One hot topic in California politics is medical marijuana.  Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys represent people who stand accused of breaking a law that is quite complicated.  The law in Los Angeles, as well as the rest of California, allows medical marijuana within certain parameters.  However, federal law does not allow marijuana to be grown, distributed or used for any reason.

In Culver City, federal authorities as well as local agents, raided two Westside medical marijuana dispensaries and the homes of the owners.  The raid occurred in Culver City and Los Angeles and the Drug Enforcement Agency refused to disclose the exact amount of medical marijuana that was seized.  The FBI, DEA, Internal Revenue Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Torrance Police Department and Culver City Police Department took part in the raids.  No reason was given for the raids.

There were raids earlier this month which came on the same day that an appellate court in San Diego ruled that federal law does not preempt the state’s law allowing the use of medical marijuana.  What the federal government has created is an instance in which you could be obeying state law while disobeying federal law.  No other area of law creates such problems.  One of the individuals arrested at the medical marijuana bust in early August suffers from multiple sclerosis and has been a customer of that dispensary since early 2009. 

In June, the Los Angeles city council began to shut down medical marijuana dispensaries throughout the city that failed to properly register with the city.  Many members of the community are concerned that these dispensaries will endanger the neighborhoods in which they exist.  Medical marijuana activists are fighting back, storming city halls throughout Los Angeles claiming they are obeying state law.

Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys are invaluable to anyone operating a medical marijuana dispensary.  The law is murky at best, and although it seems there is a greater freedom, there is also a great deal of confusion.  Federal authorities are ignoring state law and city law, raiding medical marijuana dispensaries on a regular basis.  If you operate a medical marijuana dispensary, or if you are a medical marijuana user, contact the Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin today.

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