Global Ganja Report

For the third time in as many weeks, DEA agents raided a Southern Oregon medical cannabis grow Oct. 14. Homeowner Clifford Ruhland said the 100-plant operation in Central Point was in compliance with state law. The plants were confiscated, but no arrests made. Ruhland expressed his exasperation: "From my personal perspective it's kind of like... why are you even here? Isn't there something more important, that's affecting people's lives in a real important way, than being here right now?" Medical advocates gathered outside the property when news broke of the raid. (KDRV, Oct. 14)

Oregon landlord and insurance agent Keith Rogers is protesting that some 30 DEA agents broke down doors on his five houses in Gold Hill Sept. 29, pointed guns at his wife, uprooted hundreds of plants and seized shotguns, cell phones and a tractor. He says he made sure the 20 people he allowed to grow cannabis on his property had checked out under Oregon's medical marijuana law. If state agents had searched his properties, "they would have happily drove off and did nothing," he said. Instead, "it was strictly DEA. They are throwing their weight around and saying the voters of Oregon don't have any rights."

Last week, the Obama administration launched a "We the People" website, pledging that any petition to garner 5,000 signatures will receive an official response from President Obama. One of the top petitions so far is demanding the "Pardon of Marc Emery." WhyProhibition.ca, which is spearheading the drive, say they only need another 2,600 signatures to have an official presidential comment on Marc. You can sign the petition here.

Municipalities in Washington state are maintaining bans on medicinal cannabis gardens and dispensaries, as efforts to clarify state law on this question are stalled in Olympia. A state law enacted July 22 allows for up to 10 people to grow up to 45 plants in collective gardens. But several cities—notably excluding Seattle—declared temporary bans on collective gardens, citing the need to study the impacts. Washougal's city council voted Sept. 9 to extend the six-month ban passed in July for a full year. On Sept. 14, the Sammamish city council also voted to extend its ban.

The 20th annual Seattle Hempfest drew an estimated 300,000 the weekend of Aug. 19-21—including some big-name politicians. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) exhorted from the stage, in an apparent reference to the 1999 World Trade Organization protests: "Seattle you shook the world once; can you shake it again, I ask you!" He urged support for such issues as withdrawal of US military troops from around the world, gay rights and universal health care, as well as an end to the war on drugs. Mike McGinn became the first Seattle mayor to address the Hempfest crowd. Other speakers included state representatives Roger Goodman and Mary Lou Dickerson, and Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes.

The DEA conducted aggressive SWAT-style raids April 29 on three distribution facilities in Spokane, Wash., that provided medical cannabis to qualified patients. Earlier this month, numerous facilities shut down after US Attorney Michael Ormsby threatened  landlords in Spokane with seizure of their property if they continue to let their tenants provide medical cannabis. These actions come as the state is trying to pass Senate Bill 5073, which modifies its current medical marijuana law to set up a licensed distribution system.

In the past seven months, cannabis dispensaries have sprouted across Washington state, exploiting a loophole in the state's medical marijuana law that neither explicitly allows nor prohibits them. State tax officials estimate at least 120 are open, mostly in the Puget Sound area. Dozens more likely remain underground. Under pressure from all sides to "clear the haze," the Legislature is considering a bill, SB 5073, that would legalize, regulate and tax dispensaries and create the state's first authorized commercial cannabis farms. (Seattle Times, Jan. 29)

Proposition 19 mastermind Richard Lee spoke to supporters in Oakland after the initiative lost by some 540,000 votes, 46-53%, the night of Nov. 2. "The fact that millions of Californians voted to legalize marijuana is a tremendous victory," Lee said, noting that the measure won 3.3 million votes. "We have broken the glass ceiling. Prop. 19 has changed the terms of the debate. And that was a major strategic goal."