LOS ANGELES — Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided at least two Westside marijuana dispensaries Tuesday, and a spokesperson defended their actions, despite President Barack Obama’s opposition to such raids.
One of the raids was at the Marina Caregivers at 730 W. Washington Blvd. about noon, said Sarah Pullen of the DEA.
Marina Caregivers was served with a search warrant, she said, declining to say if anyone was arrested.
A Los Angeles police spokesperson said the department, which is normally notified of such operations, got no advance warning from DEA.
A medical marijuana activist told City News Service another dispensary called The Nile was raided at 1505 Pacific Ave. in Venice.
Asked about Obama’s comments that he did not want to waste Justice Department resources on raiding medical marijuana shops, Pullen said that “marijuana is still illegal under federal law.
“The law is still that it is illegal to possess, distribute or cultivate marijuana in any way,” she said.
via DEA Raids Westside Marijuana Dispensaries | NBC Los Angeles .
President Obama, a raid two days after you’re inaugurated could be attributable to Bush-era holdovers. Three raids twelve days after you’re inaugurated is your tacit approval. If I may quote the Canadian philosopher Gary Lee Weinrib, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
It does not cost you money in this economic crisis to stop DEA raids; it saves money.
It does not cost you difficulty in solving the health care crisis to stop DEA raids; it helps people get health care.
It does not cost you popularity with the people to stop DEA raids; it fits with the views of 2 out of 3 Americans.
I can only assume that, as a brilliant politician, you calculate that it will cost you political capital to stop DEA raids. For in the penultimate paragraph of what now seems to be your false promise in Medford, you said,
“I will tell you that – I want to be honest with you – whether I want to use a whole lot of political capital on that [laughs] when we’re trying to get health care passed or end the war in Iraq is, yeah, the likelihood of that being real high on my list is not likely.”
President Obama, I supported you. I stood among 75,000 in Portland just to see you in person. I gave money that I really can’t afford to support your campaign. I proudly displayed bumper stickers and yard signs and an Obama hat on my head for you. I drove from Portland, Oregon, to Denver, Colorado to attend your nominating convention. I believed you in Medford, Oregon. I believed you in Nashua, Hew Hampshire. I keynoted for you at a Portland fundraiser. I supported you openly on my talk radio show. I voted for you.
But mostly, I voted for CHANGE. As far as this issue goes, for patients and caregivers, growers and dispensaries, you might as well be George W. Bush. And to paraphrase the departed “decider”, I think you misunderestimate how many of us there are, how much money we have and contribute to the economy, and how sick and tired we are of being ignored, following vote after vote, poll after poll, study after study that confirms that WE ARE RIGHT! In addition to being right, we are the majority — actually, a super-majority — and you are not following our will!
You ignore us at your peril, sir. The perfect storm of marijuana law reform is building. Michael Phelps just shattered one of the few remaining “reefer madness” myths of amotivation. Michigan and Massachusetts just proved The People are way ahead of the politicians on marijuana reform. The economy is in tatters and states are desperate for new tax revenues and jobs and cutting costly programs like eradication and interdiction. Out of control health care costs have people clamoring for cheap safe effective alternative medicine. Pineapple Express grossed $87 million. I’m telling you, Mr. President, if you get on the right side of this issue, not only will you win re-election, you’ll win bigger than 2008.
Stay on the wrong side of this issue and I’m dogging you like a rabid hungry pit bull / wolf hybrid on steroids and meth. And I want my money back.
Contact your elected representatives and urge them to 'Stop Arresting Marijuana Smokers'. 
Right on Russ. I, too, supported this man – mainly due to his talking points on a key issue; “The war on drugs has been an utter failure. I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws”.
Well if he doesn’t start walking the walk, he’s getting ousted in 2012.
He did the right thing by signing DC’s MMJ bill into law, but what’s with the recommendation of that Ubercunt to head DEA? Come ON!
He’s losing us, and we’re a force to be reckoned with.
Amen, Critter, Amen.
maybe obama is just want to gain the trust of the rest of the country that didn’t vote for him and then “Change” what he promised. you can’t just expect him to get elected and then legalize pot.
i KNOW he will give us CHANGE and i’m confident. i know that legalizing weed will be for the greater good, but if we’ve waited this long for a president that’s in favor for marijuana then i think we can wait just a little bit longer.
DEA retaliate against BHO? Huh? Are we talkin’ J. Edgar Hoover type of retaliation? He retaliated against several presidents he didn’t like.
Is it most likely that the military industrial complex and the money changers (who financed his election in the long run and yeah I know he hates lobbyists) who supply the DEA will retaliate through them?
Money is ALWAYS the motivator. Follow the money.
Huh? Barry’s gonna continue business as usual? Boy, that’s a surprise. Whoever would have seen that coming.
-ED
I have suffered extreme bouts of depression and anxiety much of my life. To me, that is among the worst and most debilitating conditions I have ever known. I have tried several legal means of trying to alleviate the pains of these conditions. They didn’t work.
I have not had a major spell of depression or anxiety in a while, thanks to marijuana (and most especially thanks to my God who created it and continues to make it grow). Not only does it keep the depression bogies away, I like it! My question is, how much longer must I be deemed a ‘criminal’ just because I seek to take preventative measures against the debilitating condition of depression? I do not have a criminal mind or heart, nor a criminal bone in my body. It hurts and I feel violated that my very own government has been classifying me a criminal.
My God created marijuana and my God is always right. I pray that He may soon release the captives who have been unjustly incarcerated. I pray He puts a stop to the legislation influenced by the lies and propaganda which led to prohibition in the first place. May Truth and Justice prevail in America, so that God can once again raise up and bless our nation, and bring it to heights never before even imagined. I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
I couldn’t have said this better myself. Remember that Bush took a states’ rights position, saying that medical marijuana should be left up to the states to decide, when he was running in 2000. We all know how that turned out. If Obama does turn out to be just like Bush on this issue, we ought to start a movement asking for our money back. Many of us contributed to Obama’s campaign. “I want my money back,” would make a nice slogan.
If I can take a guess at what’s happening, it’s one of either two things.
Successful politicians don’t take too many risks. They live to fight another day.
Obama is selling us out.
Sara, she’s from Iowa, the one who sent out the letter describing the DEA trip to Nevada and South Dakota were…….something degrading to the region as the battled marijuana ballots :( off to google for the quote.
I’m with you. Give em hell they don’t mind draging us through gravel.
Bravo Russ. Truly.
Remember when I said I would look at the new administration with “cautious optimism? I’ll be with you Russ should that optimism fade completely.