Policy

Reason.tv: Drug Raids Go Hollywood as Obama Admin Breaks Promise (Again)

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Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents with the help of the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff's Department raided the Zen Healing Collective and Alternative Herbal Health Services medical marijuana dispensaries in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2011.

The warrants served were federal and law enforcement took one individual into custody, which may result in arrest. Agents did not want to speak on camera but spokesperson for the DEA Sarah Pullen gave this statement to Reason.tv:

"DEA, with the assistance of the LAPD and the LASD served federal search warrants at approx. 210 pm this afternoon, March 15, 2011, as part of an on-going investigation. The warrants are federal and under seal by order of the court. Locations were 7800 and 8400 blocks of Santa Monica blvd, West Hollywood. We have one individual in custody right now, which may result in an arrest. Since the warrants are under seal I am unable to discuss any details regarding the warrants or investigation at this time."

When asked about raids on medical marijuana dispensaries in California in February 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder indicated raids would end on state approved dispensaries.

"What the president said during the campaign … will be consistent with what we will be doing here in law enforcement … What (President Obama) said during the campaign … is now American policy," said Holder.

Obama told the Medford Mail Tribune in Oregon during the 2008 campaign "I'm not going to be using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue."

"I think the basic concept of using medical marijuana for the same purposes and with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors, I think that's entirely appropriate."

On March 10, Los Angeles voters passed Measure M, or the "pot tax," which will tax dispensaries by collecting $50 out of every thousand dollars made.

Produced by Paul Detrick and Zach Weissmueller. Edited by Weissmueller.

Approximately 1.30 minute.

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