News » Federal Dispensary Raids in California – Focus Your Wrath





A lot of buzz around the community and Internet is focusing on the federal raids going on at dispensaries around California. These raids are targeting legal medical marijuana distributors under federal law, ranging from drug enforcement to taxation. So far, activists have mainly focused on the federal government’s initiation of the raids.

That’s fine, since they are ultimately to blame, but the problem is: the DEA and IRS are located in Washington, D.C., on the other side of the country from where these raids are taking place. Getting action and justice out of them takes years – they have all the money in the world to spend in court defending their actions and aren’t likely to cease and desist for any reason other than cuts to their budget. Sorry, but that’s reality. Fighting this with petitions and court action is going to take years, not days or weeks. Nobody in the bureaucracy of the DEA and IRS cares about elections because none of them are elected.

Let’s lay “investigative tactics” aside for a moment, noting only that these “agents” allege that they were able to gain access to and purchase medical marijuana from the dispensaries by using fake recommendations..

Let’s instead get to the point. Look at the following slideshow from the San Bernardino Sun (opens a new window) and carefully look at what is presented: http://lang.sbsun.com/photos/photos.asp?a=1353629#id=1353629&num=7

In the first photograph, you’re seeing two officers taping off the dispensary. Note the officer on the right. She is wearing a vest that is clearly marked Sheriff. Now look at the third photograph in the series. You’re seeing a squad car clearly marked “Colton Police.” The fourth in the series is of an officer from Colton PD. Number six shows another Sheriff’s deputy on the scene, actively entering the dispensary. Number eight, the last in the series, clearly shows that same deputy as he pulls the door closed.

See where I’m going with this?

The Sheriff and local police are right next door to you in your own community. They are directly accountable to the people of the area where these dispensaries are located. They are not accountable or required by any law to comply with or assist in federal raids of any kind. They usually do so purely out of professional courtesy because the feds do not often have the manpower to conduct the raids entirely on their own.

Is a picture starting to form in your mind now? Here’s my vision:

Occupy Colton PD

Occupy San Bernadrino County Sheriffs

Getting the drift here? Much more effective than just protesting the point by aiming for the feds. Instead, aim for the local, reachable, fully accountable enforcers.

[via SBSun.com]

Tags: MMJ