cannabisnews.com: DEA Letter Targets Medical Marijuana





DEA Letter Targets Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on August 19, 2008 at 14:51:54 PT
By Roger Phelps, The Telegraph
Source: Folsom Telegraph
California -- A threat from federal drug officials is forcing El Dorado County’s medical-marijuana clinic to lease a new headquarters.The Medical Marijuana Caregivers Association of El Dorado County previously leased from a landlord who received written notice recently from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The notice said the agency had discovered the lease agreement between the caregivers association and the landlord, and warned the arrangement violated federal drug law.
Matt Vaughn, director of the local caregiver association, said budget matters are forcing a move at the same time the DEA letter is, so it could be worse.“The consequences are minimal for us, but in general, if they did get a DEA letter, it’s going to cost a landlord a good renter,” Vaughn said.In 2007, the agency began warning landlords, all of them in southern California.“The goal is advice,” said Special Agent Sarah Pullen. “The Los Angeles field office sent out nearly 200 letters.”In bold-face type, the letters warned landlords that California’s 10-year-old Compassionate Use Act legalizing use of medical pot did not protect them from federal law criminalizing the providing of space for distributing any drug named on the federal Controlled Substances List.“Violation of this law is a felony crime, and carries with it a penalty of up to 20 years in prison,” the letters said. “In addition, federal law allows for the seizure of assets, including real property, which have been used in conjunction with the distribution of controlled substances.”Soon, the notice program expanded to northern California.“The DEA San Francisco Office sent out approximately 50 letters to property owners,” said Special Agent Casey McEnry..The DEA does not recognize California’s voter-approved legalization of medical marijuana. Pullen said the DEA is out to shut down all California med-pot dispensaries by any legal means necessary.“There are hundreds of them in L.A.,” she said. “Our resources are limited. We use them as we can.”She declined to provide a cost estimate for the letter-writing program.Source: Folsom Telegraph (CA)Author: Roger Phelps, The TelegraphPublished: August 19, 2008Copyright: 2008 Gold Country MediaWebsite: http://folsomtelegraph.comContact: rogerp goldcountrymedia.comCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on August 21, 2008 at 11:45:02 PT
OverwhelmSam
That's not a bad idea if the older Democrats are stuck in the past or heavily tangled up with Lobbyists in my opinion.
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Comment #17 posted by OverwhelmSam on August 21, 2008 at 11:40:31 PT
FoM
I recognize the need for more Democrats, I'm suggesting that we also consider replacing existing Democrats with newer Democrats who are more in touch with the real world.
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on August 21, 2008 at 05:35:57 PT
OverwhelmSam
I will vote like I have in the past to get more Democrats in power so it stifles the Republicans. Nothing can change in my opinion unless we get a lot more Democrats in power. 
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Comment #15 posted by OverwhelmSam on August 21, 2008 at 03:57:45 PT
FoM
It's not just the Prsident who can effect change, we really do have to query everyone seeking elected office from district prosecutors and judges to governors and federal representatives. I mean really, voting for a guy when you don't know where they stand just doesn't make sense in our current political situation.
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Comment #14 posted by ekim on August 20, 2008 at 18:09:38 PT
how much clothing is being made today
http://cannabisnews.com/news/11/thread11260.shtml
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Comment #13 posted by Storm Crow on August 20, 2008 at 17:28:08 PT
One of the main objections....
To hemp cloth is that it needs to be "broken in" and is apparently scratchy at first. These guys have found a way around the "breaking in". If you buy hemp clothing, only buy things you really like- hemp is remarkably durable! Those hemp jeans will likely be passed on to the original owner's son or daughter! There are "perfectly wearable" hemp shirts that are over 100 years old in many museums. How many poly blend shirts do you own that are even 20 years old, and still "good"? How many fell apart? Hemp could become a dangerous enemy to the synthetic fiber industry, especially now since the main hassle with it is apparently gone! 
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Comment #12 posted by HempWorld on August 20, 2008 at 09:57:23 PT
Off topic, the Dutch forge ahead with HEMP!
This gives me and hopefully you all, hope:Hengelo Begins With Hemp Harvest
Published: August 19, 2008 15:52 | Updated: August 19, 2008 15:52 Our correspondent Enschede, the Netherlands (EU).August 19 in Hengelo (Gelderland) yesterday started with the harvest of hemp for the manufacture of jeans by the German Jeans Manufacturer Gardeur.It is about hemp where no active ingredient (THC) in it. 'If you want to be high, you need to smoke a whole lorry full' said spokesman Eric Toussaint of the Wageningen University (WU). The hemp is grown commissioned by various research institutes and companies in the Netherlands and Germany, including the Wageningen University. The project was developed with subsidies from the European Union. The University began twenty years ago with the development of hemp as a crop. 'In those days it was very bad in the arable and we were looking for new opportunities,' said the spokesman. The advantage of hemp over cotton is that the cultivation and processing is environmentally friendly, says Toussaint. For the production of hemp per kilo thousand litres of water needed for a kilo of cotton 25,000 litres. 
Moreover, the crop hardly suffer from diseases and pests, thus reducing pesticides. 
Also hemp has a very low fertilizer requirement. 
Wageningen University sees good opportunities in time for the manufacture of textiles from hemp. The jeans are probably about a year away from being in the store. 'There are already hemp jeans, but this is the first time on this scale hemp is grown and processed, 'said the spokesman.In total, this year in the Netherlands and Germany nine hectares of hemp harvested. The intention is that next year hundred hectares are cultivated.It is the specially bred to race Chamaeleon. At present the company Stextile the Gelderse Laren, builds a barrel in which 150 kilos of hemp can be made suitable for processing by weavers. This is on the basis of a process called 'steam explosion.'A pair of hemp jeans also feels just as if a 'normal' jeans, says Toussaint.
 posted: http://hempworld.com/hemp-cyberfarm_com/htms/articles/hengelohemp.html
On a mission from God!
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on August 20, 2008 at 09:37:33 PT
These Times
I'm living right now on a roller coaster ride. The times starting about now will be the most exciting times for me and I know many people. What a beautiful future we might be able to have. If I didn't have hope I would have quit a long time ago. We can't let them steal this election too. I think a riot would break out if they do it again against such a popular progressive person as Senator Obama. 
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Comment #10 posted by duzt on August 20, 2008 at 09:27:37 PT
polls
I don't believe much of what polls have to say. I get the feeling more Democrats just hang up the phone when those people call and more republicans are desperate to say stuff, they seem to love to hear their own voices. If McCain wins it will be because he stole the election like in past years. I talk to a lot of folks on both sides and nobody I have talked to (even hard core republicans) are voting for him. If McCain does win it will give me a good reason to move back to Brazil. So it's a win-win for me. Brazil will dominate the US in the next centuries so that may be the best option anyway. Either way, it's going to be a super fun next couple of months, I just love having to watch political commercials non-stop. 
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Comment #9 posted by dongenero on August 20, 2008 at 09:17:08 PT
where we'll be- where we are.
http://www.lukecole.com/Electoral%20Maps/Maps10.htm
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on August 20, 2008 at 09:13:27 PT
dongenero
If McCain wins I say take a look around and this will be our future. I would feel sorry for the younger generation because I don't think they have any idea what it would be like. 
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Comment #7 posted by dongenero on August 20, 2008 at 09:05:44 PT
duzt-it's not a forgone conclusion
McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.I sure hope people will stand up for change when the time comes. The thought of another 4 years of McBush policy is really troubling. 
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on August 20, 2008 at 09:00:06 PT
Duzt
I have never had this much hope as I have right now. I also believe this election will change the course of our country for many years to come. I see a new beginning. I see hard times that will shake many to the very core. Then I see smiles. If the road goes the other way I see nothing.
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Comment #5 posted by duzt on August 20, 2008 at 08:49:59 PT
this shop is s good one
I know the people who run this shop and they are doing everything by the book. There is no reason for them to be harassed as they are business people and pay taxes and do a great job with their customers. This really shows the DEA is just intimidating everybody without considering the business. It seems they had planned a move anyway but the DEA needs to focus on real drugs like meth and not medical marijuana patients. The DEA is pretty much the mafia at this point, thankfully, with Obama, this won't be happening anymore.
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Comment #4 posted by NikoKun on August 20, 2008 at 08:28:44 PT
Nothing they say
can change the fact that this IS a threat!
It's not advice, it's not a warning... It's a threat.They are well within their ability to leave rented properties to the renter...
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Comment #3 posted by mykeyb420 on August 19, 2008 at 19:46:42 PT
She declined to provide a cost estimate ?
Can we get this info from the F.O.I.A.?
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Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on August 19, 2008 at 15:02:27 PT
MPP's New Videos
The multitude of incidents are very compelling and perhaps even motivational. Very well edited, wonder if they'll use them in their advertising campaigns?: http://tv.mpp.org/shorts/the-human-cost-of-marijuana-prohibition-part-1/
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 19, 2008 at 14:56:09 PT
Booze Kills, Pot Doesn't
By Bruce Mirken, AlterNetAugust 19, 2008URL: http://www.alternet.org/story/95656/
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