Posted on 12/05/2007 11:29:00 AM PST by SmithL
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."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
This from the wonderful world of a Republican administration committed to limited government and states rights...
I am baffled how anyone could think this is a Federal issue. I know there's a Federal law against pot, but should there be if we even ATTEMPTED to follow the constitution? Should there be a Federal law against murder or prostitution? Gambling?
LOL. I have a skin blemish. Where's my pot?
-Justice Clarence Thomas
Where's you leave it?
All your referendums are belong to us.
Well, committed to lip service, at least.
Pathetic. Guess states only have the right to do what Uncle Sam wants them to do, huh?
Who would of thought, a Pot Club on every corner. I thought they banned smoking in clubs?
I.E. The landlords might not be able to void these leases in cali's courts?
And the WO(S)D enters a glorious, new battlefield.
What a waste.
“And the WO(S)D enters a glorious, new battlefield.
What a waste.”
Why can’t the feds do something about the sanctuary city status in SF instead of this
Damned good question.
The DEA is completely out of control. Their use of OPP is no different than the thug culture...except that it’s ‘legal’.
If hemp was legal to use for all the associated petroleum and tree products currently in production many large corporations would take a massive hit. Some might even go out of business. Anyone who thinks pot is illegal due to its effects when smoked is smoking too much of it. Thank W.R. Hearst and other like minded money grubbers for pressuring the government and Hollywood into brainwashing the populace about hemp and its so called evils.
This is not the federal government's argument. Their argument is that these clubs are advertising and prescribing non-FDA approved substances as medicine.
It would be the same legal argument if these clubs were selling laetrile as medicine instead of cannabis.
A common argument in hippie circles, but one which is completely ridiculous if you examine it.
(1) If the cultivation of hemp was completely unrestricted in the US, the companies best positioned to take advantage of it are large agribusiness companies like ADM, etc. There exists absolutely no barrier to entry for them, and with their enormous capital resources they would price almost every independent grower out of the market.
Hemp represents an opportunity for large corporations, not a threat.
(2) Hemp oil and fiber products are produced in other countries on a mass scale and they are legal to import into the US. So far, such hemp-growing companies have had no luck in pushing US companies out of the paper, fabric, rope and organic oils business.
(3) Industrial hemp is not very useful for druggies. It is very harsh bud with very little kick.
His compassionate conservatism has been one effort after another to force the States to do as the Federal Government demands.
I'm not sure I've ever seen any commitment to States rights from the Bush administration.
Feds just want to steal property. Now it’s the landlords’ problem to enforce ridiculous drug laws. Will they be paid for doing the work of law enforcement? Who will pay the eviction costs?
Why can’t the feds do something about the sanctuary city status in SF instead of this
Damned good question.
The answer is painfully obvious: this Administration doesn't mind sanctuary cities, because it isn't interested in curtailing illegal immigration.
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