Raid on Culver City Medical Marijuana Clinic
In August 2008, federal agents of the DEA conducted a raid on a Culver City medical marijuana clinic (dispensary), spending over 4 hours to serve a search warrant. Nobody was arrested in the raid but the shop was left in dishevelment. A spokeswoman of the DEA Los Angeles office, Sarah Pullen, stated that marijuana is still a controlled substance, that is, under federal law; it is illegal to acquire, possess, cultivate, or dispense marijuana even for medical purposes.
At the same time, while the DEA conducts its raid on the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary), an appellate court in San Diego released an order that federal law does not supersede the state medical marijuana laws on permitting the use of medical marijuana.
The federal agents left the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary) in a mess. Its counters were scattered with empty jars; couch cushions were upturned, an ATM door was torn and emptied; receipts were scattered on the floor; and bits of marijuana spread on the counter edges. More so, inside the rooms of the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary), dresser drawers were pulled open and a safe was penetrated open. The federal agents also uprooted marijuana plants along with other plants in an outdoor vegetable garden. During the raid, Brian Birbiglia, the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary) owner sat beside DEA agents on a tattered couch outside the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary). He was handcuffed for more than 4 hours of the raid. A box was marked “DEA evidence” while some federal agents wore their black sunglasses, protective chest gears, and leg holsters with guns.
The owner of the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary) was released after the raid and left furious. He said he was a disabled former Marine who possesses a prescription to use medical marijuana for his foot injury. He said he could have preferred being robbed by ruffians rather than being raided by the DEA. In addition, Birbiglia claimed he follows the state medical marijuana laws.
Birbiglia had called Los Angeles Councilman Bill Rosendahl during the raid. Rosendahl arrived a few hours after the raid had started. He stood outside the gate of the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary), frustrated that he could not do anything to intercede in the raid when the city recognizes state medical marijuana laws. The medical marijuana clinic (dispensary) was located between the boundary of Culver City and Los Angeles. Rosendahl said the action of the federal government was disappointing as the state medical marijuana laws need to be reviewed in Washington. He said that people with legitimacy on using medical marijuana are caught in the middle of such conflict.
A customer of the medical marijuana clinic (dispensary), Clyde Carey, was near the area when the federal agents conducted their raid. He said the agents handcuffed at least 25 people inside and started to search the establishment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Victor Kenton signed the search warrant and authorized the DEA to seize controlled substances including marijuana and products containing such substance superseding state medical marijuana laws.
The medical marijuana clinic (dispensary) also has a MySpace page with advertisements claiming it offers medical marijuana along with other products containing it. New patients are able to receive a free gift during their first purchase. The medical marijuana clinic (dispensary) claims its store hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Tags: 4400 medical marijuana uses, medical marijuana states, state medical marijuana
