Nationwide Protests Demand an End to the
DEA’s War on Medical Marijuana- But Will DEA Listen?
by Preston Peet- Special to Drugwar.com
All photos by Preston Peet unless otherwise
noted.
June 7, 2002
(Editor's note- Apparently, the DEA is not only not going
to listen, but went so far as to release their own triumphant
press release on June 6, 2002, celebrating the United States Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruling on May
24, 2002, "upholding DEA's determination that marijuana must
remain a schedule I controlled substance. The Court of Appeals
rejected an appeal filed by High Times Magazine and Jon Gettman,
who contended that marijuana does not meet the legal criteria
for classification in schedule I, the most restrictive schedule
under the Controlled Substances Act. DEA Director Asa Hutchinson
stated: 'This is an important ruling because it leaves in place
a sound decision made by DEA, in consultation with the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS), that there is no basis to
remove marijuana from schedule I. Current medical and scientific
evidence continues to demonstrate that marijuana has a high potential
for abuse and no safe and effective medical use.'" So the
War continues, and we are all still targets. See High
Court Upholds Marijuana as Dangerous Drug- Official DEA press
release)
Obviously dangerous Students for
Sensible Drug Policy Activist
under arrest at US Department of Justice
Washington DC-
photo Doug McVay
(For more information, videos, photographs and updates from
around the country, please check the links following this report,
where you can also read Heath Wintz’s report from Gainesville,
Florida.)
Peace, activist with Cures-Not-Wars and
NORML, making clear the message of the day.
“No Pictures,” hollered the New York
Police Department plainclothes officer as he charged in my direction.
In the truest good cop/bad cop routine, a second NYPD officer
interceded, walking over to explain to me in a more rational tone
that “ever since what happened further downtown, no photos
are allowed of security checkpoints.” He was talking about
the WTC attacks, but it was obvious that these officers were not
at all happy with the pro-marijuana protestors handing out flyers
chock full of information on the US government’s War on Medical
Marijuana users, patients, and pot smokers in general just across
the street from their “security checkpoint,” nor with
the idea of my taking a photo of one protestor holding a sign
next to their one squad car checkpoint surrounded by tourists
and business folk out on their lunch hour.
Dana Beal, founder of Cures-Not-Wars,
and
Tom Leighton, Marijuana
Reform Party
of New York candidate of Governor, 2002, in
front of banned for photos "security checkpoint".
Downtown Manhatthan, across from
Federal Courthouse
What Was it All About?
The NYC protestors, most from the New York Marijuana
Reform Party and from Cures-Not-Wars, were demonstrating as part
of a nationwide protest organized by Americans
for Safe Access, one of 55 separate demonstrations in 29 states
and Washington DC. The protests were called to demand that the
DEA cease and desist with its plans to raid medical marijuana
dispensaries operating within those states where medical marijuana
has been legalized: Alaska, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, and Washington. Since September 11, according
to the MRP press release, more medical marijuana patients have
been arrested in California than have terrorists, which bodes
not well for prevention of possible future terror attacks. A small
group of dedicated NYC pro-marijuana activists turned out, a much
smaller group than might be expected in the city which leads the
US in pot arrests, with more than 52,000 arrested in 2001, nearly
1,000 a week, for simple possession.
A Few Follow Their Words With Deeds, but Not
Many
“I was a little disappointed in the turnout,”
Thomas K. Leighton, Marijuana Reform Party candidate for governor
in 2002 told me. “I was really hoping to get more press attention.
Besides yourself, we had just one photographer show up from a
Spanish language paper. We have to fight to get the barest of
attention in this city. Today we are saying that while our nation
fights a war to protect freedom, our freedom here in the Untied
States is under attack by our own federal government.”
Leighton and volunteer explaining
protest demands to very interested passersby
“I’m unhappy with the current marijuana
and Drug War laws,” said David, who asked that his last name
not be used. On his lunch break, he was out to show his support
for Drug War reforms. “The laws need to be changed. These
people protesting here are at least making an effort,” he
said, speaking of the 20 or so NYC protestors. “I’m
kind of embarrassed for my generation, that there are not more
of us out here fighting for change. I’m in my mid-forties,
and like many of my generation, smoked marijuana.”
Why This Has Action Had To Be Taken, Now
John Sheridan, AIDs sufferer and medical
marijuana patient
“I was first prescribed Marinol in 1992, and
it didn’t work,” said John Sheridan, an AIDS patient
and medical marijuana user. “I’d stopped all recreational
drug use when diagnosed with HIV due to fears of exacerbating
the illness. But once prescribed Marinol, I realized that pot
smoking itself couldn’t be bad to use either. I remembered
smoking from back in the 70’s, so gave it a try.” Sheridan
pointed out that the last thing someone wants to do while on AIDS
medication cocktails, protease inhibitors and other medications
that can cause severe nausea, is try and swallow a pill. Since
constantly feeling like throwing up discourages eating, wasting
syndrome is a common problem for people taking these toxic chemical
brews necessary to live, even causing problems keeping down the
AIDS medicine itself at times. Pot smoking has allowed Sheridan
to eat and keep his weight up, saying he honestly feels it is
helping keep him alive.
Nancy Udall, with the MRP, pointed out when asked
about prohibitionist claims that the medical marijuana movement
is merely a ploy towards all out legalization, said that while
the end goal should be an end to the War on Pot, “we must
protect the most vulnerable first, the sick and dying who need
marijuana to make their lives easier and even to survive.”
“Legalize it, I want to smoke,” laughed
one young black guy who took a proffered flyer, but another black
guy noted that while he “admires what you all are doing out
here, if we had ten black guys out here doing this, they’d
shut us right down,” drawing attention to a real problem
of a lack of cooperation or even connections between different
ethnic groups who feel the effects of the War, and would like
to see an end to the War on Drugs.
Practicing Freedom to Protest in The Capital
of the Free World
Chained to the doors of Justice-
photo Doug McVay
While the event in NYC was peaceful and arrest
free, in other cities there were arrests. In Washington DC, 10
activists pulled up to the Department of Justice in a van. “They
leaped from the van and dashed towards the front doors,”
said Doug McVay of Common
Sense for Drug Policy. “Security saw this group of people
running towards the front doors, and slammed them shut, making
it easier for the protestors to chain themselves to the now closed
doors.” There were between 30 and 40 more people who did
not lock themselves to the doors, but carried signs and banners
decrying the War on Drugs. “It went well, no crazy stuff,”
said McVay, who pointed out that there were cops everywhere, waiting
for the protestors to arrive. The 10 engaged in civil disobedience
were arrested at 11:40 AM, and most, but not all, were released
by 8 PM. Those arrested included: Adam
Eidinger, DC Statehood-Green Party Shadow Representative Candidate;
Kevin Zeese, President of Common
Sense for Drug Policy; Shawn Heller, National Director of
Students for Sensible
Drug Policy (SSDP); Ron
Crickenberger, Libertarian Representative Candidate for Northern
Virginia; Mark Brandell, Libertarian Party; David Guard, Associate
Director of Drug Reform
Coordination Network; Bruce Mirken, Media Director of Marijuana
Policy Project; Darrell Rogers, National Outreach Coordinator
of SSDP; Leslie Nemeth, University of Maryland SSDP; and Jennifer
Rosloff, UMD SSDP,” according to a report by Chris O. for
DC IndyMedia.org. Federal Protective Services took them into custody
then transferred them into District Police Custody later in the
day.
Cops move in with bolt cutters-
photo Doug McVay
Kevin Zeese, Director of Common
Sense for Drug Policy preferred
to go under his own power-
photo Doug McVay
Shawn Heller, President of Students for
Sensible Drug Policy preferred to
peacfully not cooperate-
photo Doug McVay
“When arrested, some did the ‘go limp’
thing, while others cooperated and walked with the police to waiting
vehicles," said McVay. "It all actually went quite well.”
More information at the following links, and a
report by Heath Wintz on the Gainesville protest follow below.
Americans
for Safe Access
DEA
Burning States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana
Medical
Marijuana Supporters Turn to Civil Disobedience, Direct Action
Editorial:
Time for Action
David Borden, Executive Director, borden@drcnet.org,
6/7/02
Medical
Marijuana Backers Stage Protests Across US
Todd Zwillich- Reuters
More
Doug McVay photos
-------------------
Gainesville Florida
Report on DEA Protest Action
by Heath Wintz- University of Florida
Students for Sensible Drug Policy
A small group of SSDP members and myself
got to the unmarked office at about 11:45 today. One member had
already been inside the office about 10 years ago and gave us
the layout of where to go. We made it up the stairs to find a
hall with cameras in either wall and the ceiling for about 70'
to the marked office door.
One member inconspicuously carried a camera
in a shoulder bag to prevent planting of anything on us in a worst
case scenario. We made it past the first cryptolock door, which
wasn't locked, into the reception area. The reception area was
about 8' x 5' with pictures 8.5x11" glossy prints of 3 men:
GW Bush, Asa Hutchinson and John Ashcroft. I held down my vomit
long enough to ring the bell, in front of the bulletproof glass,
for the receptionist.
I asked to talk to the superior agent on
duty, and minute later he showed up in a Miami Vice style floral
print. I delivered the letter and explained that it was a cease
and desist order to halt arrest of medical marijuana patients.
He looked puzzled, and said that his boss, Dick Mackenetti, was
at lunch. (Ironically, he was one of 3 gentlemen who held the
outside door for us as we came in just moments earlier.)
He offered to take my number and get back
in touch with me, but I opted to try back later. We exited the
building then, being tailed by someone hurrying down the stairs
after us, and made it out the front door before he reached the
building lobby and eyeballed us out. I've tried to phone the Agent
in charge from payphones twice since then, and he's been in meetings
both times. I'll continue to follow up tomorrow.
Hope things went smoothly elsewhere, but
I'm looking forward to hearing how other offices reacted.
Heath Wintz
UF SSDP
