This is the first time I've heard of a representative of the law enforcement agencies involved speaking publically on the matter (with exception to the San Diego District Attorney.) Once again I'm hearing the same lie that the City of San Diego is spreading to the citizens and performing horrific illegal acts based upon: District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis claims that the collectives, co-ops and other medical cannabis organizations are illegal, profiteering criminals and not legal medical cannabis patients nor are they caregivers to their fellow legal medical cannabis patients.
I am a legal, medical cannabis patient. As such, I am a member of a few collectives, but most active in one called the Beneficial Care Collective. I do not receive any pay for my work, my only reward is being able to share my feelings, thoughts, expierences and medical treatment stories with my fellow patients. The Beneficial Care Collective was raided and shut down by armed forces on 9/9/2009, a patient that I consider a friend and fellow caregiver was wrongly arrested and the medication was illegally stolen by the City of San Diego.
Here is another report/ piece of insight on the situation currently going on in San Diego, California:
Craig Beresh of S.Cal NORML reports that at least 14 San Diegodispensaries received "cease and desist" visits by the S.D. policeyesterday. They were told that a written notice would followshortly. Numerous other dispensaries remain closed in the wake ofthe recent raids. As the following report indicates, police arefalsely spreading the notion that collectives can't operate legallyunder state law. S. Cal NORML is contemplating legal action againstSan Diego. - Dale Gieringer, Cal NORML>From: "Southern California NORML" <craigberesh@normlsc.org>>To: <dale@canorml.org>>>The San Diego police will be visiting all collectives over the next>few weeks...>>At Pacific Beach town council meeting Wed 9/16>PBTC handed out fliers to everyone with every collective's name and>address. The inference is to call the police and complain, although>that is not written. The theme of the night was to call police and>complain about everything, including motorhomes, street repair,>floatillas on the bay, alcohol, smoke shops and medical marijuana.> Then Shelli Zimmerman spoke. She was just promoted to Asst. Chief of>Police from the Northern Division which includes PB:>"All collectives are for profit. There has been no change in the>law. Collectives are illegal. Props 215 and SB420 do not make>medical marijuana legal. It just gives people an 'affirmative'>defense. Growing for your own medical use is ok and the cops won't>bother you. They are only going after illegal collectives (which are>all of them) We are using the same strategy as in 2005 and 2006. We>worked with SDPD, sheriffs, DA, and DEA. Seized product, multiple>handguns, and hundreds of thousands in cash. We don't have enough>resources to shut them all down. We went after the ones with most>complaints. Community vocality helps. Especially all the noise,>vandalism, intimidation, threats and profit complaints. All the rest>of the collectives will be getting personal visits by the police>informing them they are breaking the law and to shut down over the>next few weeks. If they>don't, they will get cease and desist letters. If they stay open they>will be raided. Just like in 2005 & 2006, all the collectives got the>message. Another strategy may be going after the landlords.">>A few personal comments:>I'm not sure what affirmative defense means other than a legal defense>or medical defense...>It sounds like people are organized and complaining to police with>multiple, anonymous, and false reports of noise and vandalism, like>PB town council, <http://savepb.org>savepb.org, and><http://discoverpb.org>discoverpb.org Is>this legal?>This is from a person just promoted to Asst Chief of SDPD which should>worry the medical community in SD. How can she even say that ALL>collectives are for profit without investigating them first. Send in>state auditors not SWAT!> - Craig Beresh, S. Cal NORML Source Visit California NORML for more information
Craig Beresh of S.Cal NORML reports that at least 14 San Diegodispensaries received "cease and desist" visits by the S.D. policeyesterday. They were told that a written notice would followshortly. Numerous other dispensaries remain closed in the wake ofthe recent raids. As the following report indicates, police arefalsely spreading the notion that collectives can't operate legallyunder state law. S. Cal NORML is contemplating legal action againstSan Diego. - Dale Gieringer, Cal NORML>From: "Southern California NORML" <craigberesh@normlsc.org>>To: <dale@canorml.org>>>The San Diego police will be visiting all collectives over the next>few weeks...>>At Pacific Beach town council meeting Wed 9/16>PBTC handed out fliers to everyone with every collective's name and>address. The inference is to call the police and complain, although>that is not written. The theme of the night was to call police and>complain about everything, including motorhomes, street repair,>floatillas on the bay, alcohol, smoke shops and medical marijuana.> Then Shelli Zimmerman spoke. She was just promoted to Asst. Chief of>Police from the Northern Division which includes PB:>"All collectives are for profit. There has been no change in the>law. Collectives are illegal. Props 215 and SB420 do not make>medical marijuana legal. It just gives people an 'affirmative'>defense. Growing for your own medical use is ok and the cops won't>bother you. They are only going after illegal collectives (which are>all of them) We are using the same strategy as in 2005 and 2006. We>worked with SDPD, sheriffs, DA, and DEA. Seized product, multiple>handguns, and hundreds of thousands in cash. We don't have enough>resources to shut them all down. We went after the ones with most>complaints. Community vocality helps. Especially all the noise,>vandalism, intimidation, threats and profit complaints. All the rest>of the collectives will be getting personal visits by the police>informing them they are breaking the law and to shut down over the>next few weeks. If they>don't, they will get cease and desist letters. If they stay open they>will be raided. Just like in 2005 & 2006, all the collectives got the>message. Another strategy may be going after the landlords.">>A few personal comments:>I'm not sure what affirmative defense means other than a legal defense>or medical defense...>It sounds like people are organized and complaining to police with>multiple, anonymous, and false reports of noise and vandalism, like>PB town council, <http://savepb.org>savepb.org, and><http://discoverpb.org>discoverpb.org Is>this legal?>This is from a person just promoted to Asst Chief of SDPD which should>worry the medical community in SD. How can she even say that ALL>collectives are for profit without investigating them first. Send in>state auditors not SWAT!> - Craig Beresh, S. Cal NORML
Source
Visit California NORML for more information
