Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Follow-up: After reading that Seattle police searched a University District medical marijuana clinic this week, we searched the story for the reason behind the raid. Medical marijuana is, after all, legal in our state. When 12 ounces of the drug and 500 private medical records belonging to patients are seized at the Life Vine cooperative, one of the organizations in Seattle that supplies marijuana to patients by local law enforcement, we hope the raid had something to do with protecting the public or some such mission. Because as it stands, the drug is often used by the seriously ill to deal with chronic pain or to restore one's appetite. These patients don't pose a threat to public safety.
So far, all we have is that a neighbor smelled marijuana and that police suspected (why, we don't yet know) that the clinic had a secret -- and illegal -- grow room. Growing pot plants in the co-op would have been an extraordinarily stupid (and therefore unlikely) move, given that such organizations are frequently hassled by federal law enforcement because federal law does not recognize state laws on medical marijuana. Speaking of which -- we have high hopes for a bill moving through the House that would prevent federal agents from raiding and prosecuting those who run clinics such as Life Vine.
But these were our local cops, the same ones whose services are spread thin because of the city's struggle with recruiting officers.
We hope that either Seattle police or the King County Prosecutor's office will clarify the situation in the coming days, because all we know at the moment is that this group was following the parameters passed by Washington voters.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Copyright: 2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Contact: Seattle Post-Intelligencer Staff Directory
Website: Medical marijuana: Supposedly legal
So far, all we have is that a neighbor smelled marijuana and that police suspected (why, we don't yet know) that the clinic had a secret -- and illegal -- grow room. Growing pot plants in the co-op would have been an extraordinarily stupid (and therefore unlikely) move, given that such organizations are frequently hassled by federal law enforcement because federal law does not recognize state laws on medical marijuana. Speaking of which -- we have high hopes for a bill moving through the House that would prevent federal agents from raiding and prosecuting those who run clinics such as Life Vine.
But these were our local cops, the same ones whose services are spread thin because of the city's struggle with recruiting officers.
We hope that either Seattle police or the King County Prosecutor's office will clarify the situation in the coming days, because all we know at the moment is that this group was following the parameters passed by Washington voters.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Copyright: 2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Contact: Seattle Post-Intelligencer Staff Directory
Website: Medical marijuana: Supposedly legal
