cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Advocacy Group Raided in Everett





Medical Marijuana Advocacy Group Raided in Everett
Posted by CN Staff on January 19, 2007 at 09:03:42 PT
By The Associated Press 
Source: Associated Press
Everett, WA -- About 1,500 marijuana plants and computers have been confiscated from a house serving as headquarters of the medical marijuana advocacy group CannaCare, authorities said.Six plants and some documents were taken the same day from the home of John Worthington, a CannaCare associate in Renton, but as of early Friday no charges had been announced and leaders of the group denounced the action as politically motivated harassment for activity they said was legal under state law.
The raids on the homes of Worthington and Steve Sarich, head of CannaCare, were conducted by the federally funded West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team on Jan. 12, five days before a series of raids on nearly a dozen marijuana clinics in the Los Angeles."Since they don't like medical marijuana, this is an attack on the people that support it," Sarich said.Worthington noted that he sent information to the Legislature last week accusing members of the drug team, which is based in Kitsap County, across Puget Sound from Seattle and Everett, of circumventing state law by turning marijuana cases over to federal authorities.California, Washington and nine other states allow limited possession and use of marijuana for medical treatment. The state laws are not recognized by the federal government, which bans marijuana altogether."It's clear that Sarich is a guy that's selling drugs," said Roy Alloway, a detective assigned to the multiagency team.Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez, another member of the team, said the case was still under investigation."Our intent is to disrupt mid- and upper-level marijuana manufacturers," Rodriguez said.State law limits an individual's marijuana for medical use to a 60-day supply, and Sarich had much more pot in his house than he needed for his own medical authorization, Alloway said.Sarich, 56, denied being a drug dealer and said CannaCare merely provides starter marijuana plants to people who, like himself, take pot to ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, cancer and other diseases.Most of the pot seized in the raid was unrooted cuttings and starter plants, only a few ounces of pot were found and the drug team also seized $1,020 that he needed to pay his utility bill, he asserted.In addition, he said the computers taken from his home contained records on 200 people who are authorized under state law to receive marijuana for medical purposes."We don't sell any pot," he said. "What they were doing is harassing us to get patient names. It was a political assassination."Patients in the CannaCare network fear prosecution for using pot despite being authorized by their physicians, said Steve Newman, who has multiple sclerosis and has been using marijuana for two years."Who knows what they're doing with our information?" Newman said. "It makes me concerned - really, really concerned."Alison Chin Holcomb, director of the Washington American Civil Liberties Union's Marijuana Education Project, said Sarich might have been targeted for because of his outspoken advocacy."He certainly wasn't afraid of getting the attention of law enforcement," Holcomb said.Source: Associated Press (Wire)Published:  Friday, January 19, 2007Copyright: 2007 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:CannaCarehttp://www.cannacare.org/Medical Marijuana Advocate Fuming Over Raid http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22537.shtmlAgents Raid Medical Marijuana Advocacy Officehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22529.shtml 
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on January 20, 2007 at 21:45:33 PT
Publicbulldog
I hope you can do something about those State Officers and counties ignoring the medical cannabis laws and looking for ways to circumvent them. I think by busting you...they may have opened a Pandora's Box that will reveal how they've been ignoring the law and the will of the people and actually conspiring to commit criminal activities, themselves. Really criminal. Not the insane thing where having a plant is a crime that you are having to suffer through.More power to you, John. More power to you. Bulldogs are famously tough, persistent, protective, responsible, talented, courageous, and resilient. I bet you are too.
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Comment #11 posted by publicbulldog on January 20, 2007 at 21:12:55 PT:
long since out of cannacare
----- Original Message ----- From: "john worthington"  
To:  
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 7:07 AM 
Subject: out of cannacare   Hello Ken, 
Steve told me he got rid of a bunch of plants to stay below the federal limit. 
He did not. 
He just branched out to vancouver and bellingham. 
this is something I do not support. 
I feel steve made this decision alone. 
He told me he was reducing his numbers. 
Instead he has grown his numbers. 
I am not comfortable with steve telling us one thing and doing another. 
He is risking everyone in his organization. 
I have dropped out of his organization effective today. 
Steve is setting everyone up for a conspiracy Charge. 
The feds do not like us all spread out. 
The love it when they can go to one organization and round us all up. 
Steve is creating a round up. 
I am not going to be part of steves roundup. 
I suggest you don't be either. 
He wants you to help him move those things again. 
I would not become a party to an obvious conspracy. 
You thought you were helping him. 
But he did not disclose to you that those were still his plants. 
He did not adhere to our advice. 
he simply told us what we wanted to here,they were gone. 
I don't trust steve anymore. 
I feel he is setting up medical marijuana patients like bowling pins. 
John 
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Comment #10 posted by Toker00 on January 20, 2007 at 05:57:52 PT
Publicbulldog.
There have been words of warning all along about ID. As far as the Domineering Egotistical Assholes think, being registered as a medical marijuana patient is like a Hippie smoking a joint in front of the Federal Building. Everything they see, hear, smell or think about cannabis is black. Where there should be tolerance, there is black. Where there should be compassion, there is black. Where there should be logic, there is black. Because cannabis prohibition is a black op. A Corporate Black Op. As long as we head toward and embrace Corporatism as government, the Op will continue. It's not just Medical Marijuana they want prohibited. It's Hemp, too. God bless you for your courage! Thank you.Toke.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on January 19, 2007 at 23:42:46 PT
Publicbulldog.
This shouldn't be happening to people and I'm so sorry it is happening to you. The ridiculousness, in the world we have today, of sending in government agents to harass and harm a group of compassionate people working to help alleviate the misery of others, is simply beyond comprehension. Why? Why are the harrassers getting away with it? What a cruel, stupid, wicked, and demented society that allows and supports this sort of crazy behavior by their "authorities".Publicbulldog, my heart and prayers are with you and I hope and pray your case goes well for you.And thank you...for trying to help people, in spite of the risks.
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on January 19, 2007 at 23:30:03 PT
The stress of this must be awful
for people who are already ill anyway. It is awful.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on January 19, 2007 at 21:18:04 PT
publicbulldog 
I don't know what to say. I think you should be careful in what you say publically. People have had their comments  used against them in court.
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Comment #6 posted by publicbulldog on January 19, 2007 at 20:54:45 PT:
my bust is a round up scam
My real name is John Worthington. I was busted on friday. I was busted because of my very loose association with a medical marijuana dispensary club that distributed clones, and happened to keep MEDICAL RECORDS at the same location as the clones. This was not a mistake. This was a multi state operation to round up medical marijuana patient records with the help of pot/club dispensaries. Notice oregon had no such operation. Because they have no pot/club dispensaries. More importantly they have no embed operatives to rack em up for the DEA. Cannacare is an organization whose sole purpose is to rack em up and push for a dispensary law that continues to rack em up. I have submitted e-mails to my Attorney and this will all come out in court. Steve Sarich lies like a rug telling every news channel in town that WE sent a study to the legislature. This study ,my study promotes a state ,County,or city approved Medical marijuana distribution system that will be immune under the federal controlled substances act. Steve Sarich has sent e-mails that protested this study from going out. Steve Sarich stands for a dispensary law. in my study there is no mention of a dispensary law. there is only a section that promotes a legal medical marijuana distribution system that will be immune under the federal controlled substances 885 d. Steve Sarich can sue me for libel. I have submitted the chain of command of this dispensary dea wet dream that Steve Sarich,and two other non profit organizations are promoting. Norml,and the marijuana policy project support this blatant Rack em up franchise. My Attorney told me to not talk to the media,OR THE POLICE. After watching Steve Sarich lie like a rug all day I had to respond. I was busted because the feds are worried about Washington State forming a legal medical marijuana program that would render the DEA,and drug task forces useless. They had to lash back to save the careers of task forces that would not be able to round em up,and they have to stop my movement to prevent other states from ending their round ups in the future. Medical marijuana patients beware
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Comment #5 posted by laduncon on January 19, 2007 at 13:15:38 PT
Perhaps a lawsuit is in order...
"It's clear that Sarich is a guy that's selling drugs," said Roy Alloway, a detective assigned to the multiagency team.Given that Sarich has neither been charged or convicted of such a crime, Roy Alloway should be much more careful with his choice of words, especially his accusations. A lawsuit alleging slander by Alloway against Sarich could help Sarich's position by implying/pointing out selective prosecution as well as malicious intent to hurt his reputation and business.Sarich, 56, denied being a drug dealer and said CannaCare merely provides starter marijuana plants to people who, like himself, take pot to ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, cancer and other diseases.Detective Roy Alloway is not judge, jury, and executioner; he is only a detective. Perhaps it is time he is reminded of that reality (legally i hope).Since Alloway did not write this article himself, it is not libel but instead slander. However, the reporter who took the quote would be able to provide corroborating evidence/witness testimony as to Alloway's slanderous accusations.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on January 19, 2007 at 11:40:48 PT
HempWorld
That's really good news. Thanks.
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Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on January 19, 2007 at 10:19:51 PT
1st Complete Cannabis Pharmacy Opens In Holland
In sharp contrast to the USA, where dispensaries and patients are raided by agents in masks, in the Netherlands the 1st ever Medicinal Marijuana Dispensary opened its doors in Groningen today! Called "De Cannabis Apotheek" Here is my attempt to translate and the original article in Dutch below:Translation: So called 'mediweed' or mediwiet can be legally purchased on prescription at this establishment. The price is 5 Euro (approx 5x1.30= $9.50) for 0.8 grams as opposed to the 9 Euros, the regular price in a general pharmacy in the Netherlands. This "Cannabis Pharmacy" was started on initiative of Groningen city councimember Fleur Woudstra. Mediweed is grown by Bedrocan in Groningen and is distributed by the Medicinal Cannabis Bureau of the national Ministry of Health. Woudstra worked 2 years on making affordable quality mediweed available to approx. 15,000 aids, cancer and MS patients and other chronic diseases. Mediweed has been available nationally since 2003.
However, the majority of insurance companies did not reimburse the medicinal cannabis purchases.In turn, patients then starting buying cheaper cannabis in the coffeeshops. The cannabis in the coffeeshops would often be impure with contamination of pesticides or herbicides but also small metal parts and sand, according to Woudstra. The mediweed in this Cannabis Pharmacy is cheaper than the coffeeshops because it is delivered in wholesale quantities and packaging. The pharmacy is supervised by the Dutch inspection of health ministry and only sells cannabis. Cannabis is available with a prescription throughout the Netherlands. End translation.Apotheek voor medische cannabis 
Door onze correspondent Groningen, 19 jan. 
In Groningen is vandaag de eerste officiële cannabisapotheek van Nederland geopend. Op recept kan er legaal mediwiet worden gekocht, tegen een lagere prijs dan bij gewone apotheken. 0,8 gram cannabis kost er maximaal vijf euro, tegen negen euro in een reguliere apotheek.De cannabisapotheek is een initiatief van het voormalige Groningse raadslid Fleur Woudstra (Fleurig Groningen) en de patiëntenvereniging van Stichting Medicinale Cannabis Nederland. De mediwiet wordt gekweekt door Bedrocan in Groningen en wordt gedistribueerd door het Bureau Medicinale Cannabis van het ministerie van VWS.Woudstra ijverde ruim twee jaar voor verstrekking van betaalbare legale cannabis op recept. In ons land gebruiken naar schatting 15.000 aids-, kanker- en MS-patiënten en andere chronische zieken cannabis als medicijn voor vooral pijnbestrijding. Sinds 2003 is het op recept verkrijgbaar.Het merendeel van zorgverzekeraars vergoedt de mediwiet echter niet, waardoor veel patiënten de goedkopere cannabis in de coffeeshop kochten. „Maar die bevat vaak pesticiden, bestrijdingsmiddelen en ook metaaldeeltjes en zand”, aldus Woudstra. De mediwiet in de Groningse apotheek is ook goedkoper dan die in de coffeeshop, stelt ze, doordat die in grootverpakking wordt aangeleverd. De apotheek staat onder toezicht van de Inspectie voor de Volksgezondheid en verkoopt alleen cannabis. Er wordt op recept geleverd in heel Nederland.Nobody can stop this!
1st Complete Cannabis Pharmacy Opens In Holland
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on January 19, 2007 at 09:49:52 PT
More Good News 
Judge Orders Police To Return Pot To Calif. Man***January 19, 2007(AP) SAN LUIS OBISPO -- A judge is ordering Grover Beach police to return medical pot seized from a medical marijuana patient acquitted of a drug possession charge.Superior Court Judge Michael Duffy in San Luis Obispo has mandated return of the 20 grams of marijuana. Grover Beach Police Department plan to return the pot to Kenneth Parson by 5:00pm Friday.By returning the marijuana, the city will avoid $5,900 in attorney's fees and fines.The marijuana was seized by police when Parson was stopped for a traffic violation. Parson was later charged with misdemeanor possession, but acquitted.Parson had the valid doctor's consent required under the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The state law allows those with a doctor's recommendation to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal medical use. Copyright: 2007 The Associated Presshttp://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_019121712.html
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 19, 2007 at 09:45:55 PT
A Little Good News from Vermont
Senate Judiciary Committee Recommends Expanding Vermont's Medical Marijuana Law***Published: Friday, January 19, 2007The Senate Judiciary Committee recommended today modifications to the state’s existing medical marijuana law.The changes would included expanding eligibility, allowing out-of-state doctors to decide patient eligibility, allowing more plants and cutting the annual registration fee.The bill goes to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee before it makes its way before the full Senate.Find full coverage on this story in Saturday's Free Press.
 Copyright: 2007 Burlingtonfreepress.com http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070119/NEWS/70119035
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