The Feds Announce a Crackdown on "Marijuana Stores.

Is marijuana returning to the good old/bad old days of no dispensaries?  Well, if California’s four US Attorneys have their way, that is just what will happen.  This morning they held a conference and LoCo’s Hank Sims described the scene.

While saying that they had not yet come up with a unified strategy, the prosecutors made clear that their offices would launch a concerted federal effort to quash California’s medical marijuana industry – the current incarnation of which, they said, perverts the intentions of voters who approved California’s Proposition 215 in 1996. In particular, they said that they would now be using federal law to target landlords and others who do business with “marijuana stores” and large growing operations with asset forfeiture proceedings.

After the description of what was said, Hank asks the big question,

Is this the best possible outcome for the small Humboldt County grower? We didn’t do so badly when the big boys were kept firmly in check. Maybe some of Humboldt County’s competitive edge returns with the federal crackdown.

Below, the United Food and Commercial Workers argue that the US Attorneys are attacking middle class American jobs.

WASHINGTON, Oct 07, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the nation’s largest retail worker organization, demands an immediate end to the U.S. Attorney’s misguided prosecution of operators of small dispensaries of legal medical cannabis in California.

In the past year, thousands of hardworking and taxpaying medical cannabis industry workers have joined together with the UFCW in various states in order to protect their jobs in this emerging industry. In today’s economy, hourly wage jobs like these that pay good wages with decent benefits are vital to keeping our economy afloat and families out of poverty.

At a time when the unemployment rate hovers around 9 percent, our economy requires bold action from our government to create good family-sustaining jobs. The steps taken by the four California U.S. attorneys to send letters Wednesday and Thursday notifying at least 16 medical dispensaries and their landlords that they are violating federal drug laws would do just the opposite.

“I have a good middle class American Job with good health benefits and a pension that I can look forward to,” said Larry Richards, a UFCW Local 5 member and a manager at the Blue Sky Dispensary in Oakland, California. “Because of our industry and our union I am able to be a productive breadwinner and, as a person living with HIV since 1983, I have fought and struggled not to be a drain on society. I want to work, I want to be productive but now, they want to take my job and put me back on the rolls of Social Security.”

UFCW proudly stands with our members in the Humboldt Growers Association, the Citizens for Safer Neighborhoods Committee of Colorado, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, and our coalition partners in MendoGrown, the Patients Care Alliance, the National Cannabis Industry Association, and the Citizens Coalition for Patient Care.

Medical cannabis is a safe and effective treatment option for many serious medical conditions including cancer, and patients should not be forced to purchase their medicine from criminals, drug dealers, and thugs. If the federal government closes commercial dispensaries and collectives in California, patients will have no safe access to their medication. In addition, thousands of workers will be forced from their jobs in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

UFCW and our members are dedicated to a dignified, controlled, taxed, regulated, compliant, unionized medical cannabis industry. We stand in solidarity with the workers and patients of the unionized medical cannabis industry.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union represents over 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada, and is one of the largest private sector unions in North America. UFCW members work in a wide range of industries, including retail food, food processing, agriculture, retail sales, health care, manufacturing, and medical cannabis.

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29 Comments
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Justin
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Justin
12 years ago

I think the price of indoor marijuana just went back up to over $3000/lb. Thanks Obama!

Dani
Guest
Dani
12 years ago
Reply to  Justin

AMEN!!!!!

Joy
Guest
Joy
12 years ago

I think this is ridiculous. Good old Feds, but I think it’s because there are some operations in the larger cities that are selling for profit under the guise of a medical dispensary. AKA the greedy bastards who spoil it for the ones who medically need marijuana. legalize it and get this BS over with. Seriously.

Concerned
Guest
Concerned
12 years ago
Reply to  Joy

I have those same greedy bastards next door to me with a 215 and six houses growing and telling everyone they are trying to help others. Wife on food stamps and he pays over $4000 a month in electric bills at the store every month?

The local growers hiding behind a 215 are just as guilty.

Joy
Guest
Joy
12 years ago

I think this is ridiculous. Good old Feds, but I think it’s because there are some operations in the larger cities that are selling for profit under the guise of a medical dispensary. AKA the greedy bastards who spoil it for the ones who medically need marijuana. legalize it and get this BS over with. Seriously.

Concerned
Guest
Concerned
12 years ago
Reply to  Joy

I have those same greedy bastards next door to me with a 215 and six houses growing and telling everyone they are trying to help others. Wife on food stamps and he pays over $4000 a month in electric bills at the store every month?

The local growers hiding behind a 215 are just as guilty.

Uti
Guest
Uti
12 years ago

Just wondering if U.S. Attorney’s are political appointees. Anyone know? The point being, if the 4 California attorneys are appointed by the Obama Administration they are about to alienate thousands of California voters if they do come up with something more than threatening letters. If Boxer, Feinstein, and Congressional Representatives do nothing to put a leash on these guys then they deserve to see their political support gutted as well.

longwind
Guest
longwind
12 years ago
Reply to  Uti

Uti, they are indeed appointees, made by the party in power. The commonest reason for them to go vastly batshit is when they’re qualifying themselves for elective office. One or more of these US Attorneys may run against legalization for decades, without any more coherence than they brought to yesterday’s party.

G.I.B.
Guest
G.I.B.
12 years ago
Reply to  Uti

The Obama backed Feds are also sending threatening and illegal letters to all California gun store owners. This will also cost votes come 2012.

If you have a CA medical marijuana card, the Feds don’t want you to have a gun.
The revelation comes NOT from a NEW LAW but from a letter put out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives last week, the Associated Press reports. The letter states: “There are no exceptions in federal law for marijuana purportedly used for medicinal purposes, even if such use is sanctioned by state law.”

In my humble opinion, the Feds backed, by Obama and Holder are way out of line. Your CA drivers license, hunting license or even medical license could be next, on Obama’s hit list. The list is endless and I begin to consider states rights and the connection to the Civil War.

The Feds are happy to ignore our nation’s immigration laws and border security, along with all the associated mayhem, deaths, murders, drug cartels and human trafficking but they’re eager to attack law abiding Americans over a medical issue approved by the voters. Some CHANGE Obama.

t
Guest
t
12 years ago

indoor weed in co did just go back up to 3k a lb.

we could have gotten it cheaper but this was the best we could find.

i wonder if anything will happen to our shops here in co…..that woudl suck seeing as how i finally work at one budtending……my dream lol

Uti
Guest
Uti
12 years ago

Just wondering if U.S. Attorney’s are political appointees. Anyone know? The point being, if the 4 California attorneys are appointed by the Obama Administration they are about to alienate thousands of California voters if they do come up with something more than threatening letters. If Boxer, Feinstein, and Congressional Representatives do nothing to put a leash on these guys then they deserve to see their political support gutted as well.

longwind
Guest
longwind
12 years ago
Reply to  Uti

Uti, they are indeed appointees, made by the party in power. The commonest reason for them to go vastly batshit is when they’re qualifying themselves for elective office. One or more of these US Attorneys may run against legalization for decades, without any more coherence than they brought to yesterday’s party.

G.I.B.
Guest
G.I.B.
12 years ago
Reply to  Uti

The Obama backed Feds are also sending threatening and illegal letters to all California gun store owners. This will also cost votes come 2012.

If you have a CA medical marijuana card, the Feds don’t want you to have a gun.
The revelation comes NOT from a NEW LAW but from a letter put out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives last week, the Associated Press reports. The letter states: “There are no exceptions in federal law for marijuana purportedly used for medicinal purposes, even if such use is sanctioned by state law.”

In my humble opinion, the Feds backed, by Obama and Holder are way out of line. Your CA drivers license, hunting license or even medical license could be next, on Obama’s hit list. The list is endless and I begin to consider states rights and the connection to the Civil War.

The Feds are happy to ignore our nation’s immigration laws and border security, along with all the associated mayhem, deaths, murders, drug cartels and human trafficking but they’re eager to attack law abiding Americans over a medical issue approved by the voters. Some CHANGE Obama.

j.marko unknown (@obtusemental2)
Guest

the game go’s on-monies-feeling to old for the razz-peace would be nice-

t
Guest
t
12 years ago

indoor weed in co did just go back up to 3k a lb.

we could have gotten it cheaper but this was the best we could find.

i wonder if anything will happen to our shops here in co…..that woudl suck seeing as how i finally work at one budtending……my dream lol

j.marko unknown (@obtusemental2)
Guest

the game go’s on-monies-feeling to old for the razz-peace would be nice-

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
12 years ago

Two helicopters on the Hurlbut Ranch above the slide… About 1:00 today.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
12 years ago
Reply to  Ben Schill

Pretty sure its a PGE show. Saw the choppers at the con camp helipad. No cops just a PGE truck. There is a construction crew working up A road east of Dean Creek Resort. The biggest chopper is carrying a lifting line but no net.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
12 years ago

Two helicopters on the Hurlbut Ranch above the slide… About 1:00 today.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
12 years ago
Reply to  Ben Schill

Pretty sure its a PGE show. Saw the choppers at the con camp helipad. No cops just a PGE truck. There is a construction crew working up A road east of Dean Creek Resort. The biggest chopper is carrying a lifting line but no net.

tra
Guest
tra
12 years ago

Yup, it was a PG&E operation.

tra
Guest
tra
12 years ago

Yup, it was a PG&E operation.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
12 years ago

Fiance here:

I’ve been saying for years that when Obama said the drug was wasn’t working he meant he was going to change the way it is being fought. I think I was right…they are changing tactics.

When everyone was saying that Obama said he was going to go after “legal” users he meant that he wasn’t going after people growing for themselves. He has always said that making any kind of a profit off pot is against federal law and that anyone caught would be prosecuted.

They have backed off the EmTri for the past few years (except for the forest grows) but I think y’all have created a false sense of security amongst yourselves. There is no way the feds are going to allow for profit growing and I feel like that they will be in there full force sooner than you think. The price may have just gone up but so have the risks and from they way they talk they are going after every dime made.

You all think that with your co-ops you are safe but making any money and especially not paying taxes on that money will get you good and prosecuted. They have building up to it and getting ready for several years now. I hope for many of your sakes and the sakes of your children that I am wrong……but I really don’t think so!

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
12 years ago

Fiance here:

I’ve been saying for years that when Obama said the drug was wasn’t working he meant he was going to change the way it is being fought. I think I was right…they are changing tactics.

When everyone was saying that Obama said he was going to go after “legal” users he meant that he wasn’t going after people growing for themselves. He has always said that making any kind of a profit off pot is against federal law and that anyone caught would be prosecuted.

They have backed off the EmTri for the past few years (except for the forest grows) but I think y’all have created a false sense of security amongst yourselves. There is no way the feds are going to allow for profit growing and I feel like that they will be in there full force sooner than you think. The price may have just gone up but so have the risks and from they way they talk they are going after every dime made.

You all think that with your co-ops you are safe but making any money and especially not paying taxes on that money will get you good and prosecuted. They have building up to it and getting ready for several years now. I hope for many of your sakes and the sakes of your children that I am wrong……but I really don’t think so!

Northrop Grumman
Guest
Northrop Grumman
12 years ago

You are so right Kid. And when it hits the fan, we will see just how adept the lawyers behind the co-ops really are against the big boys. Pretty soon only the cartel will be making money. Crap, I’m too old to guerrilla grow. Makes me want to just bail.

Northrop Grumman
Guest
Northrop Grumman
12 years ago

You are so right Kid. And when it hits the fan, we will see just how adept the lawyers behind the co-ops really are against the big boys. Pretty soon only the cartel will be making money. Crap, I’m too old to guerrilla grow. Makes me want to just bail.

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