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Upper Lake - Dennis Perron, co-author of the law that made medical marijuana legal in California, said Wednesday he believes Upper Lake medical marijuana grower Eddy Lepp has put his life in jeopardy by openly combating federal and local law enforcement officials.
"They're out to get him, obviously," said Perron from his home in the East Bay when told that Lepp had been arrested for a third time early Wednesday morning during a raid by a team of federal Drug Enforcement Administration officers and Lake, Sonoma, and Mendocino county officials.
Until Wednesday, Lepp was free on bail, pending his trial in federal court for charges stemming from an August 2004 raid of his Upper Lake property. "They're going to kill him," Perron said repeatedly of Lepp. "I don't know if he wants to be a martyr, but he has set himself up as one." Perron, who in 1996 joined in writing state Proposition 215, "The Compassionate Use Act" making marijuana ( cannabis ) legal in California as a treatment for illnesses ranging from cancer to migraine headaches, said he recently pulled back from the battle over legalizing marijuana.
The reason he gives is the increased intensity he says federal and local law enforcement officials have added to the fight of keeping marijuana illegal to keep their jobs.
"Let's get real, the whole war is on marijuana," he said. "It's not a war on drugs - heroin and all that. Very few people use that stuff." Perron likened the DEA's war on marijuana to Elliott Ness's Prohibition-era campaigns to eradicate illegal liquor.
"It's a worldwide global industry to wipe out marijuana, bigger than anyone can dream of," he said. "I don't think the state is involved; it's obviously the feds, because these ( DEA ) agents ... what do you think they make? They start out at fifty thou and go up from there.
Source: Daily Democrat (CA)
Contact: ddletters@dailydemocrat.com
Copyright: 2005, Daily Democrat
Website: Daily Democrat
"They're out to get him, obviously," said Perron from his home in the East Bay when told that Lepp had been arrested for a third time early Wednesday morning during a raid by a team of federal Drug Enforcement Administration officers and Lake, Sonoma, and Mendocino county officials.
Until Wednesday, Lepp was free on bail, pending his trial in federal court for charges stemming from an August 2004 raid of his Upper Lake property. "They're going to kill him," Perron said repeatedly of Lepp. "I don't know if he wants to be a martyr, but he has set himself up as one." Perron, who in 1996 joined in writing state Proposition 215, "The Compassionate Use Act" making marijuana ( cannabis ) legal in California as a treatment for illnesses ranging from cancer to migraine headaches, said he recently pulled back from the battle over legalizing marijuana.
The reason he gives is the increased intensity he says federal and local law enforcement officials have added to the fight of keeping marijuana illegal to keep their jobs.
"Let's get real, the whole war is on marijuana," he said. "It's not a war on drugs - heroin and all that. Very few people use that stuff." Perron likened the DEA's war on marijuana to Elliott Ness's Prohibition-era campaigns to eradicate illegal liquor.
"It's a worldwide global industry to wipe out marijuana, bigger than anyone can dream of," he said. "I don't think the state is involved; it's obviously the feds, because these ( DEA ) agents ... what do you think they make? They start out at fifty thou and go up from there.
Source: Daily Democrat (CA)
Contact: ddletters@dailydemocrat.com
Copyright: 2005, Daily Democrat
Website: Daily Democrat
