8/4/96
The San Francisco Cannabis Buyers' Club, which provides medical marijuana to about 10,000 patients, and five other smaller clubs in San Francisco, were raided at 7:30 this morning (Sunday August 4). Reportedly, sixteen people were taken into custody. This raid comes as the campaign for Prop. 215, the California Medical Marijuana Initiative, and the opposition to Prop. 215, have begun to move into gear. We will be publishing more information on Prop. 215 and its proponents and opponents in the next issue of The Activist Guide, currently in preparation.
We have just learned that protests in San Francisco in support of the Buyers' Club are planned for: 1) this evening (Sunday 8/4), at 5:00pm, meeting at 18th & Castro, and walking to Market St. (the whole street is blocked off, and the media is there in force); 2) tomorrow (Monday 8/5) at noon, at the State Building on McAllister & Van Ness; and 3) tomorrow at the State Courthouse at 850 Bryant St. at 1:30pm. If you are in the Bay Area, or can get there, please go to protest this human rights violation and misuse of the criminal justice system for political purposes. And please call Gov. Pete Wilson at (916) 445-2841 and Attorney General Dan Lungren at (916) 448-3853 (campaign office) or (916) 445-9555 (Justice Dept.) to express your outrage.
Californians for Medical Rights issued the following press release following the raid:
Californians for Medical Rights Yes on 215
For Release: August 4, 1996
CONTACT: Dave Fratello at (310) 394-2952
Buyers' Club Bust Underscores Need for Prop. 215
SANTA MONICA, August 4 -- Reacting to news this morning that the "Cannabis Buyers' Club" (CBC) in San Francisco has been raided by police, Californians for Medical Rights, the Yes on Prop. 215 campaign, issued the following statement:
"The Cannabis Buyers' Club, one of the many groups in California supporting Prop. 215, has suffered a serious blow this morning. For some, the San Francisco CBC was a beacon of hope.
"Our hearts go out to the 10,000 seriously and terminally ill people served by the CBC. These patients were willing to risk arrest to use a medicine that reduced their pain and suffering. Many of them will now be deprived of that medicine, which their doctors agreed was beneficial.
"The arrests this morning underscore the need for passage of Prop. 215 this November. The seriously and terminally ill people of California who find medical benefits from marijuana are not criminals. Prop. 215 will make that fact explicit under state law.
"Surely the dozens of police officers who participated in this morning's arrests can be better employed chasing hard criminals, even on a Sunday morning."
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Californians for Medical Rights (CMR) -- YES ON 215 is a non-partisan, non-affiliated committee formed in 1996. CMR's focus is on protecting the legal rights of doctors and patients who find marijuana useful in medical treatment. CMR was instrumental in gathering sufficient signatures to place Prop. 215 on the ballot -- over 775,000 were turned over to county registrars on April 24.
125 Sixth Street #202, Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 394-2952 Fax: (310) 451-7494
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