Medicinal cannabis

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Charles C. Lynch operated a medical cannabis operation called Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in Morro Bay, California. Charlie worked with city of Morro Bay and the county of San Luis Obispo to obtain a business license. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Patrick Hedges didn't like that. Working against the people of California, and with the feds, he went to work on busting Charlie. An early attempt to use state officials failed, because state officials found nothing wrong with Charlie's operation. Advocate Cheryl Aichele explains the fallout "By some estimates Charlie faces up 100 years in federal prison. However, anytime behind bars would be a travesty of justice in this situation," and the scope of his operation "Charlie was out of work and more than 2,000 patients with doctor's recommendation to use medical marijuana lost their safe access to medicine that helps their chronic conditions and terminal illnesses."(8 ).

A justice official responded to a federal judge about Mr. Lynch, and Obama's perceived shift in policy. The official Lynch's prosecution and conviction were "entirely consistent with the policies of (the department) and with public statements made by the attorney general," (9 ). Mr Lynch was sentence to a year and a day, in prison (10 ).

Missoula Montana narcotics detectives raided the home of medical cannabis patient David A. Michaud because he had over the 6 prescribed plants, he had thirty plants. He was charged with felony criminal production of dangerous drugs (11 ).

The California Police Chiefs Association president Steve Krull, urged DEA Administrator Karen Tandy to "become more actively involved in working with local law enforcement to close these [medical marijuana] distribution centers, seize their profits and all marijuana which might be located and to take these cases into the federal judicial system." Krull believed that "a concentrated effort sustained over a period of time would send a strong message to local and county government that 'medical marijuana' is not allowed and that those who profit from the sales and distribution of marijuana under the guise of 'medicine' will face the consequences."(12 ).

The California State Supreme Court rule what could be a devastating blow to medical cannabis Coops they ruled primary caregivers must have an established care-giving relationship with the patient before providing that patient with medicinal marijuana. They also ruled that primary care givers cannot sell their cannabis to other medicinal users or collectives. They said that these acts "do nothing to insulate from prosecution for his cultivation of and sale of marijuana for those for whom he did not provide shelter or non marijuana-based health care " and "... nor would it protect him from prosecution for cultivating marijuana and providing it to cannabis clubs." (13 ).

In 2009 the manager of Answerdam Alternative Care in Kearny Mesa, Jovan Jackson was found innocent of selling marijuana to anyone who came. An undercover police detective paid the twenty dollar member ship fee, produced a doctors recommendation, but used a false name (he was undercover, duh ). Defense lawyers argued that the dispensary abided by the law requiring members to sign the membership agreement and produce a doctors statement (14 ).

In what has been labeled "a flawed interpretation of the state's complex web of laws", raids still occur in California toward the end of 2010. Even after promises of tolerance by the President (15 ) Make no mistake that arrest like this are not isolated incidents, never trust any politician.