[jimimac]

CALL ON MONDAY AND EVERYDAY (202) 456-1111

Here’s the ASA’s response:
“DEA Scoffs Obama: Raids California Dispensary
Call the White House Immediately!
Dear ASA Supporter,
Can you believe that DEA would act so quickly to undermine and disregard the statements made by President Obama?
Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration, currently staffed by officials from the Bush Administration, raided a medical cannabis dispensary in South Lake Tahoe, California. They did so knowing full well that President Obama has repeatedly pledged to end federal threats, arrests, and prosecutions of patients and their providers in medical cannabis states.
You can see video clips of Obama's statements here and here.
We are shocked and awed! For DEA to act with such brazen arrogance and in direct conflict with the new President’s pledge to end federal raids is deeply concerning. With only weeks left in office, it is clear that top DEA officials are using this transitional period to exploit the differences in policy between the old and new administration.
We need you to act… and we need you to act NOW!
Call President Obama and urge that he issue an immediate suspension to all federal funds used to investigate, intimidate, arrest, and prosecute individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their state laws. Call the White House at (202) 456-1111 and say:
"Hi, my name is _____________. Today, the Drug Enforcement Agency raided a medical cannabis dispensary in Tahoe, California. The dispensary was raided by DEA despite numerous statements by President Obama saying he would end federal interference with state medical cannabis laws. I'm very concerned about outgoing DEA officials undermining these state laws and aggressively threatening innocent Americans. I'm also concerned about DEA taking action that is an affront to President Obama's position. I am pleading with President Obama to issue an immediate suspension of all federal funds used to investigate, intimidate, arrest, or prosecute individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their state laws. We are being threatened by our own DEA. Please help us."
President Obama's position on medical marijuana is no secret. This is the single most important action you have been asked to take this year. We need President Obama's support. Once you’ve made this phone call, please forward this message to friends and family. Then visit www.whitehouse.gov/contact to copy and paste the above message.

Sincerely,

George Pappas
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access”


Peace, jimimac

[billdotcom]

saw this on the news...terrible obama says 1 thing and they (dea) do another...sounds like business as usual to me obama needs to put these people in their place...go investigate baseball and hgh

[jimimac]

Hey now Billdotcom Nice post. Apparently not enough WT’ers called the pez because the DEA raids have continued IN FORCE- four in one day, targeting Southern California medical supplier.

Call Obama (202) 456-1111. Protest the DEA raids; tell’em put an end to this BULLSHIT!!!

The following is from ASA:
“For Immediate Release: February 4th, 2009
Medical Marijuana Activists to Protest DEA Raids in Los Angeles
Rally on Thursday at 12pm seeks policy change from President Obama
Los Angeles, CA -- A spirited mass protest at the Los Angeles federal building tomorrow at noon will call on President Barack Obama and his newly seated Attorney General Eric Holder to end federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids on medical marijuana patients and providers. Several DEA raids have occurred since President Obama took office, the latest of which occurred yesterday in Los Angeles. Whether or not the raids are being led by Bush Administration officials, medical marijuana activists are urging an immediate end to such policies. Also, a recent poll by Zogby International indicated that 72% of U.S. citizens want President Obama to end medical marijuana raids by the DEA.

What: Spirited protests urging President Obama to keep his campaign promise to end federal medical marijuana raids
When: Thursday, February 5 at Noon
Where: Los Angeles federal building at 255 E. Temple Street

Despite public statements to end federal raids in California and other medical marijuana states by then-Senator Obama during his campaign for president, outdated Bush Administration policy continues to be enforced. On January 22, federal agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in South Lake Tahoe, followed by multiple DEA raids yesterday in Los Angeles. The raids in Los Angeles occurred even as the City Council there is deliberating an ordinance regulating medical marijuana facilities. "It is long past time for the federal government to stop interfering in the implementation of California's medical marijuana law," said Don Duncan, California Campaign Director with Americans for Safe Access, the advocacy organization calling for the protests. "President Obama should quickly end these harmful enforcement tactics and live up to his campaign promises."

Los Angeles City Council member Dennis Zine previously stated in a letter to the DEA that, "Voters in California and in Los Angeles support the medical use of cannabis and want safe, well-regulated access. Medical cannabis facilities are a community based response to the need for safe access and represent the State of California's effort to fully implement California’s medical cannabis law." Council member Zine, a Republican and former LAPD officer, has been leading the effort to establish local laws, in accordance with recent guidelines issued by California Attorney General Jerry Brown, which recognize the legality of medical marijuana dispensaries under state law.

Over the past two years, the DEA has disproportionately targeted medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles, raiding dozens of the facilities in an attempt to undermine their effectiveness. In the summer of 2007, the DEA went further and began threatening landlords with federal prosecution if they continued leasing to dispensary operators. These federal actions against state-sanctioned medical marijuana distribution are not only harmful to patients that rely on these facilities, but also impact the state's flagging budget. Advocates estimate that in 2007, sales tax revenue collected from approximately 400 dispensaries across California totaled at least $100 million.

Further information:
One of President Obama's public statements on federal raids:
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs...NEWS/803230336
Council member Dennis Zine's letter to DEA: http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/do...DEA_Letter.pdf
Fact sheet on DEA escalation of tactics: http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/do...escalation.pdf

Further reports:

“http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/lo...pensaries.html
DEA Raids Westside Marijuana Dispensaries
Updated 4:16 PM PST, Tue, Feb 3, 2009
Drug Enforcement Administration agents raid at least two Westside marijuana dispensaries.
LOS ANGELES -- Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided at least two Westside marijuana dispensaries Tuesday, and a spokesperson defended their actions, despite President Barack Obama's opposition to such raids.
One of the raids was at the Marina Caregivers at 730 W. Washington Blvd. about noon, said Sarah Pullen of the DEA.
Marina Caregivers was served with a search warrant, she said, declining to say if anyone was arrested.
A Los Angeles police spokesperson said the department, which is normally notified of such operations, got no advance warning from DEA.
A medical marijuana activist told City News Service another dispensary called The Nile was raided at 1505 Pacific Ave. in Venice.
Asked about Obama's comments that he did not want to waste Justice Department resources on raiding medical marijuana shops, Pullen said that "marijuana is still illegal under federal law.
"The law is still that it is illegal to possess, distribute or cultivate marijuana in any way," she said.

This thread should be every Weedtracker’s first look- call Obama (202) 456-1111. Protest the DEA raids; put an end to this BULLSHIT!!!


Peace, jimimac

Well, this is an awfully good start. From Don Duncan:

Speaking at a press conference on Feb. 25 with DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters that ending federal medical marijuana raids "is now American policy." The Attorney General’s comments are the latest sign of a sea change in federal policy prompted by a groundswell of grassroots pressure by Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and our allies. They came as a response to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids carried out by Bush Administration holdovers in California in January and February.

[THC_TLC]

Speaking at a press conference with DEA administrator Michelle Leonhart, Attorney General Eric Holder declared that ending medical marijuana raids ”is now American policy.”

A reporter asked, “shortly after the inauguration there were raids on California medical marijuana dispensaries…do you expect these to continue?”, noting that the President had promised to end the raids in the campaign.

Holder responded, “What the President said during the campaign…is consistent with what we will be doing here in law enforcement. He was my boss in the campaign….He is my boss now. What he said in the campaign is now American policy.”


Wonderful news to start the day!

[Medpatient]

I could not be happier, what a great way to start my work day off with. Thank you for posting.

[mikebig 9078]

right on now he needs to fire leonhart and the rest of the dea people resposible for those raids

[Mr_Hybrid]

Originally Posted by THC_TLC

Speaking at a press conference with DEA administrator Michelle Leonhart, Attorney General Eric Holder declared that ending medical marijuana raids ”is now American policy.”

A reporter asked, “shortly after the inauguration there were raids on California medical marijuana dispensaries…do you expect these to continue?”, noting that the President had promised to end the raids in the campaign.

Holder responded, “What the President said during the campaign…is consistent with what we will be doing here in law enforcement. He was my boss in the campaign….He is my boss now. What he said in the campaign is now American policy.”


Wonderful news to start the day!

Very good news!
I was happy to find this e-mail from ASA in my inbox this morning, I'm so happy to hear this.:slaugh: