DEA Ignores Policy Changes and Raids SF Marijuana Dispensary

By Joe Eskenazi in

Bummer

Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a policy shift away from the Drug Enforcement Agency raiding marijuana dispensaries in states that have approved medical marijuana.

So, it came as something of a shock that DEA agents today raided Emmalyn's California Cannabis Clinic at 1597 Howard Street. Calls to the dispensary did not go through; for whatever reason the phone did not ring.

Aaron Smith, the California Policy Director for the Marijuana Policy Project, was beside himself.

"It sounds like the DEA didn't get the memo, eh?" he said, noting that, immediately preceding President Barack Obama's inauguration, DEA agents raided Los Angeles Dispensaries. "But now, the message from Attorney General Holder couldn't be clearer. This is insane."

Smith was uncertain if some other sort of criminality prompted the raid, but still questioned the priority of raiding a licensed San Francisco dispensary.

"With all the violence at the Mexican border, I'm really surprised the DEA can find the time to raid permitted dispensaries in the city of San Francisco," he said. "I hope they have a good explanation for this, but I certainly doubt it."

Calls to the local division of the DEA were relayed to Special Agent Casey McEnry, who sent the following prepared statement from the ranking special agent, Anthony D. Williams:

"The documents relating to today's enforcement operation remain under court seal. Based on our investigation we believe there are not only violations of federal law, but of state law as well. As of now we are prohibited from releasing further details of the case. Items of evidentary value were seized and no arrests have been made. The investigation is currently ongoing."

McEnry said those documents could be unsealed "tomorrow or it could be months."

We have a feeling marijuana advocates won't be too pleased with this "explanation."