Narcotics Agents Raid 'Medical Marijuana Club'

[vta]

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n260/a11.html

US IL:
NARCOTICS AGENTS RAID 'MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLUB'

A Springfield man's "medical marijuana club" was raided Wednesday night, less than 14 hours after he announced the club to the news media.

Springfield police raided a home in the 1100 block of North Third Street about 7 p.m. Wednesday and arrested Scott Carriere, 40, according to Deputy Chief Clay Dowis.

Carriere will be charged in connection with growing several marijuana plants inside the house, Dowis said, although police did not indicate how much was recovered.

Jail records Wednesday night indicate Carriere is being investigated on suspicion that he had between 30 and 500 grams of marijuana and had produced more than 50 plants.

About 15 minutes before narcotics agents raided Carriere's house, Carriere spoke by phone with a State Journal-Register reporter in defense of his club, which he said charged membership fees.

Carriere claimed he believed the operation, which opened Monday, was legal. Carriere said the club had three members, although he did not disclose their names.

"You pay your membership fees, and the marijuana is actually free," Carriere said. "I don't charge for the marijuana at all. It's medicine."

During the interview, Carriere said police had been harassing him earlier Wednesday night. Two cars that left his house between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. were stopped and one was searched, he told the reporter.

"It just seems like the police are not listening to this at all," he said. "The U.S. attorney last week said they would not prosecute for medical marijuana. If he's allowing one state to prescribe it, it recognizes the use of it."

"I want a legal business of distributing medicine," Carriere said. "I don't want to be out selling pot."

Carriere did not elaborate on his claim that a U.S. attorney had said there would be no prosecution for medical marijuana.

A spokeswoman for central Illinois U.S. Attorney Rodger Heaton said Heaton has made no such statement.

Carriere said the only stipulation to join his club was that members had to sign a form indicating they would use the drug only for medicinal purposes. The form also indicated the members agreed to allow Carriere to grow marijuana for them.

Carriere also claimed to have paid $27 to obtain a business permit from Sangamon County.

Carriere said he grew plants based on patients' needs. The amount varied from week to week, he said, but the amount grown never exceeded more than four to five plants at a time.

"I grow plants that are half an ounce each," he said. "They're little bitty plants."

Carriere said he has been using marijuana for 12 years. A California doctor previously recommended it to relieve back spasms, he said.

[sidebar]

CARRIERE'S E-MAIL TO THE NEWS MEDIA ABOUT HIS 'MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLUB'

Sent at 5:33 a.m. Wednesday:

"I have opened a medical marijuana club in Springfield. I just wanted you to know. It is currently being run out of my residence. The address is ( he gave an address in the 1100 block of North Third Street ). I am accepting customers and suppliers. Thank you.

"P.S. I have filed the paperwork at the courthouse under my name and address, the name of the business is Medical Marijuana Compassionate caregivers Club."

 

[johnipedestran]

wow

either big balls

or no brain

or a combination of both

peace
jip

 

[scarred4life]

rock on, scott c.

it's a long shot, but maybe if he goes to court the case could set a fedral precedent for medicinal patients?

I could be totally off basis...I'm no lawyer by a longshot.

 

[VirginHarvester]

Maybe they didn't get the memo?

 

[humble1]

is illinois a medical state?
if not, sol

 

[Blue Dot]

Maybe they didn't get the memo?

That's the problem. The white house hasn't offically released a "memo" or policy. It's just all what Holder said.

Wonder why they are balking at putting it in writing?????????

 

[George]

holder was talking about ending federal raids.

these were local police. correct me if im wrong.

 

[catman]

Maybe he has some connections in the court room and he's doing this to help speed up the cause!

 

[Blue Dot]

holder was talking about ending federal raids.

these were local police. correct me if im wrong.

In san diego, the locals are ALWAYS saying fed law trumps state law so if obama says to quit it on a fed level then this would mean to quit it on a local level also.

The state and locals can't have it both ways!

 

[FreedomFGHTR]

He announced it to the media without state laws that protect him? He is screwed in so many ways. Atleast he probably won't hit federal charges since he only had 3 members and was only open 14 hours... hard to hit him with the 20 year mandatory minimum for running a continuous criminal enterprise.

Also the statements Obama made as a candidate said that he doesn't believe that federal resources should be used to circumvent state laws. Illinois doesn't have a medical marijuana law on the books, so they are fair game in that state = (

 

[BobbleheadJed]

Actually the Republicans passed a mmj bill in 1978 in Illinois believe it or not, but it was never implemented. Who knows, he might have a case based on that 1978 legislation to try to force the Dept. of Health and State Police to allow mmj. Long shot is in an understatement, but who knows. His heart is in the right place but there are probably better ways to go about it.

Interesting tidbit about Illinois. Since 2002, Democrats have held a majority in the Illinois House and Senate and the Governor's office. Not a single Republican vote has been needed since 2002 to pass mmj and Democrat Governor Blagojevich or now Quinn could have forced the issue using that 1978 legislation. Including from 2002-2004 while Obama was a St. Senator. Thems just the fact.

Good luck Scott Carriere, you are going to jail for a long while under the complete Democrat control in Illinois if they found more than 50 plants as the article suggests. Sad.

 

[Kola Radical]

The president doesn't want to use federal resources to circumvent state laws, so if your state is legal, you're looking good federally. But this guy is screwed.

 

[Blue Dot]

for some reason I just assumed IL had a state MMJ law because no way could I ever conceive that someone would be that dumb to do this without a state MMJ law.

Doesn't this guy read the paper? I mean in Cali there are busts all the time and we have a state law.

 

[BeanDip]

Wow, just... WOW

 

[supi1012]

anyone who takes those few statements about stopping raids seriously, think about it. unless the federal government changes the LAW, nothing changes. dont fool yourselves, as much as its not what you want to hear. everyone should make a note to stay free, and doing so means understanding what you are doing is illegal. i live in cali. for me to grow a plant with my recc. i would be breaking the law. federal law. and preventative measures MUST be taken to ensure i dont end up behind bars.
how about wackos wait until the raids actually stop, which they havent by any means, before assuming state law trumps federal law. the second the feds dont like your ass, you bet your life theyll use federal dollars to circumvent state law. dont be niave. dont listen to what you read in high times. this is misinformation.
ps i donno if they meant springfield, IL and if they did come on. i was born and raised in illinois. i can tell you marijuana will never fly in illinois bro. save your money and buy a plane ticket to a medical state. ps dont come to cali. we have enough ignorant out of state growers bringing heat on the rest of us.

 

[Charg5152]

This guy is one of the bravest passionate medical marijuana advocate or the dumbest, out of touch, and legal bafoon in history. Illinois does not have any medical marijuana or decriminalization laws on the books. The Attorney General said that he wouldn't sanction federal raids that conflict with state laws. The problem for this dude, is there are no state laws protecting him.

If he knew this and still proceeded, then he has some balls and is surely sacrificing for the cause. Something tells me that this guy is just uneducated and didn't do his homework. I hope that this helps with getting the Illinois people and citizens talking about our outdates drug laws, but am skeptical as this guys ignorance may actually hurt the cause.

Its crazy that he was open and operating for 14 minutes before the local pd busted him.

 

[Weedman Herb]

i was born and raised in illinois. ps dont come to cali. we have enough ignorant out of state growers bringing heat on the rest of us.

So what does that make you??? Another ignorant transplant in cali trying to act like you really belong there. One of the very people you are trying to tell what to do ... Too Funny ... and kinda sad ... AND ... What makes you part of "the rest of us" ???

 

[mpd]

That's the problem. The white house hasn't offically released a "memo" or policy. It's just all what Holder said.

Wonder why they are balking at putting it in writing?????????

Because there is no official position. Obama and the Democrats are no more interested in legalizing marijuana than flying to the moon.

You got sold out. Just admit it and move on. Remember, sooner or later you will have to come to the conservatives to help you with this problem.

Too bad you shit in their bed and demonized them; that should make your begging a bit more dramatic, but drama is what it is all about, right?

They don't actually have to legalize marijuana, just feel bad that they sent your ass to jail - again!

Democrats made dope illegal. They will not make it legal. Get this through your heads. They have had 72 years to legalize it and it hasn't happened.

All those liberal congressional majorities. All those liberal presidents - hell, you even had an extremely liberal vice-president and president serving at the same time with a liberal congress and it didn't happen.

As long as these people - liberal politicians and the "modern" liberal movement - have you on the hook, they will continue to victimize you because they believe you are too stupid to realize they are victimizing you.

There are no villains in this world and there are no victims; only volunteers.

As long as you are willing to volunteer to be victims, they will certainly oblige you by putting you in prison, confiscating your wealth and then demanding the rest of us feel bad for you.

I am sorry if this makes your face color and your heart palpitate, but someone has to put an end to this sick and twisted dream that Obama and Holder are going to legalize dope.

They gain nothing by making it legal and only stand to lose money, voters and power by granting your wish.

Why would they do that?

You need to make common cause with Republicans and make a plea based upon constitutional rights to decide what goes in your body. That would appeal - it would be a beginning. Demonizing conservatives for a problem liberals created is not in our best interest and has been shown to be extremely counter-productive to our cause.

Stop worshiping these false gods. The government cannot and will not help you.

 

[BiG H3rB Tr3E]

Remember, sooner or later you will have to come to the conservatives to help you with this problem.

Too bad you shit in their bed and demonized them; that should make your begging a bit more dramatic, but drama is what it is all about, right?

well,,,both presidents who created anti-drug agencies were both republican,,,
but that really has little do to with the subject at hand....

The (Federal) Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was established in July 1930 when President Herbert Hoover appointed Harry J. Anslinger its first Commissioner of Narcotics, a position he held under four U.S. Presidents, spanning more than three decades.

The Drug Enforcement Administration was created by President Richard Nixon through an Executive Order in July 1973 in order to establish a single unified command to combat "an all-out global war on the drug menace." At its outset, the DEA had 1,470 Special Agents and a budget of less than $75 million. Furthermore, in 1974, the DEA had 43 foreign offices in 31 countries. Today, the DEA has 5,235 Special Agents, a budget of more than $2.3 billion and 87 foreign offices in 63 countries.

all these people are scumfucks>>>
democrat or republican:::they are all cut from the same cloth
no "average joe" will ever take seat in the white house....
all these people are related ,,, like the kings and queens of early europe
hell....even barack obama is related to dick cheney, google it if you dont believe me

 

[BobbleheadJed]

Big Herb Tree. Who was it that wrote the federal mandatory minimum drug laws that created the office of the Drug Czar as a cabinet level position and that locked up Tommy Chong for selling bongs?

Why that was Vice President Joe "Lock up Chong and bih bong" Biden, wasn't it? And who signed those laws into effect? His Democrat buddy Bill Clinton.

Don't cast stones at one party unless you are ready for the whole truth and to take responsibility for the power you used over other people with your vote. Both power abusing parties are the problem.

(EDIT: Then my eyes see the bottom of your post Big Herb Tree. I apologize. My bad. You are at the same conclusion I am. Sorry.)