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DEA in New Spokane Medical Marijuana Dispensary Raid

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #684)
Consequences of Prohibition

In the latest round of the federal assault on medical marijuana in Washington state, the Cannabis Defense Coalition reports that the DEA conducted a Wednesday afternoon raid on Medical Herb Providers, one of the few dispensaries left in the city after a flurry of federal raids last month. It's not clear whether any other dispensaries are being targeted.

Spokane River
According to the CDC, a Medical Herb Provider manager reported that one employee was arrested.

The raids today and last month come as the state legislature and Gov. Chris Gregoire are struggling to come up with legislation to provide some sense of what is and is not allowed under the state's medical marijuana law. It currently does not explicitly allow for dispensaries, but that hasn't stopped dozens, perhaps more than a hundred, from opening.

Late last month, at least two Spokane area dispensaries were raided. Those raids came three weeks after the US Attorney for Eastern Washington, Michael Ormsby, warned the then 40 dispensaries in the area that they should shut down or face federal action.

The letter from Ormsby and a similar one from his counterpart in Western Washington, were crucial in persuading Gov. Gregoire to veto the portions of a medical marijuana patient registry and dispensary bill. They warned that state employees who licensed or registered medical marijuana businesses could be subject to federal prosecution.

Now, as Gregoire and the legislature tussle over what to do about medical marijuana, the feds are reminding everyone that they haven't gone anywhere.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Anonymous4Now (not verified)

Time will erode this Federal ignorance.  The days of raids like this are numbered.  The dams of stupidity will burst.

Thu, 05/19/2011 - 12:11am Permalink

This will not erode Fed ignorance. If left unchecked, this police state tyranny will continue to expand. Look at our 4th amendment right protecting us from unlawful search and seizure at our airports. Its coming to random roadside checkpoint. The FDA doesn't think there's a need to label GMO foods which have been proven in 19 different studies to exacerbate kidney failure and various cancers. But an Amish dairy farm endured an early morning SWAT raid for selling raw milk. 

Regardless of who's in the White House, both dems and repubs are two heads of the same, big government party against the People. It's like pro-wrestling and they act like they hate each other but they're working towards stripping us of our rights and individuality.

Thu, 05/19/2011 - 12:58pm Permalink
ray (not verified)

More place's are being raided today, essence of mother earth is one of them,  isn't timely that the raids take place, every time the Gov. is ready to sign a bill ?   No it is done in-order to BULLY and THREATEN our GOV. into NOT PASSING the legislation in front of her. to bad she can't see it.  if they were private citizens, the FEDS would be in jail for threatening a public official.

Thu, 05/19/2011 - 4:13pm Permalink
HiloBob (not verified)

So when is science finally going to dictate policy???  This was a promise by Obama.  He needs to have his feet held to the fire for this sh*t until he comes through on this one.  It's immoral (legal and moral can be two separate independent entities - legal can be immoral) to withhold medicine from those who need it.  Shame on these a-holes "just doing their jobs"... that's what the Nazis used in their defense at Nuremburg.

Fri, 05/20/2011 - 5:36am Permalink

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