DEA moves to pull pot out from under San Francisco landlords

This fucking makes me sick...The DEA is such a piece of shit...Why aren't they stopping the meth coming into this country from mexico a little more instead? That's destroying our youth, these dispensaries are helping people have a safe place to go get specific strains of marijuana that helps them most..

NORML.ORG US CA: Column: DEA Moves to Pull Pot Out From Under San Francisco Landlords

California
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The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is pushing to close San Francisco's cannabis clubs by turning its guns on their landlords - warning them that renting to pot dispensaries could cost them their buildings.

The agency intends to send letters by week's end to 80 owners of buildings housing medical marijuana clubs, similar to notices it fired off recently to landlords in Los Angeles and Sacramento, according law enforcement sources.

"By this notice, you have been made aware of the purposes for which the property is being used," said a copy of the letter sent to Sacramento landlords, signed by the special agent in charge of the DEA's San Francisco office, Javier Pena.

"You are further advised that violations of federal laws relating to marijuana may result in criminal prosecution, imprisonment, fines and forfeiture of assets."

In other words - your building.

The letters set no deadlines for owners to evict the clubs.

At one time there were more than 40 cannabis clubs in San Francisco, although only 28 have applied for licenses under a city permit process that took effect in July.

State law, of course, has no problem with cannabis clubs as long as they are genuinely dealing in medical marijuana, under the terms of the 1996 ballot measure Proposition 215. The feds, however, don't recognize medicinal uses for pot and have periodically raided clubs in San Francisco and elsewhere.

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who helped write San Francisco's permit rules, said Tuesday he wouldn't be surprised if the DEA launches a new crackdown.

"The feds do as they please ... ( and ) they've done it before," he said. "I would only hope they would coordinate with local law enforcement and that they are aware of the new regulatory system we have in place, and are sensitive to it."

Pena would not comment, saying only that he would discuss the new strategy at a later date.

One recipient of the DEA's watch-out letter could be suspended Supervisor Ed Jew, who with family members owns a building on the 1500 block of Ocean Avenue that houses a pot club.

It turns out that Jew has other pot-related tenant issues as well. A house he co-owns on the 1100 block of Ocean Avenue was raided by police over the weekend after the person living there allegedly turned it into a flourishing pot farm.

Police confiscated more than 200 marijuana plants and scores of grow lights during the raid and took an unidentified man into custody.

Records on file at City Hall show that the two-story duplex was owned exclusively by Jew until October, when he sold a partial ownership to a relative for $155,500.

"Ed has got nothing to do with any of this," said lawyer Steve Gruel, who is defending Jew on federal bribery, extortion and mail fraud charges and is also trying to keep the Board of Supervisors from giving him the permanent heave-ho from his seat.

"The police have not even spoken to him," Gruel said.

The Ocean Avenue pot club housed in the building owned by the Jew family was raided by federal agents in June 2005, and for a time was shut down. It now has new owners and has reopened under the name Norcal Herbal Relief Center.

And from the sound of it, business is going strong. An employee told us Tuesday they are open seven days a week.

I would like to point out our great Governor is again doing nothing and allowing this illegal and unconstitutional seizers of private property to take place. That little protest outside his office obviously did nothing, which is why groups like ASA and MPP need to step it up a notch and put the pressure on our elected officials to stand by the will of the people. If we don't stand up against actions like this, they will only continue.

Maybe, methamphetamine is the cure to my pain!

Yippee, thanks Japs and Germans! Thanks, America!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nailhead

I would like to point out our great Governor is again doing nothing and allowing this illegal and unconstitutional seizers of private property to take place. That little protest outside his office obviously did nothing, which is why groups like ASA and MPP need to step it up a notch and put the pressure on our elected officials to stand by the will of the people. If we don't stand up against actions like this, they will only continue.

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Give your representatives and senators a call, tell them how you feel about something you voted for being struck down by the federal government...Mention how when they close dispensaries, they're taking away a safe, regulated establishment that dispenses condition specific strains of marijuana to invididuals who have a doctor's recommendation; and forcing them onto the streets to possibly be robbed in trying to obtain the medicine that helps them most...:thumbsup:

The cops r given way too much power not just there

your lucky any infirmary is open

here in the midwest states they have a distorted view of what weed does to a person, kinda like the reefer madness flic

they need to burn that focker!

the sad part is the cops dont give a rats ass to the way it makes one feel ,the sob's dont want anyone making monies from sales

the government tells [coppers[ them to jump, and how high

we have a cut throat american government!

fockers!!


boycott the votes!

This is another example of where we can have a positive impact people.Be sure to register to vote and make sure your name is on the jury list. When the feds bring one of these bullshit cases to trial just vote not guilty. It only takes one juror to through a monkey wrench in these fucked up cases.Keep doing this and sooner or later they are going to have to quit prosecuting these cases cause it will just cost too much money.

But in light of some good news, these unconstitutional actions the DEA is taking is getting the attention of some political leaders:
Click Here
(Washington, DC)- House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) released the following statement today about reports that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is threatening private landlords for housing legal medical marijuana facilities:


I am deeply concerned about recent reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration is threatening private landlords with asset forfeiture and possible imprisonment if they refuse to evict organizations legally dispensing medical marijuana to suffering patients. The Committee has already questioned the DEA about its efforts to undermine California state law on this subject, and we intend to sharply question this specific tactic as part of our oversight efforts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nailhead

But in light of some good news, these unconstitutional actions the DEA is taking is getting the attention of some political leaders:
Click Here
(Washington, DC)- House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) released the following statement today about reports that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is threatening private landlords for housing legal medical marijuana facilities:


I am deeply concerned about recent reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration is threatening private landlords with asset forfeiture and possible imprisonment if they refuse to evict organizations legally dispensing medical marijuana to suffering patients. The Committee has already questioned the DEA about its efforts to undermine California state law on this subject, and we intend to sharply question this specific tactic as part of our oversight efforts.

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that's a small relief...the federal government has way too much power...what happened to separation of power?

I've never even really thought much of states power, like many I just look to the president to fix all my problems when really it should be done on a state level, not federal level. The federal government shouldn't be dictating laws for all 50 states, in the end this will result in a revolt because this country is too damn big with too many people wanting different things. States should decide their own laws, not the federal government. I just hope this democrat has some balls and fights for what he says, but I also hope Santa Clause will visit on December 24th....