cannabisnews.com: White House, Oregon Battle Over Medical Marijuana White House, Oregon Battle Over Medical Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on October 13, 2003 at 12:21:03 PT By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press Lebanon — The Bush administration and the state of Oregon have already picked public fights over doctor-assisted suicide.Now, the battle has spread to the backyards of Oregon residents who have a state license to grow marijuana for medical use — like Travis Paulson, a Lebanon resident who got an unwelcome house call from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency recently. The agents confiscated 104 plants from Paulson's home, despite his state license. DEA agents said they were simply enforcing federal laws against growing pot.The raid marked the second time in a year DEA agents have seized marijuana cultivated in Oregon for medicinal uses."(The Bush administration) is very quick to say they believe in states' rights, except for (these issues) and anything else they don't agree with," said Oregon House Rep. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene.Brian Blake, spokesman for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said federal drug agents are not targeting Oregonians who grow medical marijuana but are going after what he called "the marijuana threat." And medical marijuana, he said, "is part of the marijuana threat."DEA investigators raided Paulson's home on Oct. 2 after receiving a tip about his marijuana crop and obtaining a search warrant, said DEA spokesman Tom O'Brien.O'Brien said DEA agents confiscated 48 mature marijuana plants and 56 immature plants, far more than what Paulson is allowed under state law.By law, residents who are licensed to grow marijuana for medicinal use can have three mature plants and four immature plants. Paulson concedes his 48 plants, which measured 10 to 12 feet high, exceeded that amount.But he said he cultivates marijuana to maturity only in the summer and harvests that crop for his entire yearly use. The 56 immature plants were clones he intended to plant next spring, he said, and he anticipated becoming a caregiver for another patient.Paulson was not arrested. DEA reports were forwarded to the U.S. attorney's office for possible criminal charges, O'Brien said.Kevin Neely, spokesman for the state attorney general's office, said that although residents who participate in the state medical marijuana program are operating legally under state law, they still risk federal prosecution."There's nothing we can do to remove that risk or minimize that risk," Neely said.Oregon has 6,062 licensed medical marijuana patients, state records show. The state also has 3,815 licensed caregivers, who are legally allowed to furnish marijuana.Blake, the federal drug office spokesman, said the Bush administration's position is that the medical marijuana issue is being pushed by people who want to legalize drugs. "If you look at the people who are behind these initiatives, where the money is coming from," said Blake, "the groups that are out there presenting marijuana as medicine, they aren't the American Medical Association."Paulson said it doesn't make sense that state and federal officials can't resolve the conflict. "This has to be resolved. It just can't go on. My life is controlled by the state. Those are the laws I follow."Information from: The OregonianSource: Associated Press Published: October 12, 2003Copyright: 2003 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:SOMM-NEThttp://www.somm-net.org/Patients Defend Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17028.shtmlMedical Marijuana Giving Cops a Headache http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16993.shtmlMedical Marijuana Connection Growing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14706.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by ekim on October 13, 2003 at 18:53:12 PT Law Enforcement Against Prohibition http://www.leap.cc/events/events.php Oct 14 03 Roswell Mid Lions Club 12:00 PM Peter Christ Roswell New Mexico USA Co-Founder and Retired Police Captain lunches with the Lions at the La Villa Nursing Home. Oct 14 03 Alamogordo Lions Club 06:00 PM Peter Christ Alamogordo New Mexico USA Co-founder and retired Police Captain dines with the Lions at Maximino's. Oct 15 03 Substance Abuse & Crime Class, WNMU 08:00 AM Peter Christ Silver City New Mexico USA Co-founder and retired Police Captain challenges students at Western New Mexico University to consider the implications of prohibition on crime statistics. Oct 15 03 Military Officer Association of America, Albuquerque 06:00 PM Peter Christ Albuquerque New Mexico USA Co-founder and retired Police Captain speaks to the retired officers of the armed forces about drug prohibition. Oct 16 03 Deming Rotary 12:00 PM Peter Christ Deming New Mexico USA Co-founder and retired Police Captain visits Luna County and lunches at the Rio Membres CC. Oct 16 03 Soccoro Lions Club 06:00 PM Peter Christ Soccoro New Mexico USA http://www.leap.cc/events/events.php Co-founder and Retired Police Captain dines with the Lions at the Val Verde Steak House. Oct 17 03 HEMP TV Interview 09:00 PM Peter Christ Albuquerque New Mexico USA co-founder and retired Police Captain Peter Christ travels to Albuquerque for a live interview. Channel 27 in Central New Mexico. Oct 18 03 Military Officers Association of America, Roswell Branch 06:30 PM Peter Christ Roswell New Mexico USA Co-founder and retired Police Captain goes back to Roswell to speak with the retired officers of America's armed forces. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by BigDawg on October 13, 2003 at 12:37:53 PT Your right... The groups pushing for MMJ are medical organizations from the REST of the world.Wake up America.... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment