Mrs.Z
12-10-2007, 02:03 AM
For Immediate Release
December 7, 2007 Contact: Shona Gochenaur
Executive Director
Axis of Love San Francisco
415/240-5247
axisoflovesf@gmail.com
Elected Officials Speak Out Against DEA Threats On 80 Landlords In Northern California
Urging Immediate Congressional Intervention
All Northern California Medical Cannabis Patients Are On Notice
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Today at noon at the San Francisco Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA, numerous elected officials are attending an emergency press conference to demand an end to the DEA attacks on medical cannabis providers in communities around the state. See SF Chronicle article: DEA moves to pull pot out from under San Francisco landlords Phillip Matier, 12/05/07
Speakers include:
California State Senator Carole Migden,
California State Assemblyman Mark Leno
San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly,
San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi
San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano
San Francisco Police Commissioner David Campos
Representative from the office District Attorney Kamala D. Harris
Other concerned officials are expected.
“With the 80 forfeiture letters going out to Northern California as the DEA has informed us,” states San Francisco Police Commissioner David Campos, “this could effectively shut down safe access for medical cannabis patients. Our purpose is to urge Congressional leaders to intervene on behalf of patients.”
Shona Gochenaur, executive director of Axis of Love San Francisco, an advocacy organization providing support and social services to medical cannabis patients in the Bay Area and coordinator for the press conference states, “Patient Advocates are in a state of medical emergency to try to fend off attacks by the DEA in addition to preparing to care for the critically ill who will die if safe access is shut down. Our cry has never been louder to the judiciary committee of Congress to open congressional hearings and to protect the regulatory system that is already in place.”
“All we want is Congress to have a rational dialogue about the medical value of cannabis. The DEA states they continue to raid, rob and arrest us because cannabis remains a controlled substance,” states Degé Coutee, president of Patient Advocacy Network in Los Angeles, an educational non-profit providing training and advocacy around the legal and political issues of medical cannabis. “Congress needs to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and regulate it. Cannabis should never be criminal. Our prisons are already full of ill people.”
Patient Advocates are planning candlelight vigils and prayer circles throughout the month near House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home to honor those patients who have died as a result of the DEA raids and their surviving families and those patients serving lengthy federal prison sentences.
DEA Moves To Pull Pot Out from Under San Francisco Posted by CN Staff on December 04, 2007 at 21:39:55 PT
By Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco, CA -- 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."
Pena would not comment, saying only that he would discuss the new strategy at a later date.
Complete Title: DEA Moves To Pull Pot Out from Under San Francisco Landlords
Snipped:
Complete Article: http://tinyurl.com/2os9rr
************************************************** **********************
8. Tuesday, December 11, Ukiah: Mendocino Board of Supervisors to Discuss Three Potential Medical Marijuana Ordinances
Download ASA talking points on dispensary regulations, moratoriums and bans
9. Tuesday, December 18, Merced: Merced County Board of Supervisors to Discuss Dispensary Ban
Download ASA talking points on dispensary regulations, moratoriums and bans.
11. Thursday, December 13, Hollywood: LA ASA Holiday Party and Fundraiser
Group (http://www.LAMedicalMarijuana.com
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=451
************************************************** ******************
And last but not least the website mentioned in the emails:
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
enjoy and have a great time discussing this movie
December 7, 2007 Contact: Shona Gochenaur
Executive Director
Axis of Love San Francisco
415/240-5247
axisoflovesf@gmail.com
Elected Officials Speak Out Against DEA Threats On 80 Landlords In Northern California
Urging Immediate Congressional Intervention
All Northern California Medical Cannabis Patients Are On Notice
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Today at noon at the San Francisco Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA, numerous elected officials are attending an emergency press conference to demand an end to the DEA attacks on medical cannabis providers in communities around the state. See SF Chronicle article: DEA moves to pull pot out from under San Francisco landlords Phillip Matier, 12/05/07
Speakers include:
California State Senator Carole Migden,
California State Assemblyman Mark Leno
San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly,
San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi
San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano
San Francisco Police Commissioner David Campos
Representative from the office District Attorney Kamala D. Harris
Other concerned officials are expected.
“With the 80 forfeiture letters going out to Northern California as the DEA has informed us,” states San Francisco Police Commissioner David Campos, “this could effectively shut down safe access for medical cannabis patients. Our purpose is to urge Congressional leaders to intervene on behalf of patients.”
Shona Gochenaur, executive director of Axis of Love San Francisco, an advocacy organization providing support and social services to medical cannabis patients in the Bay Area and coordinator for the press conference states, “Patient Advocates are in a state of medical emergency to try to fend off attacks by the DEA in addition to preparing to care for the critically ill who will die if safe access is shut down. Our cry has never been louder to the judiciary committee of Congress to open congressional hearings and to protect the regulatory system that is already in place.”
“All we want is Congress to have a rational dialogue about the medical value of cannabis. The DEA states they continue to raid, rob and arrest us because cannabis remains a controlled substance,” states Degé Coutee, president of Patient Advocacy Network in Los Angeles, an educational non-profit providing training and advocacy around the legal and political issues of medical cannabis. “Congress needs to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and regulate it. Cannabis should never be criminal. Our prisons are already full of ill people.”
Patient Advocates are planning candlelight vigils and prayer circles throughout the month near House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home to honor those patients who have died as a result of the DEA raids and their surviving families and those patients serving lengthy federal prison sentences.
DEA Moves To Pull Pot Out from Under San Francisco Posted by CN Staff on December 04, 2007 at 21:39:55 PT
By Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco, CA -- 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."
Pena would not comment, saying only that he would discuss the new strategy at a later date.
Complete Title: DEA Moves To Pull Pot Out from Under San Francisco Landlords
Snipped:
Complete Article: http://tinyurl.com/2os9rr
************************************************** **********************
8. Tuesday, December 11, Ukiah: Mendocino Board of Supervisors to Discuss Three Potential Medical Marijuana Ordinances
Download ASA talking points on dispensary regulations, moratoriums and bans
9. Tuesday, December 18, Merced: Merced County Board of Supervisors to Discuss Dispensary Ban
Download ASA talking points on dispensary regulations, moratoriums and bans.
11. Thursday, December 13, Hollywood: LA ASA Holiday Party and Fundraiser
Group (http://www.LAMedicalMarijuana.com
http://www.safeaccessnow.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=451
************************************************** ******************
And last but not least the website mentioned in the emails:
http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
enjoy and have a great time discussing this movie