Medical marijuana protesters gather at City Hall in wake of federal raids

10.14.11 - 3:40 pm | Lucy Schiller |

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San Francisco City Hall was the scene of today's fired up protests.

GUARDIAN IMAGE BY CAITLIN DONOHUE

Protesters met in front of the San Francisco Federal Building this afternoon to challenge the recent federal crackdown on California’s medical marijuana industry. The rally formed on the heels of yesterday (October 13)'s raid by federal agents on Northstone Organics, a Ukiah medical marijuana cooperative.

“Our state, our medicine,” protesters chanted. Among those present -- about 30 individuals, per Guardian estimates -- were medical marijuana patients, patient advocates, dispensary employees, and a representative of the Medical Cannabis Association.

“When you’re a part of the medical cannabis movement, you feel personally affected by these raids,” said Shantanae Todd, an advocate and patient herself. Todd suffers from seizures and says she has found relief through her medical cannabis presciption for two years.

“What’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans? I’m not seeing much of a difference here,” cried Shona Gochenaur, executive director of low income medicinal cannabis center Axis of Love and member of the city’s Medical Cannabis Task Force. Gochenaur urged Kamala Harris, California’s Attorney General -- who has resisted taking a stand on the federal government's persecution of medicinal cannabis producers -- to lend more vocal support.

“We need to give everyone a clear message today that patients are not willing to go underground,” said Gochenaur. The protesters plan to meet and rally at noon the day after each and any future large-scale federal raids on California marijuana producers.

Comments

Why the fed is spending money on this

is a mystery.

still

80% of the medical pot people are just stoners in need of not being unstoned.

Posted by meatsack on Oct. 14, 2011 @ 7:22 pm

HIGH TIMES

A 'interesting' article appears in the latest edition of my neighborhood broadsheet, the venerable Noe Valley Voice. I vaguely recall the boozy smokey daze when this baby was born in Finnegan's. Hope link works.
http://www.noevalleyvoice.com/2011/October/Pot.htm

Posted by Patrick Monk RN on Oct. 15, 2011 @ 8:34 am

Where was Ross? He used to be

Where was Ross?

He used to be one of the biggest marihuana advocates in California.

Is he selling out now that he is running for Sheriff?

Posted by Guest on Oct. 15, 2011 @ 3:56 pm

He's a Democrat - what did

He's a Democrat - what did you expect?

Posted by Captain Decent on Oct. 21, 2011 @ 2:07 pm

why are we spending all this cash

ok why do we spend all this cash on this when you have alcohal who kills people
? why cuz they love there wine thank you guverment for that

Posted by Guest on Oct. 16, 2011 @ 10:39 am

Eric Holder is making some

Eric Holder is making some the worst decision's in the history of the U.S. Not only did he know about "fast and furious" Arming the Mexican Cartels. Now he's going after law abiding citizen's that use pot for illness's.

Pres. Obama's Time for a change, slogan was a prediction of his own future.

Posted by GuestSam on Oct. 17, 2011 @ 2:27 am

And you're point is?

Meatsack?

Posted by Andy on Oct. 17, 2011 @ 5:51 am

my point is Andy

That I don't care if you get stoned and it's annoying that the fed is wasting money on this, but 80% of the "sick" people who buy weed from these places are sick of not being stoned.

So the feds are just busting quasi dealers.

Posted by meatsack on Oct. 17, 2011 @ 4:20 pm

FYI y'all

As a 'health professional'; a Home Visit Hospice RN Case Manager for the past, almost, 20 years, I would respectfully ask the 'sack of shit' above to get a life and contemplate his/her death. Over the decades I have witnessed first hand the incredible benefits of marijuana in many delivery systems, and the positive effects it has had on many of my clients, especially in the areas of deceased nausea (particuarly from various chemo treatments); increased appetite; decreased physical, psychological, and emotional pain and stress; decreased dependance on expensive and potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals; and in many instances reversal or at least 'delay' of disease progression giving the patient and their loved ones more time to accept and come to terms with the the inevitable that awaits us all. I have not yet read or researched the claims made in the book referenced below, I will ASAP and STAT, but I urge you all to keep an open mind and consider the alternatives.
The Cancer Industry is NOT the answer.
The 'War On Drugs' is a joke. Like Prohibition, it will end as soon as 'our'
Government figures out a way to regulate, monopolise, tax and control it.,
http://www.noevalleyvoice.com/2011/October/Pot.htm

Posted by Patrick Monk RN on Oct. 21, 2011 @ 4:39 pm

President or no president, medical marijuana shows up in Oakland