cannabisnews.com: Her Drug has Provided Healthy Dose of Reality Her Drug has Provided Healthy Dose of Reality Posted by FoM on February 06, 2001 at 10:06:29 PT By Tina Carlson, Correspondent Source: Ventura County Star Lisa Schwarz's long list of troubles was shortened last week when prosecutors dropped criminal charges against her and her husband, Craig, for cultivating marijuana. Using Proposition 215, the voter-approved medical marijuana act, as a defense against the charges, Schwarz, 44, of Camarillo, was able to convince Deputy District Attorney William Redmond that the 68 plants found at her home were necessary to her survival after a serious back injury she endured as a nurse left her 79 percent disabled. But the victory is bittersweet for Schwarz and others who opt for medical marijuana treatment rather than traditional prescription painkillers that Schwarz claims, in her case, are ineffective and debilitating. In order to live as normal a life as she can, Schwarz prefers medical marijuana and a home-based business over disability benefits and a morphine pump. But because of the ambiguity of the ballot measure passed by voters in 1996, the smoking, drinking and eating of marijuana with a doctor's recommendation still carries those who choose that path dangerously close to the front line of the war on drugs. The Schwarzes learned that lesson late one night 18 months ago when a dozen Ventura County narcotics SWAT team officers wearing black fatigues and carrying assault rifles held her family at gunpoint while her Camarillo home of 22 years was, as she described it, ransacked. "They came blasting into my house, it was unbelievable," said Schwarz, who lived with her adult children and a 3-year-old grandchild at the time. "I heard my daughter scream. When I walked into the living room, there was a gun 12 inches from (my granddaughter's) head. I picked her up and told them it was OK, the plants were mine. I knew why they were there, I just never expected them to come like that." Pointing a gun at any child is not proper procedure any time or place and allegations of such are treated seriously, said Chief Deputy Dante Honorico. But search warrant operations, especially for cultivation and possession of drugs, are regarded as hazardous operations. "Our people, when they go in serving a warrant, are ready for anything," Honorico said. "Even if you have good intelligence information, you cannot always rely on what's going to happen after you knock on the door. We are always ready for anything, just in case there is resistance from inside the house." Schwarz always feared that growing marijuana, though she had a doctor's permission and copies of the law posted at her home, would attract negative attention. But she said she never dreamed she would be degraded and dehumanized for six hours, then hauled off to jail and strip-searched -- twice. "It was very disgusting," Schwarz said, her voice cracking as she broke down in tears. "I always assumed that when people were accused of something they weren't treated badly until after they were convicted. But it was like I was a criminal. They hated that I could grow marijuana legally." People from all over the state and a dozen from Ventura County alone called to offer support and share similar experiences or their fears of being mistaken for drug dealers. "I feel like it's a drug war going on and they've blurred the lines," Schwarz said. "They've blurred the line and they're sucking in sick people. I feel bad for anybody who has to be part of this system. I hope our attorney general, Bill Lockyer, will show some leadership and come up with some guidelines for law enforcement." Tina Carlson's e-mail address is: carlsonw gte.netOn the Net: The Science of Medical Marijuana Web site is: http://www.medmjscience.org/ For medical marijuana resources from the patients who wrote Proposition 215, visit: http://www.marijuana.org/The U.S. Department of Justice Web site is: http://www.usdoj.gov/Search under "medical marijuana" for statistics and cases. Note: Marijuana: Traumatic bust and 18 months in the legal system steels ailing Camarillo woman. Source: Ventura County Star (CA) Author: Tina Carlson, CorrespondentPublished: February 6, 2001Copyright: 2001, Ventura County Star Address: P.O. Box 6711, Ventura CA 93006 Fax: (805) 650-2950 Contact: letters insidevc.com Website: http://www.staronline.com/ Related Article:Flynn Ponders Seeking Pot Limit http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8580.shtmlMarijuana Suit Could Set State's Limitshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8545.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by Frank on February 07, 2001 at 04:48:29 PT A Gun to a Child's Head? Defenseless non-violent people are easy targets for the Federal Thugs. These “Drug Warriors” are nothing but the worst of the worst. Any law enforcement officer who would put a gun to a child’s head has no business wearing a badge or carrying a firearm. This is an example of how far adrift the police have gone on their war on marijuana. The “Drug War” must be stopped. It is a true danger to Civil and Constitutional Rights. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Toker00 on February 06, 2001 at 18:49:36 PT Pace, pace. GGGGGGRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the words of wisdom, Kevin Hebert, Dan B. I would be one of the last to actually instigate violence. I addopted pacifism as a lifestyle back in the sixties, and I have stuck with it since. But our own f**king government has killed us, demonized us, made the sick suffer, stripped us of our basic civil rights, promoted racism, threatens to eradicate a world saving HERB for Christ's sake, and no one has fired a shot across their bow to warn them that enough is enough. Every day they introduce legislature to take our guns, and what's left of our constitutional rights away. Every day they continue to build prisons in anticipation of putting more of us in them. I know full well the hard work we do to promote drug reform. They have placed a mass murderer in the office of President. The voice of the people was clearly silenced. Do you really think they would allow us to vote their people out and let us vote our people in? Ashcroft was fought every step of the way. He's in. See a pattern here? I will wait to see what happens with drug reform. I'm not holding my breath. I have heard the voices of those in office who see our truth trying to persuade these bastards to listen to reason. And I have heard them rebutt them as crazies and co-conspiritors. They have stated time and time again that cannabis will NOT be allowed legal status in this country. And they mean it. Continually saying please, will not even crack their hard hearts. I was hopeful at one time. Very little now. But for now I keep patient for those who still have hope. Pacing, pacing, GGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!Peace, til the time comes. Realize, then Legalize. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by kaptinemo on February 06, 2001 at 18:22:11 PT: "Young Turks" and "Sick Turks" Okay, I'll dispense with the history lesson. Look it up yourselves.But we *are* the "Young Turks". The fresh ideas challenging the DrugWar Establishment with their tired old (bloody-handed, lying) ways. The only thing the antis have going for themselves is that they have the laws... (Being changed State by State by State, and in our favor) the judges... (Uh, some of them seem to have gotten fed up with mandatory minimums and have joined the reformers, sir) the guns... (How many citizens also have firearms? Wanna find out...the hard way? Keep treading on my Constitutional rights, antis; I was a grunt soldier, too. I swore the same Oath. Once you put up your right hand, it's for life. And from where I stand, I see lots of 'domestic enemies' such as the murderers of little Alberto Sepulveda.)Things are indeed rapidly approaching a point where the pols will be forced to make a very hard (for them) decision. Lately, the idea of scrapping the DrugWar in favor of more humane approaches is gathering mass amongst uncommonly brave pols, judges, philosphers, social scientists, the 'chattering class' of pundits...even some cops. The public is being turned, ever so slowly, our way. It won't be long until the momentum reaches critical mass. The antis know this. They fear this. They can't beat us in a debate. And they know that to engage in a kind of 'Tiananmen Square' standoff against peaceful protesters is to risk alienating ever larger groups of people who previously couldn't have cared less about the DrugWar, but are now hostile to it in principle. The Battle of Seattle taught them that. They have to put up some kind of defense for their actions - but how do you defend yourself against a charge of murdering small children while trying to 'save' them? This is why the antis are starting to make mealy-mouth noises about 'treatment', and trying to sound compassionate about those they happily, brutally dragged off to jail and stole from.Things are coming to a head. 5 years? I give it two. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Neutrino on February 06, 2001 at 18:11:57 PT Drug war violence It is unfortunate but true that violence breeds more violence. This war must end now or the pressure will build to the point of exploding. Not a prediction but an observation. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by freedom fighter on February 06, 2001 at 17:58:52 PT :) Let us put the Boston Tea Party this way It was an act of civil disobedience to the people living in America but it was an act of violence to the English people.No one got hurt because no one caught them doing this. America needs to change as soon as possible. I tell you this because I have been raided by those thugs not too long ago. It is truly an act of evil violence that does not keep you safe whatsoever. The detective who led the raid had 17 years of experience. He had been doing this for 17 years. Breaking people's door down.. Pulling guns on minors.. Using children to fight his dirty war. What I feel right now is to find out where his family live and wipe them off the face of earth. I am a man and I am patient.There is a fine line. I only hope that we as a group can stop this insanity. I know more people are talking about it. I just hope we are not too late. Drug War is like cornering a tiger into a corner, one knows what a tiger would do. The tiger is bound to attack and defend his right to live.Impeach those congresspeople, we know drug issue is a major issue. The tiger is pacing about and we need to tame it down. The need to change is greater now than ever before.I will not lose hope. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Duzt on February 06, 2001 at 17:16:37 PT the front liners You have a good point Dan B. I think when enough of the lower level people; police, judges, even jurors, see that the American people will no longer support this war, and that they won't look "soft on drugs" but "compassionate on people", they won't be afraid to make changes. If enough cases get thrown out, enough jurors refuse to serve on drug trials, and enough police refuse to arrest people for using the drug of their choice, the big shots will be forced to either accept the American mainstreams views, or step down, because they no longer represent us, they represent their own selfish interests. Oh, and I also think that if enough smokers "come out" since we really are stuck in hiding, they will have to give in, there are millions of smokers alone in this country, they can't arrest us all. http://www.wonderbuds.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Dan B on February 06, 2001 at 14:55:08 PT: I agree, freedom fighter. The so-called war on drugs is coming to a head, and those in charge will have to make some drastic changes in the next few years or, I predict, they will have a civil war on their hands. It may not be the kind of civil war we had back in the 1860s, where several states banded together against the other states in protest. No, I foresee a different kind of war--one where typical civilians take up arms against law enforcement thugs across the country. It used to be that just the drug dealers were involved with violence against cops, but now that gung-ho cops are wreaking havoc on innocents, it will be only a matter of time before the majority of U. S. citizens decide it is better to fight than to let the violence and killing continue. The epidemic of police violence has escalated exponentially in the past couple of years, and I predict that as long as true patriots continue to exert their rights against a tyrannical government, and as long as that government refuses to change its ways, the violence will continue to grow.I watched part of a made-for-TV movie on VH-1 (bear with me here) the other day in which a group of Vietnam War protesters had a face-off with a group of military police in riot gear. The military police were trying to intimidate and violently force the protesters into ending their peaceful protest. A leader among the protesters told everyone to link arms so that the MPs would not be able to physically break their protest, and then he got them shouting, "We aren't against the soldiers; we're against the WAR!" The police began to listen, and the violence died down. The scene ended with the classically late 60s-early 70s protest movie metaphor of a protester putting a flower into the barrel of an MPs gun. In order for such an action to take place, the MP has to hold the gun still so the protester can get the stem into the barrel. It was a beautiful scene, if a bit cliche--wonderfully choreographed. And, I know, it was just a movie.My point is this: the MPs in that scene weren't the higher-ups. They were involved in creating neither the war nor the policies that led to the war. They were the "grunts," the "enforcers," so to speak. These are the kinds of people in law enforcement that, to me, seem most willing to listen. Its the people who have 20+ years experience in SWAT teams that tend to be gung-ho trigger-happy drug warriors, not the young people who still don't quite know yet who they are, let alone know what to make of this war they're involved in. One sad thing about the war on some drugs--a war on citizens--is that it teaches those young people to be like the war-hardened old-timers. And maybe we have a shot at keeping this generation of cops from following in the old-timers' proverbial footsteps. Maybe we can get them to see that we who believe in reform, we who strongly disavow the bigotry of prohibition, are human after all. Maybe we can show them that we are not the ones instigating violence. I truly believe that's the only way we can win this thing. But we have to link arms and do it together.Already, we are seeing the fruits of our work: The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, The Washington Post, Newsweek, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Sun-Times, Jewish World Review, Christian Science Monitor, Austin American-Statesman, Sacramento Bee, The Ottawa Citizen, Psychiatric Times,--Do you know what all of these publications have in common? I bet FoM does. She's posted articles speaking out against the drug war, in one way or another, from all of these. And that is just a partial list of publications posted here on Cannabis News.If I had been asked five years ago how many of the fourteen major publications listed above would have made it to that list, I would have guessed maybe two or three.We're winning. I know it can be frustrating--I've vented probably more than my fair share of frustration in this forum. But don't lose hope. We'll be exchanging guns for daisies sooner than you might think.Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Kevin Hebert on February 06, 2001 at 14:02:03 PT: Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was less an act of violence and more an act of civil disobedience. No one was hurt during the Boston Tea Party. Civil disobedience in the drug war (such as lighting a joint in public, or even distributing clean needles in some places) will likely get you arrested. This does not mean you should not do it; it means you have to understand that your actions may have detrimental consequences.I also feel that the drug war will not last another 50 years. I would be surprised if it lasted another 5 years. However, I still feel the solution is through educating the public and working to organize mass support for this important cause. This fight will win because, as reform movements gain greater support, we will be able to get pro-legalization candidates into public office. Currently, no one in the US House of Representatives or the US Senate has made drug reform a major issue. But, if Congressmen begin losing their seats due to non-action on this issue, it will have a far greater affect than what can be acheived through violence, in the long run. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by freedom fighter on February 06, 2001 at 13:16:09 PT Boston Tea Party was no party. It was an act of violence that made consitution and so forth. Oh I do agree that violence is not the answer but sometime we have to draw line and use force to make the change. I do not think it is a good idea for drug war to continue for another 50 years. In fact, common sense tells me that there will be violence if we do not change the law very soon. How long can we put up with authorities using violence on its own citzens? There is a fine line there. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Kevin Hebert on February 06, 2001 at 12:05:53 PT: Violence not the answer I realize it's frustrating, knowing you are on the "right" side, when official policy is on the "wrong" side. However, we must never give in to the temptation to use violence to support our cause. Every day, many more Americans are waking up to the truth that the drug war is wrong, that it is wrong to imprison people who are not harming anyone but, possibly, themselves. Work to spread the truth.The drug warriors are using violence and intimidation on a daily basis to push their falsehoods and misconceptions. It is only working against them. We must not co-opt their reckless tactics and lose the hard-fought ground we have gained in this debate.Patience is the only thing we need to win. The momentum is on our side, and if we continue -- peacefully -- to work towards change, we will definitely win. There is no question about that. Whether it's in 5 years or 50, this madness will end. And when it does, let it be said that those of us who worked so long and hard shied away from the tactics of aggression used by those on "the other side." We will prevail. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on February 06, 2001 at 11:51:20 PT God, I hope I can wait. I hope I can hold my patience. I hope I can wait til enough of us have had enough of them. I hope I can wait til our numbers are large enough to take a stand as one against them. I hope I can keep my hands off my guns till they push enough of us to the brink. I hope I can restrain myself from being just one crazy rebel whose death would be just a flash in the obituary column. I hope I can find a reason to face life every day, knowing our country is no longer free. I hope I can be of a group who saved freedom, not one who acted too soon. God, I hope I can wait.Peace, til the time comes. Realize, then Legalize. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by freedom fighter on February 06, 2001 at 11:36:59 PT I know how she feels Americans should be really ashamed of themselves. We have allowed this to happen. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on February 06, 2001 at 11:03:59 PT: Disgusting Behavior "Pointing a gun at any child is not proper procedure any time or place"Then why does it happen all the time? I'll tell you: poor planning and malicious thuggery. We need law enforcement to deal with violent crime, not some disabled grandma. If they felt like arresting her, they could have waited to pinch her at the 7-11 or some other place without subjecting various people to the threat of accidental gunplay.Time for a change in law enforcement priorities. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Duzt on February 06, 2001 at 10:30:00 PT Free? "Our people, when they go in serving a warrant, are ready for anything," Honorico said. "Even if you have good intelligence information, you cannot always rely on what's going to happen after you knock on the door. We are always ready for anything, just in case there is resistance from INSIDE THE HOUSE." If anyone could please explain how it is we see ourselves as a "free" country, I would appreciate it. A older lady at home with her children and grandchildren poses a serious threat to our national security. I just watched some fugitive show on TV about a guy who was killing and eating kids. He had recipes at home like, "little boy stew". He even went to his neighbors house and made a nice spaghetti dinner for them, which turned out to be a missing boy from there city. He had been caught many times, once he tried to strangle a kid in his car, the kid got away, and he got a year before let out, they said he was "reformed". He had been caught and released MANY times because our laws couldn't hold him. Now he has killed more children and they can't find him. Good thing they're putting so much effort into the real bad people. Sick people at home, minding there own business. What a sick society we've allowed ourselves to become. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: