cannabisnews.com: Santa Cruz Officials to Defy Feds, Hand Out Pot





Santa Cruz Officials to Defy Feds, Hand Out Pot
Posted by CN Staff on September 13, 2002 at 06:41:30 PT
By Maria Alicia Gaura, Matthew B. Stannard
Source: San Francisco Chronicle 
Stung by last week's federal raid of a local medical marijuana collective, Santa Cruz city officials have issued a provocative public challenge to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Members of the raided group will distribute marijuana to their members Tuesday on the doorstep of City Hall. City Council members pledge to be on hand, and the national news media are expected to attend en masse to witness the event. 
"We want to call attention to this issue," Mayor Christopher Krohn said. "There was an injustice here being done, and I think it's incumbent of the elected representatives to stand up for their constituents and make a statement." City Councilman Mark Primack noted that the event will take place in a courtyard area that is a popular spot for free-speech events and that council members will attend as individuals. "We are not appearing on behalf of the city," Primack said. "But as individuals, we are expressing what we feel to be the entire community's outrage and our support for those who are struggling to make this program work. " Event organizers note that most of the people who will be lining up for their monthly allotment of marijuana on Tuesday are seriously -- some terminally -- ill. The question on everyone's mind is whether the DEA will risk a sure dose of bad publicity to make more arrests. "The thought is, do they want to come and confront a 70-year-old woman in a wheelchair?" said Santa Cruz City Attorney John Barisone. "The comments that council members are getting from people on the street are along the line of, 'With all of the things the DEA is responsible for, how did this get to No. 1 on the 'to do' list?' " Agency spokesman Rich Meyer said federal officials are weighing their options. "I can't comment now on our plans regarding" the public cannabis distribution, Meyer said. "But marijuana is illegal to cultivate, possess or distribute in any amount. They will be breaking federal law. "We are appalled that elected officials would break federal law in that way, " Meyer continued. "They're sending the message that in Santa Cruz, you only obey the laws you like. And that is a recipe for chaos." The Santa Cruz standoff was sparked on Sept. 5, when agents raided the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, seized 167 marijuana plants and arrested founders Mike and Valerie Corral -- who helped draft Proposition 215, California's 1996 medical marijuana initiative. The Corrals were freed and driven back to Santa Cruz the same day, and the U.S. attorney's office has not yet filed charges in the case. The raid infuriated local officials, who had cooperated closely with the Corrals for six years to craft a system to define medical users, issue identification and provide organically grown pot free of charge. It also led state Attorney General Bill Lockyer to fire off a letter to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft asking for a meeting to "discuss the federal government's unprecedented attacks on locally authorized medical marijuana operations." Complete Title: Santa Cruz Officials to Defy Feds, Hand Out Medical Pot at City Hall Snipped:  Complete Article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/09/13/BA153687.DTL Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)Author: Maria Alicia Gaura, Matthew B. Stannard, Chronicle Staff WritersPublished: Friday, September 13, 2002 Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Chronicle -  Page A - 23 Contact: letters sfchronicle.comWebsite: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/Related Articles & Web Sites:WAMMhttp://www.wamm.org/Cannabis Action Network http://www.cannabisaction.netAmericans for Safe Access http://www.safeaccessnow.orgNews Articles on WAMM Raidhttp://freedomtoexhale.com/valc.htmMarijuana Showdown Looms in Santa Cruz http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14091.shtmlCity Leaders Back Medical Pot Giveawayhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14085.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by RavingDave on September 13, 2002 at 19:07:38 PT
Oh Really?
"They're sending the message that in Santa Cruz, you only obey the laws you like. And that is a recipe for chaos." What kind of message is the DEA sending? I'm sure there are plenty of laws which fall under their jurisdiction to enforce. By choosing to harass the sick and dying, they are sending a similar message - namely, that they only enforce the laws they like. I'm sure chaos will be forthcoming.
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Comment #4 posted by TecHnoCult on September 13, 2002 at 07:52:14 PT
Good Idea
Windmistrel, that's a good idea. There is a way to easily detect that, and I have forgotten. (I am ashamed to admit that I am a web application developer, but I don't pretend to be an expert.)THC
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Comment #3 posted by Windminstrel on September 13, 2002 at 06:55:21 PT
logs
Sent something about it to comments address
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 13, 2002 at 06:50:21 PT
Windminstrel 
No I don't know how to do that but maybe I could ask Matt and see if he knows how to check.
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Comment #1 posted by Windminstrel on September 13, 2002 at 06:47:22 PT
Will it do any good?
The DEA won't raid this group, of course. However, once the bright lights come down they'll continue their assaults on the cannabis cooperatives. What good will this do? Unless the city is willing to get into the distribution business, they won't be able to stop the DEA jackboots.On a separate note, hey FoM: Do you scan the logs for this server? How often are people from .gov addresses hitting this site?
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