Pubdate: Tue, 12 Feb 2002
Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News (CO)
Copyright: 2002, Denver Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.rockymountainnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/371
Author: Margie Mason, Associated Press Writer
Related: Breaking news, photos, personal reports and action alerts are 
being compiled at:
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02.n238.a08.html
Bookmarks: For the stories from the media, click these links:
http://www.mapinc.org/area/California
http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

DEA BUSTS POT CLUB; FOUR ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH POT CULTIVATION

Federal agents raided a medical marijuana club, arrested the director and 
three others Tuesday amid an ongoing tug-of-war between local and federal 
officials over the sale of pot for medicinal purposes. Drug Enforcement 
Administration agents seized more than 600 pot plants from the Harm 
Reduction Center and arrested the group's executive director, Richard 
Watts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Kenneth Hayes of Petaluma was arrested in Canada and Edward Rosenthal of 
Oakland was also arrested. They face charges of cultivating more than 100 
pot plants and maintaining a place to grow them, according to federal 
documents. Each faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Hayes also 
operates the club, and Rosenthal supplies him with marijuana, the documents 
said.

A fourth man, James Halloran, of Oakland, was arrested in a separate case, 
and charged with growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants and keeping a 
place to grow them. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Later Tuesday, DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson spoke to the Commonwealth 
Club of California about the DEA's role in dealing with drugs in America 
and specifically the legalization of marijuana for medicinal uses.

"We have to enforce the law," he said. "Science has told us so far there's 
no medical benefit for smoking marijuana."

Hutchinson's audience was peppered with marijuana legalization advocates, 
some of whom shouted "Liar!" at times during his speech. Some also asked 
why Hutchinson even came to San Francisco, and if he was singling out the city.

Hutchinson pointed out that opium was once legal but got out of control in 
Chinatown in the 1880s, prompting the city to pass the first anti-drug law 
in the United States.

"Enforcement of drug laws started here in San Francisco, they should not 
end here," he said.

District Attorney Terence Hallinan has been outspoken in his support of the 
clubs, and Police Chief Fred Lau has said his officers wouldn't take part 
in any raids. San Francisco was declared a sanctuary for medical cannabis 
use last year by the city's board of supervisors.

"This is a decision to be made by the voters of California and the people 
of the city and county of San Francisco," Hallinan said through a bullhorn 
outside the Commonwealth Club.

Four members of the city's board of supervisors also attended the rally, 
where dozens of demonstrators blew kazoos and chanted "Go away D-E-A." The 
smell of burning marijuana occasionally drifted over the crowd.

"We will protest until this kind of nonsense from Washington, D.C. stops," 
promised supervisor Chris Daly.

Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano went one step further, calling 
the DEA an "obnoxious, grandstanding" agency.

"I don't want somebody in my house that's not invited," Ammiano shouted 
over the cheering crowd.

DEA spokesman Richard Meyer said the arrests were part of an investigation 
by the DEA, Customs Service and Internal Revenue Service targeting 
marijuana trafficking and smuggling.

"They all are connected with marijuana smuggling," Meyer said. "We've said 
all along the cultivation and distribution of marijuana is illegal 
regardless of state or local law. Our job is to enforce federal law."

The U.S. Supreme Court said last year that it is illegal to distribute 
marijuana for medical purposes.

San Francisco law enforcement officials have said their job is to enforce 
the laws of California, where voters overwhelmingly approved medical 
marijuana use.

Voters in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington 
also have approved ballot initiatives allowing the use of medical 
marijuana. In Hawaii, the Legislature passed a similar law and the governor 
signed it in 2000.

Workers at the pot club raided Tuesday said they were questioned by DEA 
agents about their relationship with Hallinan.

"They asked us if he was receiving monies from us or drugs," said David 
Witty, the marijuana club's chief of security. "This is insane. What kind 
of city do you think we're operating here, to think that we're smugglers or 
involved in some other criminal activity?"

The center serves about 200 patients a day, all with doctors' 
recommendations to get the drug. Many suffer chronic pain from AIDS and 
cancer, Witty said.

Tuesday's raid is just one in a series of recent federal crackdowns in 
California. Agents shut down a West Hollywood cannabis club in October. 
Other federal actions include raiding a Ventura County garden operated by 
patients, and seizure of medical records from a Northern California doctor 
who is a prominent medical marijuana proponent.

Tuesday's raid coincided with President Bush's announcement of a stepped-up 
war on drugs, with a goal of cutting drug abuse by 25 percent in five 
years, in part through improved law enforcement.

The White House also launched an anti-drug advertising campaign, broadcast 
first during the Super Bowl, with the message that money used to buy drugs 
may benefit terrorists.
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MAP posted-by: Ariel