FEDS RAID MORE SPOKANE MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

Federal agents, assisted by Spokane Police, are currently raiding
marijuana dispensaries including one on Freya Street just north of the
intersection with Sprague Avenue.

Spokane Police Detective Tom Hendren said he was assisting the federal
Drug Enforcement Administration with a federal warrant, but he could
not give any more specifics.

He referred all questions, including whether other locations were
being raided, to Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Rice. Rice declined
comment other than to confirm the search warrant at Medical Herb
Providers at 322 N. Freya.

"It's one of several," he said referring to the search warrants. "I
can't say any more than that because the operations are on going."

Federal agents hit seven dispensaries on April 29, but none of those
cases have yet resulted in charges.

The U.S. attorney's office sent dispensary operators notices in April
advising them to shut down or risk federal enforcement action. Many of
the estimated 40 medical marijuana dispensaries reportedly complied,
but not all.

Washington voters overwhelmingly approved medicinal use of marijuana
in 1998, but the ballot measure left open the question of how
doctor-approved users can legally obtain their pot. Advocates say the
state law allows for dispensaries under its "caretaker" provision, but
a Spokane County Superior Court jury rejected that argument last month
in the first drug-trafficking trial of its kind in Washington.
Additionally, federal prosecutors note that while state law allows for
medical use of marijuana, federal law still considers all marijuana
possession and use illegal.

Additionally, federal prosecutors note that while state law allows for
medical use of marijuana, federal law still considers all marijuana
possession and use illegal.

Steve Sarich, executive director for the Seattle-based CannaCare,
expressed dismay that federal officials would continue to target
businesses that are trying to get medicine to patients.

"This is just the beginning of the raids," he said. "Our legislature
has to start sticking up for us. The voters voted for this. They are
treating marijuana as a law enforcement issue. It's not. It's a
medical issue."