Calif. pot dispensaries told by feds to shut down

[generalgrievous]

...

 

[keep on tokin]

Ive been checking this thread for updates about disp closing, and other new news about the topic, kinda wish it was more on topic, but I guess no news is good news

I wish that as well.

So it appears as though this shitstorm from the feds has caused one of my local stores to shut down. Highlands Health and Wellness appears to be gone. The web page and weed maps link are gone, the store is closed, just hope they didn't busted. They had a great Saturday special, free 1/8 w/ any 1/8, and fair prices for decent weed.

I really feel the need take action, I'm planing on writing to to all these elected idiots who continue to stand by and allow this big lie to be perpetuated by the government. In November I will start circulating petitions to get the regulate marijuana like wine proposition on next years ballot.

We have come to far to turn back now

 

[Headbandf1]

ON TOPIC - I just got home from a dispensary tour, I hit 9 in the bay area and 10 in the Valley, and very few clubs are business as usual id say 3 truly BUSINESS AS USUAL, however All the other dispensaries have completely abandoned all edibles( Two club were giving away all you could carry with a "Donation of 150+", and Clones almost everyone had zero clones and every Disp said they would no longer be selling them.

There is true fear, and many were still claiming not to have received the letters but i went to many of the largest and I think they're lieing trying to figure out whats up or somethings wrong with the AG's numbers. Or maybe the letter went to the property owners and not the disp.

 

[stickey fingers]

You two socialists should watch "Real Time with Bill Maher" This weeks episode (air date 10/15/11) had Penn Jillette come in towards the end and discuss his view of libertarianism. Mr. Jillette stated that in his view government force should only be used to protect a society from force (rape, murder, invasion, etc.) There should be no guns pointed at me or my neighbor in order to build a library for your spoiled ass or stupid kids.

Oh the horror of having guns pointed at me so you can have your 14.8 trillion dollars in national debt.

Glad to see I am just a slave to be worked for your projects, how about you guys supervise and tell me what wonderful social programs you'd like to see built on the backs of others.

could not have said it better!!! amen bro!!!
FUCKEM !!!

 

[megayields]

ON TOPIC - I just got home from a dispensary tour, I hit 9 in the bay area and 10 in the Valley, and very few clubs are business as usual id say 3 truly BUSINESS AS USUAL, however All the other dispensaries have completely abandoned all edibles( Two club were giving away all you could carry with a "Donation of 150+", and Clones almost everyone had zero clones and every Disp said they would no longer be selling them.

There is true fear, and many were still claiming not to have received the letters but i went to many of the largest and I think they're lieing trying to figure out whats up or somethings wrong with the AG's numbers. Or maybe the letter went to the property owners and not the disp.

WOW, FINALLY someone on topic and interesting with relevant information, thank you!

 

[huligun]

WOW, FINALLY someone on topic and interesting with relevant information, thank you!

You speak truth.

I wish that as well.

So it appears as though this shitstorm from the feds has caused one of my local stores to shut down. Highlands Health and Wellness appears to be gone. The web page and weed maps link are gone, the store is closed, just hope they didn't busted. They had a great Saturday special, free 1/8 w/ any 1/8, and fair prices for decent weed.

I really feel the need take action, I'm planing on writing to to all these elected idiots who continue to stand by and allow this big lie to be perpetuated by the government. In November I will start circulating petitions to get the regulate marijuana like wine proposition on next years ballot.

We have come to far to turn back now

ON TOPIC - I just got home from a dispensary tour, I hit 9 in the bay area and 10 in the Valley, and very few clubs are business as usual id say 3 truly BUSINESS AS USUAL, however All the other dispensaries have completely abandoned all edibles( Two club were giving away all you could carry with a "Donation of 150+", and Clones almost everyone had zero clones and every Disp said they would no longer be selling them.

There is true fear, and many were still claiming not to have received the letters but i went to many of the largest and I think they're lieing trying to figure out whats up or somethings wrong with the AG's numbers. Or maybe the letter went to the property owners and not the disp.

This is so sad, and so predictable. The fed has spread fear into all of the dispensaries, and the press. They are preying on businesses, those with something real to lose. And for those that resist, there will likely be some indictments. Most likely the bigger fish at first, or those that take make a lot of noise. In this way the fed can focus their resources in arenas that will have more media attention. This will spread the fear even deeper and more widespread. This is the fed winning I am afraid. I hate to say it again, but it looks like the tide is going the other way. After they take the dispensaries out they will make will take a lot of growers out. Well, the streets will be the domain of some of them and there will be little reason for someone to have these giant grow ops.

I know one man that can change all of this for us, but I will not mention his name. He had said before he was elected that he would assist in enabling medical marijuana and that apparently was a lie. Lets see if he can redeem himself before his next term. Or at least promise to redeem himself more on the campaign trail.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

OK if you really believe that I don't. Government is not the answer. Government is the reason for those failures not corporate greed. Like said this is where we part ways.

its is not corporate greed, it is not government greed. It is just GREED in general. It is a human folly. The founding fathers new this and that is why they chose to keep government small and separate from business.

When being a career politician a person changes from a public servant to a business man.

When business men can steal from the people via the government that they bought they become the government.

complete separation is the only way to prevent full corruption.

 

[tenthirty]

its is not corporate greed, it is not government greed. It is just GREED in general. It is a human folly. The founding fathers new this and that is why they chose to keep government small and separate from business.

When being a career politician a person changes from a public servant to a business man.

When business men can steal from the people via the government that they bought they become the government.

complete separation is the only way to prevent full corruption.

This is what separated the United States from the rest of the world until recently. We are now moving in the direction of national socialism or state-ism. How far this will go? I don't know. What I do know is this direction always ends poorly. Just look at history.

 

[sillysister]

So it appears as though this shitstorm from the feds has caused one of my local stores to shut down. Highlands Health and Wellness appears to be gone. The web page and weed maps link are gone, the store is closed, just hope they didn't busted. They had a great Saturday special, free 1/8 w/ any 1/8, and fair prices for decent weed.

I have heard some are closing due to fear. I know of one that is hanging in there, has not recvd notice, but has removed all ads, store signs, website, links on weedmaps, etc. Going into stealth mode in hopes of escaping scrutiny. I would imagine many are doing that. Lying low until the storm passes and see who's left standing. I would not want to be them. I need my sleep.

 

[HempKat]

So you build the library at the point of the gun?

Yes or no?

They just recently built a library in my town, and it was paid for by voluntary contributions (donations) from the public raised over a period of 5 years prior to construction. Not a single gun was used.

 

[resinryder]

They just recently built a library in my town, and it was paid for by voluntary contributions (donations) from the public raised over a period of 5 years prior to construction. Not a single gun was used.

LOL.

 

[CheifnBud2]

Im moving to an island in the West Pacific and fighting off american taxation without representation.

 

[HempKat]

LOL.

Yeah it was cool, they put up one of those big thermometer things on the proposed site showing how much had been raised and then when it reached the goal they built the library. Now to be completely honest it wasn't solely funded by charitable donations, they also raised funds thru weekly bingo games. I assure you though, nobody was forced to play bingo at gunpoint.

 

[resinryder]

Yeah it was cool, they put up one of those big thermometer things on the proposed site showing how much had been raised and then when it reached the goal they built the library. Now to be completely honest it wasn't solely funded by charitable donations, they also raised funds thru weekly bingo games. I assure you though, nobody was forced to play bingo at gunpoint.

LOL. YOU WILL PLAY BINGO AND YOU WILL FUKIN LIKE IT!!!!

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

^rofl.

It's bingo or soilent green. your choice. lol

 

[dagnabit]

 

[Tela]

I have heard some are closing due to fear. I know of one that is hanging in there, has not recvd notice, but has removed all ads, store signs, website, links on weedmaps, etc. Going into stealth mode in hopes of escaping scrutiny. I would imagine many are doing that. Lying low until the storm passes and see who's left standing. I would not want to be them. I need my sleep.

thats what id be doing if i owned one too.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Looks like some California lawmakers and or state law enforcement seek more federal action than they're getting, enough to threaten the president's reelection. Strange days indeed.

Decision To Crack Down On Medical Marijuana Made In California, Not Washington, U.S. Atty Says.

Lucia Graves - First Posted: 10/16/11 09:30 AM ET Updated: 10/16/11 01:17 PM ET

WASHINGTON -- The decision to crack down on medical pot establishments in the Golden State was a collective decision by four U.S. attorneys in California and not the result of any directive from Washington, according to a spokesman for California-based U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr.

Federal prosecutors launched an attack on medical marijuana shop owners last week, vowing to shutter state-licensed marijuana dispensaries regulated by local governments and threatening landlords with property seizures.

The announcement came in spite of the Obama administration's campaign promise to maintain a hands-off approach toward pot clinics adhering to state law, with Attorney General Eric Holder publicly asserting that federal prosecutors would not initiate enforcement actions against any patients or providers in compliance with state law, deeming it an inefficient use of scarce government resources.

Now California-based U.S. attorneys are taking on the battle themselves.

"There was no particular incident that prompted our enforcement actions," Thom Mrozek, spokesman for Birotte, told HuffPost in an email on Friday. "Across the state, we have seen a fairly significant increase in the problem over the past couple of years. And, at least in our district, our actions were prompted in part by widespread concern among local officials – the City of Lake Forest is a particularly good example of this."

On Thursday the owners of eight Lake Forest medical marijuana shops were given three days to close operations. Birotte said the shops were targeted because they violated a zoning ordinance and the city had already spent almost $600,000 in legal fees to have them removed.

Other dispensaries could simply be taxed out of existence.

Last month, Harborside Health Center lost a high-stakes battle with the Internal Revenue Service, in a ruling that could have dire consequences for the thriving California industry. The IRS has ruled pot clinics cannot deduct operating expenses from their tax returns, recently informing Harborside, a dispensary where medical marijuana patients can buy legal cannabis in Oakland and San Jose, that it owed $2.5 million in taxes, a full $2 million more than the the 83,000-member dispensary actually paid.

"The areas in which the initial warnings have been sent are all areas where local officials have taken steps to eliminate marijuana stores and have asked the federal government for assistance," Mrozek told HuffPost, adding that the United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with local municipalities and local law enforcement throughout California's central district to assist in ongoing efforts to combat commercial marijuana operations.

Last week three pot shops in San Francisco were targeted by California's U.S. attorneys, with dispensary landlords receiving threatening letters from Northern District U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, who cited increasing federal penalties for drug activity within 1,000 feet of school zones and other public spaces, even as some of the city's clubs were exempted under a grandfathering system.

But there appears to be no evidence that the intervention was provoked at the behest of local officials. San Francisco city officials, when contacted by The Huffington Post, could not confirm they had put in any requests with Haag's office.

Federal prosecutors have also suggested the industry has been hijacked by pot profiteers.

"All the evidence indicates that the marijuana stores in California are for-profit enterprises, which is one reason why we’re using term 'stores' for these operations," Mrozek said. "I am not saying that there are no true non-profit collectives involving only patients and their primary caregivers that are operating stores – there may be, but we have not seen one yet. This statement is based on numerous federal investigations, as well as numerous investigations and prosecutions by local officials throughout the state."

While none of the dispensaries are IRS approved 501(c) nonprofits, many, like Harborside, a state registered not-for-profit corporation, say they go out of their way to give significant revenue back to the community by donating to local charities.

Earlier this week, U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy, whose district includes San Diego County, announced plans to target newspaper and radio outlets advertising medical marijuana. "I'm not just seeing print advertising, I'm actually hearing radio and seeing TV advertising," she said in an interview with California Watch and KQED. "It's gone mainstream. Not only is it inappropriate – one has to wonder what kind of message we're sending to our children."

But the three other U.S. attorneys charged with enforcing state laws have not signaled support for Duffy's line of attack.

"Our office is not targeting newspapers or publications that accept advertising money from the medication marijuana industry," Lauren Horwood, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of California, told HuffPost on Friday.

Meanwhile, legalization advocates say they fear Obama administration officials will be too busy to intervene. Tom Angell, spokesman for legalization advocacy group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, explains:

I think it's mostly a case of aloofness on the part of the president and his closest advisers. My hunch is that this is the doing of career drug war bureaucrats somewhere in the DoJ who are quite terrified of the increasing public acceptance of regulated marijuana distribution. They've made a calculation - sadly correct so far - that the president doesn't care enough about this issue to intervene. Unfortunately for the president, though, voters are going to blame him at the ballot box.​

Others insist the directives did in fact come from Washington.
"I don't believe that for a second," said Steve De Angelo, executive director of Harborside, when told federal prosecutors said the decision for a crackdown was made in California. "The recent actions by the U.S. attorneys in California are part of what appears to be a coordinated multi-agency assault by the federal government on the entire medical cannabis community, and that assault seems to be directed at systems of regulated and licensed systems of cultivation and distribution."

 

[Smoke Buddy]

These "California" U.S. Attorneys work for DOJ. They are the FEDS. Their boss is Eric Holder, the US Attorney General. They are not a California State official of any sort.

 

[dagnabit]