Assemblymember Tom Ammiano today reacted to a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) raid on a San Francisco marijuana dispensary—only a week after the Obama administration signaled it would cease the federal government’s practice of harassing cannabis clubs in states that have legalized the plant for medical use. Ammiano, who in February announced plans to present legislation to legalize and tax marijuana in California, said that the move may have been a warning to him and the Obama administration by what he called the “paramilitary” and “institutionalized” mentality of the DEA.
DEA agents raided Emmalyn’s California Cannabis Clinic on Wednesday, emptying the dispensary of marijuana, cannabis plants, grow lights, and other equipment along with patients. The agency would not cite a specific reason for the raid, saying the warrant is under court seal, but suggested that the dispensary violated state and federal law. Emmalyn’s, which had been operating with a temporary permit issued by the Department of Public Health, had been providing free marijuana to the poor on Wednesdays.
When Examiner.com asked if he thought the raid was a warning because of his legalization bill, Ammiano said he thought it was—but not just to him. He thinks the DEA was also challenging the Obama administration because of Attorney General Eric Holder’s pledge last week to leave cannabis clubs alone.
“They’re going to be very obstinate and very stubborn and do a lot of power tripping around this issue, so even though Eric Holder, the AG, said no more raids of marijuana dispensaries, they’re just going to take that on and see how serious everybody is,” Ammiano said. “It’s infuriating, and it’s also very dehumanizing for the patients who were there, and they just like to rub our nose in it because it’s San Francisco. I find it childish, but I also find it very dangerous.”
Initial reports stated that the feds may have considered sales tax problems as the state law being violated that led to the DEA raids. According to my sources, the California Board of Equalization and the San Francisco City and County have no pending investigation on Emmalyn’s nor any report of taxation issues.
Tune in to tonight’s Southern California Report with Tere Joyce as we speak with Degé Coutee from the Patients Advocacy Network, who has more details on the San Francisco Raid.
