Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
This is a guest blog from Clay and Debra Tepel. They operate Kush Korner, a medical cannabis dispensing collective raided by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in September.
Clay and Debra Tepel
The day began without incident. Kush Korner, our California Medical Marijuana Dispensary, had been open for 6 months to the day and we were not making our overhead. Much has been said about fast, plentiful paydays from these coops. Throughout our existence we never made a profit from our operations.
That day, our first few patients were very ill, one with cancer and another with Parkinson’s disease. Serving these patients was most rewarding. Each had a humility and continence that you only see in the severely ill. When these patients left with their meds, we felt satisfied that we were fulfilling our mission.
The next two patients were check-in nightmares. Each had the same doctor who required a fax to his office for verification. The doctor would verify and fax back to us a response. The process took much longer than expected, but in the end we were successful.
The day moved on. It was a quiet mid-afternoon, when the telephone call came into the coop. A loud excited voice on the other end announced himself from the LAPD, and ordered us to open the front door immediately, with a threat of invasion they made very clear. At first I thought it was a joke, but the voice sounded too excited and threatening.
(more…)
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Sunday, September 6th, 2009
From the ASA Blog: Getting Ready for a Raid – Too Soon for Complacency in Los Angeles
“The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has recently stepped up enforcement against medical cannabis dispensing collectives in the city, and there is reason to believe that this may be the beginning of a new trend. Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is encouraging patients and providers to prepare in advance for a possible confrontation with local police. Taking some simple precautions in advance and knowing what to do during an LAPD raid can preserve your rights and keep you out of serious trouble…”
Read the entire post, including links and tips, on the ASA Blog.
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Thursday, May 28th, 2009
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the local District Attorney may be orchestrating a crackdown on medical cannabis patients’ associations in the San Fernando Valley. Defense attorney Bill Kroger, who represents a collective raided by the LAPD yesterday, spoke with Detective Holcomb from the Devonshire Precinct today. Detective Holcomb claims the LAPD raided four collectives in recent days – and that more will follow.
Detective Holcomb offered the same spurious explanations for the raids we have come to expect from law enforcement – “dispensaries are illegal under People v. Mentch, these places are operating for profit, no sales of cannabis are legal,” etc. I addressed these untenable arguments in greater length on the Americans for Safe Access (ASA) blog today.
New LAPD raids come at an uncertain time for Los Angeles patients’ associations. The fate of hundreds of hardship applications filed by collectives and cooperatives that opened or relocated after the city’s moratorium took effect in September of 2007 may be decided soon. The buzz from City Hall is that many will be denied. The City Council is also working to craft permanent regulations before the moratorium expires on September 14, 2009. A proposal by outgoing City Attorney to close all of the city’s storefront facilities seems dead, but advocates worry the City Council is running out of time to adopt a more sensible measure.
Los Angeles area collective and cooperative operators would do well to be on high alert for police activity – especially in the Devonshire precinct. This includes communities like Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge, Porter Ranch, West Hills, and Winnetka. Take some precautions to protect staff and members:
1. Limit the amount of medicine and other assets on hand to only what is necessary to serve members.
2. Make sure everyone knows to remain silent if detained and questioned.
3. Schedule a staff meeting or training to prepare for a raid.
4. Have an attorney on call for emergencies.
5. Make a plan for what to do if you are in jail – bail, child care, securing the facility, etc.
6. Be 100% sure there are no weapons or illegal drugs in the facility.
I also recommend you call ASA toll free at (888) 929-4367 to report any law enforcement encounters. Leave a message at extension 319 or email legalsupport@safeaccessnow.org if you do not get through.
Federal pressure on collectives may be waning, but we still must be vigilant. We are likely to see more LAPD activity as the public outcry about the continued proliferation of collectives grows and the deadline for the new ordinance gets closer.
Posted in Medical Marijuana Information | 1 Comment »
