Keep the DEA Out of California
| By Alex Franco ASA San Francisco | Published December 18, 2007 |
Take Action Now - Send An Online Fax!
SAN FRANCISCO - The DEA's 6-month old surge against medical cannabis in California continues to ramp up. Two weeks ago the SF DEA office "leaked" to Mattier and Ross at the SF Chronicle that they would send forfeiture threat letters to the landlords of all the MCDs in northern California. This tactic has worked for them successfully in southern California where dozens of MCDs closed over the summer after the DEA threatened their landlords with the loss of their property--and even jail time!
San Francisco has 28 dispensaries going through the permit process. So far, 9 dispensaries in SF have reported receiving the letter. By the end of this week, we expect that all Bay Area MCDs will be under threat of eviction.
Rep. Conyers as the House Judiciary Comm. Chair responded in Washington, DC last Friday night with this statement:
"I am deeply concerned about recent reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration is threatening private landlords with asset forfeiture and possible imprisonment if they refuse to evict organizations legally dispensing medical marijuana to suffering patients. The Committee has already questioned the DEA about its efforts to undermine California state law on this subject and we intend to sharply question this specific tactic as part of our oversight efforts." more info
This is no longer just about getting the same supporters to speak up. It's about a coordinated response to this latest attempt to destroy what has been created in San Francisco and California: safe access to medicine--the best choice medicine for many seriously ill Californians.
Americans for Safe Access, Marijuana Policy Project, California NORML, and the Drug Policy Alliance are working on a coalition to make the best impact and stop the deterioration of safe access across the state. All of these organization work both nationally and locally--all have web pages that you can check as resources. There are other organizations working also outside the coalition.
Our immediate goal is to have Mayor Gavin Newsom take a public stand supporting medical cannabis and Rep. Conyers, and opposing the DEA's gross intimidation tactics and its overall surge (over 50 MCDs raided this year--more than three times last year's total).
What You Can Do
Fax Mayor Gavin Newsom
Fax: (415) 554-6160 or Send An Online Fax
Call Mayor Gavin Newsom
Telephone: (415) 554-6141
Sample Phone Script:
Hello, my name is ______________. I am a San Francisco resident and a medical cannabis patient. Please tell Mayor Newsom that I am concerned about the threatening letters sent to landlords of dispensaries in the city. I respectfully ask that he make a public statement in support of dispensaries and their landlords and urge Congressman Conyers and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to hold hearings on the raids in medical cannabis states. Thank you.
Email Mayor Gavin Newsom
Email: gavin.newsom@sfgov.org
Sample Email Script:
Dear Mayor Newsom,
I am a San Francisco resident and a medical cannabis patient. I am concerned about the threatening letters sent to landlords of dispensaries in the city. I respectfully ask that you make a public statement in support of dispensaries and their landlords and urge Congressman Conyers and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to hold hearings on the raids in medical cannabis states. Thank you.
