drugs -- but meanwhile Britain tops the European Union in drug-related deaths, mostly from heroin.WAR ON TERRORHutchinson said the DEA's work had changed significantly since the attacks of September 11, with more importance placed on the gathering and sharing of intelligence internationally. "There is a clear connection between drugs and terrorism. As long as you have drug trafficking, there will always be a funding pool for terrorist activity," he said. The U.S.-led war on terrorism in Afghanistan and the replacement of the Taliban by a new government had reduced the amount of heroin coming out of the region by up to 30 percent this year but it would be an ongoing battle. Hutchinson denied that the war on drugs could never be won, saying it was "being won every day" and that drugs usage had dropped 50 percent in the U.S. over the last 20 years. "We have to demonstrate that we have had success and that we will continue to have it...not give in to those who advocate giving up our anti-drug efforts."Bongme1,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by mayan on June 18, 2002 at 17:47:38 PT Listen... to the "9/11 and the Public Safety" press conference! http://unansweredquestions.org/audio.php9-11 and the Public Safety: Seeking Answers and Accountability - http://unansweredquestions.org/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by mayan on June 18, 2002 at 17:39:57 PT OOPS! Try this one... 9/11 SURVIVORS STAGE PROTEST: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/50173.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by The GCW on June 18, 2002 at 17:37:50 PT BGreen One way to look at it is to ask: What would Jesus do? He chose to break the law in order to heal the sick. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by mayan on June 18, 2002 at 17:30:08 PT An Open Letter... from Mike Ruppert to KPFK, Los Angeles. Regarding the ongoing censorship of Mike Ruppert by KPFK: http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/061702_kpfk.htmlS.F. attorney: Bush allowed 9/11 - Victim's Families Sue - http://www.examiner.com/news/default.jsp?story=n.lawyer.0611w9/11 SURVIVORS STAGE PROTEST: http://www.nypost.com/images/ads/trip/trip.htmConspiracy theories and real reporters: http://onlinejournal.com/Commentary/Binion061702/binion061702.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by BGreen on June 18, 2002 at 16:15:02 PT Shown, not Showed OK, I live in the sticks. It just happens.Now, I's fixin' t'eat, 'cuz I's hungry. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by BGreen on June 18, 2002 at 16:08:31 PT Small or large Just completely legalize.A young man I met in Amsterdam, a legal, card-carrying MMJ patient in CA, KNEW what was going to happen, and he split the country. He said the patients WILL be targeted.Now, even though he has a cancerous brain tumor and is HIV positive, he's doing amazingly well, and credits cannabis for his survival. He has a job in a health food store, will soon get his MMJ from the pharmacy, and I've got to tell you, he changed my life in a POWERFUL way.I acted in a rather strange way, first apologizing for what my country did to him, and then for what people calling themselves "Christians" have done. With tears welling up in my eyes, I told him that MY Christ, Jesus Christ, has always showed compassion to the sick, even when NOBODY ELSE CARED!He looked a little shocked, but I hope I had as much of an impact on him as he did on me. I spend most of my time trying to explain Ashcroft and Bennett, rather than showing the REAL Jesus, who spent His life helping the sick and dying, even when He was accused of breaking the LAW (the Sabbath) to do it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by E_Johnson on June 18, 2002 at 15:58:31 PT Try again http://www.vasilisa.com/LACRC/overcome.ram [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by E_Johnson on June 18, 2002 at 15:57:35 PT Everyone sing this at 4:20 We">http://www.vasilisa.com/LACRC/overcome.ram">We Shall Overcome [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by paul peterson on June 18, 2002 at 15:18:49 PT: E Johnson good point: The sickest, worthiest patients can't grow themselves. The most interesting slant in all of this: 1) If the drug companies really wanted to "profit" from this scenerio, they would try to "worm in" on the deal, by producing a standardized "green pill" or something, and then cooperate with the "club style" distribution of this stuff. That way, the company that got involved (with initial investment of time, money, political capital), would have a "market share" guaranteed by their good PR, etc. 2) Instead, the DEA is forcing people to go the route of the "Oregon" type programs, which bipass any federal "commerce clause" intervention "excuses, by mandating no commerce at all, meaning no "bulk" grows and sales, distribution or even purchases. 3) I postulated this last fall, I think, where the local regulators would a) hire some public employees to be the "tender" class, and b) go into peoples' homes with seeds, dirt, pots and lights, and c) do a regular "seed, feed & weed" on the plants owned directly by the patient. No money out, no money in, no pot in, no pot out, you get the picture-a sad face for the DEA, because then it becomes a totally "local" issue, etc. That's why all the "Action" for the DEA is in places like California, because they need this testosterone pumping cash machine to get the juices rolling. 4) Now, if we wanted to roll back the "negative" publicity that the "movement" keeps getting about medical marijuana from those pesky "busts" they keep doing, everybody get out of the "business" end of the deal. Right now, everybody thinks because of the 5/14/01 decision, MM is a thing of the past! Dead wrong-Only the sale is still the issue! That's where this California case is causing a stir-Hillahan may just have to agree with the cops-Due to the shear number of plants involved (500). Or he might say this is a "reasonable amount, etc., if the guy says with a straight face he uses that all himself (not likely). But remember, Terry IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR. And if anybody has a good reason to try to keep his citizens outa jail come November 5, 2002, it's him (Iii'm not gonna make book on this because I don't know what duress the DEA a) has available there right now, b) wants to bring to bear or c) the DEA could do without a riot on their hands. Anybody else have some bets on this one? PAUL PETERSON 312-558-9999 http://ILLINOIS-MMI.org [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on June 18, 2002 at 14:35:17 PT Personal cultivation issue is not about medicine I think there is something kind of bizarre going on with this spreading idea that enforcing Prop 215 means allowing small marijuana grows and busting large ones and arguing over the line between small and large.That approach is a good approach if the idea is creeping legalization for everyone. Now it is normal for mariuana activists to want this, but why does it seem that the public is also wanting this?However, patients are not best served by personal cultivation. Marijuana growing is not easy, it is physically and mentally challenging and someone just diagnosed with cancer can't wait for a plant to grow before starting chemo.To best serve patients, someone somewhere is going to have be growing 500 plants at a time.The DEA claims they are not going after patients. What they really mean is that they don't have the resources to go after small grows. But going after the large growers for the clubs ends up harming the most vulnerable patients, because they are the ones incapable because of medical urgency or physical illness of growing their own.It's a sick sad situation, yet the people doing it still somehow manage to feel proud enough of what they are doing to show up for work every day. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment