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SF Dems To US Justice Dept: Chill Out On Medical Marijuana Raids

Last year, the Justice Department said it would stop raiding dispensaries and go after traffickers using medical marijuana laws as a shield. But State Senator Mark Leno and Assemblyman Tom Ammiano claim enforcement actions under way this month unfairly target dispensaries with property seizures, evictions and imprisonment.

Ammiano said he’s willing to work on statewide regulations that would separate profit-seekers from medical users – but needs clarity from the Justice Department first. “Spell it out,” said Ammiano. “What is it, what’s wrong here and what regulations would you accept – rather than causing this panic and denial of sick people medication that they’ve been guaranteed by the state constitution.”

The US Attorney’s office in Sacramento declined comment on this story. But prosecutors have said they’re targeting commercial marijuana operations more interested in profits than treating the seriously ill.