THREE PEOPLE HELD IN RAIDS AT MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

SAN DIEGO - Narcotics agents raided four San Diego marijuana
dispensaries, made three arrests at the locations and seized about 20
pounds of pot yesterday.

Federal authorities said the businesses were not selling the drug
within the limits of state Proposition 215, a 1996 initiative
legalizing the sale of marijuana by prescription to seriously ill patients.

Drug Enforcement Administration and county Narcotics Task Force
agents served search warrants at Answerdam on Convoy Court, Plan B
Coastal Care Group on Adams Avenue, Chronic Care Providers on Daggett
Street and Safe California Access on Murphy Canyon Road. Three men,
ages 59, 35 and 26, were arrested at three of the businesses on
suspicion of marijuana sales and possession for sale, DEA spokeswoman
Eileen Zeidler said.

A home on Marlborough Avenue in City Heights also was searched, and a
30-year-old resident was arrested on suspicion of the same marijuana
charges and suspicion of possessing Ecstasy.

Zeidler said marijuana and pot-laced brownies, ice cream, chocolate
and fruit bars were seized at the businesses, along with a loaded
handgun and thousands of dollars. She said the investigation took
several months, and continues, to trace where the pot came from.

Meanwhile, the county Board of Supervisors is continuing its court
battle against the state's medical marijuana laws.

The board voted 4-1 yesterday, with Ron Roberts opposing, to ask the
state Supreme Court to review its lawsuit challenging the state
requirement that counties issue government identification to
qualified medical marijuana patients.

The county contends the requirement conflicts with federal drug
statutes that categorize marijuana as a dangerous drug with no
medical benefits.

A Superior Court judge rejected the county's case in 2006, and an
appellate court backed that decision Thursday. The state Supreme
Court will be asked to review last week's ruling, said Tom Bunton,
senior deputy county counsel.