Medical Marijuana Backers Stage Protests Across US

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Medical Marijuana Backers Stage Protests Across US

Thu Jun 6, 5:36 PM ET

By Todd Zwillich

WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - Activists criticizing the US government's

partial crackdown on the medical use of marijuana launched a nationwide

string of protests at Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) offices Thursday.

Federal police arrested 10 protesters who had chained themselves together

here outside of Justice Department (news - web sites) headquarters, federal

police confirmed.

Activists said they were protesting DEA plans to crack down on " cannabis

clubs " in California, cooperatives that grow marijuana and distribute it to

patients with AIDS (news - web sites), cancer and other ailments.

Protests were also planned for Thursday afternoon outside of DEA

headquarters in Arlington, Virginia and at 55 other DEA offices around the

country, according to activists.

A federal district judge in San Francisco is expected to issue a permanent

injunction early next week against the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' ative

and four other similar organizations in California. Judge Breyer

already issued a temporary injunction against the cooperatives in October

1998 and ordered federal marshals to occupy the Oakland club when members

defied his order in May 1998.

Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said in an

interview that DEA officials have raided five " buying clubs " in California

since October.

" Instead of five raids since October we might see five in the next week "

after the court issues its ruling, he said. As many as 20 similar clubs

currently operate in the state, he said.

Parts of the case went before the US Supreme Court earlier this year, which

ruled 5 to 3 that medical necessity is not an allowable defense against

federal drug charges. atives brought their case back to federal court

in California arguing that federal officials were violating states' rights

and individual doctor-patient relationships by cracking down on the clubs.

" The federal government for political reasons having nothing to do with

healthcare has been blocking patients' access to medical marijuana, " said

Raich, an attorney representing the cannabis clubs.

California is one of eight states that allow individuals to grow or use

small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes as long as the use is

ordered and supervised by a doctor. California's cannabis clubs, while not

legal under state laws, have largely been ignored by state and local

authorities there.

But federal drug officials have vowed to take further action against the

clubs.

" Cannabis is illegal under federal law, " said Hinojosa, a DEA

spokesman. The cannabis clubs " are actually marijuana distribution centers.

We will enforce the Controlled Substances Act, " he said.

Hinojosa said that the DEA views state medical marijuana laws as " lacking

scientific basis. " But the agency has largely ignored individuals in those

states who grow and use marijuana for their own medical use.

While the agency does consider such users criminals, " that appears to be a

local law enforcement issue. We target organizations, " Hinojosa said.