Federal Official Reacts to Filner’s Anger and Displays Woefully Inadequate Understanding of Medicinal Herb
Mayor Bob Filner is very angry with the Federal raid on a pot dispensary in downtown San Diego on Tuesday, April 23rd. He called it “provocative” and described it as intimidation. And he wants answers.
A day after the City Council and the Mayor discussed finding solutions to the issue of medical marijuana dispensaries in San Diego, federal agents agents raided a marijuana collective, reportedly breaking a glass door in order to gain entry into the downtown building on Tuesday.
Around 9:30 a.m. the Narcotics Task Force busted into the One-on-One collective on 923 6th Avenue. Officers questioned individuals inside, one person was detained for awhile, but no one was arrested.
A few hours later, Mayor Filner expressed his anger to 7News. He told the media:
“For the sheriff and the DEA to raid a legal dispensary, at this point in time. It just seems to be provocative, it seems to be trying to intimidate people.”
Filner questioned the timing of the raid, as just the day and night before, he had been in City Council Chambers discussing the very issue with the Council. Dozens of people spoke pro and con on the issue before the ensembled government reps. Filner commented on that:
“The very person who spoke out at the meeting last night is then raided today, that does not seem to be the way that police ought to operate in our society.”
Channel 7 reported that “Filner said he’s been discussing the One-on-One collective with the City Attorney’s office for weeks and the collective was determined to be legal.” Filner also stated that the pot dispensary raid is just what he has railed against since his election.
“It just incites people, it just provokes people. It doesn’t help discussion, rational discussion. I’m sorry that it took place. And I haven’t got a real good explanation for why.”
In response, Patrick Kelly, the Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge with the Narcotics Task Force, told the media that his boss – U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy – is enforcing the federal law against marijuana distribution, and pot is illegal. Kelly said the Tuesday raid was part of an ongoing investigation. Kelly also had this to say:
“The mayor clearly has some strong opinions about distributing marijuana throughout San Diego County but the DEA’s message has been consistent since Day 1.
“Listen, there isn’t any medical professional out there that would advocate smoking anything as a medicine. These clubs are not for compassion, they’re for profit.”
This is an incredible statement coming from the top federal agent in charge of the Narcotics Task Force for our entire County. Did he really say, “there isn’t any medical professional out there that would advocate smoking anything as a medicine,” ? Not any? This is a woefully inadequate understanding of what medical herb is and does.
Patrick Kelly should step down from being in charge of anything.
Voters passed the compassionate medical marijuana initiative in this state in 1996, 17 years ago. The states of Colorado and Washington just voted to make pot legal in their states. Polls show that a majority of Americans think marijuana should be legal – not just medicinal marijuana, but “all” marijuana.
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Mayor Filner, best mayor in America.
And I have just learned that psychopath Laura Duff is now being considered for a life time appointment as a US District Court Judge. My suggestion to all readers is to write directly to the White House and tell President Obama she is not fit to sit on the bench or be in charge of prosecuting agency, in fact she should be investigated for her dalliances in attempting to subvert a local election.
Here’s the link to e-mail, call or write….http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
And by the way…ditto on MJT’s comment.
FYI – Miramar Hydroponics and Santee Hydroponics is currently being raided by the DEA. As if the raids yesterday weren’t ridiculous enough. Now they are going after places that just sell equipment!
2 more DEA raids on medical mj clubs right now
8952 empire street
7949 mission gorge
It’s called job security. When it’s driven by ideology it’s much worse. They’ll never admit they are wrong or understand the obvious contradiction to the democratic process their defiance of the will of the voters has become. More outrageous is that they don’t seem to realize this defiance only breeds contempt for law and order that ultimately leads to complete disrespect by the public for the rank and file officers on the street.
This creates a “Us vs Them” situation instead of working together toward a better society. As so many municipalities are seeing their departments become paramilitary organizations, you can’t help but wonder if that isn’t the way some might want it.
Well said.
Our Federal Government was intended to have only two functions: first provide for our common defense; second regulate interstate commerce. Now it seems they have become local law enforcement. In the meantime corporations write our laws. Big Pharma and insurance write our health laws, while ATT writes communication law that is in their intertest to make more money- while taking away our privacy and our right to justice in court. The biggest anti- hemp group by far is big oil. As our oil supply dwindles hemp becomes a more and more obvious solution, but they are planning to sell those last few barrels at sky high prices. Money may not be the root of all evil, but greed for money seems to really motivate some humans into doing what they know to be wrong. Attacking patients is evil and cruel. That is fairly black and white ethically. The only answer is for everyone who still cares to become an activist. Become one today. It is not too late, although late. Do it.
“Listen, there isn’t any medical professional out there that would advocate smoking anything as a medicine. These clubs are not for compassion, they’re for profit.”
what about edibles then?
If I take that as a pun, you’re touching upon what is IMO the most legitimate use of marijuana medicinally, increasing the appetites of AIDS and chemotherapy patients. When we talk about compassion for peoples’ suffering, this is the group that comes to mind, as I don’t believe there are many alternatives that exist that can lead one to raid the pantry of all the cookies the way I used to.
However for all those who claim to use it to reduce pain, or muscle spasms, or any number of ailments which are better treated by a number of options, they’re in denial if they don’t think this is just a lame excuse to use the law as it wasn’t intended, so they can get high.
Which I don’t really care about, there’s a lot worse things a person can do. We might consider though this is why the feds aren’t convinced with talk about compassion, or deterred from raiding “collectives” when they recognize how much dough is being pocketed by those operating them.
What’s really sad is those who use this as an avenue to more easily procure “medicine” to get high probably already have the connections to get it illegally when the collectives disappear. The cancer and AIDS patients who really need it, do not.
The one thing I think we all can agree on is that for this to be pursued with an iron fisted agenda as some sort of dangerous priority, is ridiculous and only leads to those involved appearing like clowns.
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