Pot Club Crackdown Continues, Judge Rejects Demands to Stop Feds

By Erin Sherbert Wed., Nov. 30 2011 at 5:30 PM

Up in smoke

A judge has ruled that she would not interfere with the feds' efforts to shut down medical marijuana dispensaries across California.

Oakland U.S. District Court Judge Saundra Armstrong ruled on Monday that pot clubs failed to show that the federal government was violating their rights by cracking down on medical marijuana dispensaries in the state where medical cannabis is legal.

"The Court is sensitive to the desires of individuals to use medical marijuana with a doctor's recommendation, as permitted by California law," Armstrong wrote in a 27-page ruling filed earlier this week. "Nonetheless, marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and in Congress' view, it has no medicinal value."

In September, U.S. Attorney for Northern California Melinda Haag issued a letter to landlords of five Bay Area dispensaries that were located with 1,000 feet of parks or schools, warning them that they either had to close up shop or have their properties seized and operators thrown in prison. Since then, three dispensaries in San Francisco closed, and one in Oakland relocated. Last week, Haag began forfeiture proceedings for the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana.

Pot clubs, attempting to fight this abrupt crackdown, filed lawsuits three weeks ago, claiming the feds aren't playing by their own rules. Dispensaries said memos that came from the federal government led them to believe they would not be prosecuted as long as they followed state medical cannabis laws -- which they did.

However, Armstrong had a different take on those memos, saying they were not to mean pot clubs were exempt from federal scrutiny, and thus the recent crackdowns.

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Tags:

federal crackdown, Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, medical marijuana, pot clubs, U.S. District Court Judge Saundra Armstrong

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Hawaii Long Haird Surfer

GOD MADE POT, MAN MADE LIQUOR, WHO DO YOU TRUST? old southern hippie saying from Marietta Georgia 1971. My pals and me came up with that saying while we were stoned on Jamaican reefer-grass-pot-weed etc. we did not like drunk rednecks cause they always beat our ass when they were drunk cause we were long hairs.

oregonpilot

Ok, potheads, time to give it up.

Moonshine Whiskey

Moonshine is better anyway. I make my own and the cops never find out and it sells plenty easy round these here parts.. the fuzz or feds are to busy looking for pot farmers and meth labs. lol moonshine is not even on their list unless you live in the southern states.

oregonpilot

My grandfather in Oklahoma gave me moonshine once. Burned my throat bad.

Out West

its easy to buy grass anywhere. so big deal fuck the feds! they suck and always have. it stops nothing.

oregonpilot

If it was so easy to get, why do they need the pot clubs?

Joegarrity10

you're a effing idiot it's a fact that it's easier for school kids to get marijuana then it is alcohol ... drug dealers don't have age limits that's just 1 reason I can go all day... do your research before you say another dumb comment

OaksterdamUniversity

@@oregonpilot:disqus Dispensaries provide safe access for people who do not find it easy to get or have disabilities. Selection of medicine is another issue (ie: How many pot dealers on the street have an indica, hybrid, or sativa strain option & choice of edibles, tinctures, etc.?) The tax revenue could pay teachers, police, & many workers. People are finally realizing that cannabis is safe and treats/prevents numerous diseases. The time is coming..