Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2011
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2011 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/0n4cG7L1
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376
Author: Peter Hecht
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES SUE FEDS OVER POT CRACKDOWN

An advocacy group for medical marijuana users sued U.S. Justice 
Department officials Thursday, charging that the federal government 
has violated the Constitution in cracking down on California 
marijuana dispensaries.

In seeking an injunction to curb federal raids and enforcement 
actions in California, Oakland-based Americans for Safe Access 
charged that "the federal government has instituted a policy to 
dismantle medical marijuana laws of the State of California."

The lawsuit, naming Attorney General Eric Holder and Melinda Haag, 
the U.S. attorney in San Francisco, said federal prosecutors are 
coercing "municipalities to pass bans on medical marijuana 
dispensaries" and threatening "Draconian penalties" against local officials.

The lawsuit also singled out Sacramento U.S. Attorney Benjamin 
Wagner, charging that the top prosecutor for the Eastern District of 
California intimidated city officials in Chico with threats of 
federal prosecution if they passed an ordinance regulating local 
dispensaries. The Chico City Council decided to rescind approval of a 
plan to permit local marijuana stores.

The suit charged that the federal actions constituted an "unlawful 
assault on state sovereignty" under the 10th Amendment to the Constitution.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom