MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLUBS TO DEFY ORDER TO SHUT DOWN

Medical marijuana clubs in Oakland and San Francisco promised
Wednesday to defy a federal judge's order to shut down.
A federal prosecutor stopped short of saying the clubs will be
forcibly closed, but warned that the clubs should comply with the order.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued preliminary injunctions
Tuesday against six Northern California clubs for violating federal
drug laws. The injunctions were announced Wednesday.

Jeff Jones, executive director of the Oakland Cannabis Buyers
Cooperative, reacted by calling a press conference for today at which
he'll openly dispense medical marijuana to four seriously ill patients.
"For these four patients, and others like them, medical marijuana is a
medical necessity," Jones said in a written statement. "To deny them
access would be unjust and inhumane."

He couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon, but calls to
the cooperative were greeted by Jones' recorded voice promising, "We
are going to remain open for member service until we are physically
shut down." The recording also urged supporters to fill out
declarations supporting the cooperative, to be used in upcoming court
actions.

Across the Bay, a spokeswoman for the state's largest medical
marijuana center also voiced defiance.

"We are going to remain open and we will continue to serve our
patients," said Lynn Barnes, a registered nurse who volunteers with
the Cannabis Healing Center in San Francisco. "A number of them would
either be in a lot of pain, in danger of losing their eyes or in
danger of not being able to eat without marijuana."

Barnes said the center, which serves about 8,000 patients, is eager to
make its case in federal court. "It's time to change the hypocrisy in
this nation - it's a big black mark on our conscience," she said.

"We think this is a civil rights issue and we will non violently be
here. serving our patients in a very gentle contempt-of-court for the
greater good , she said. "We're law-abiding people, but this situation
demands us laying ourselves on the line."

Barnes said the club hopes to keep while the matter is
litigated.

But if it's shut down, volunteers will serve patients "in any way that
we possibly can."

Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Sheller in San Francisco said
what happens next is "up to the clubs - our hope and expectation is
that they will comply" by closing. When told of Jones' and Barnes'
statements, Shefler said his office will consult with federal Justice
Department officials in Washington, D.C., on the next steps to take.

Other clubs affected by Breyer's injunctions are in Marin County,
Santa Cruz and Ukiah.

Checked-by: trikydik@inil.com (trikydik)