Americans for Safe Access, a pro-medicinal marijuana group that favors similar programs nationwide, says the state's figures are deceptive. The group surveyed a representative sampling of California dispensaries and tallied their sales, then multiplied that amount by the number of dispensaries in the state. ASA estimated the paid sales tax at about $100 million, and the amount of taxable sales at about $800 million. "This is a significant amount of money in a tough budget year," said ASA spokesman Kris Hermes. "We'd rather have the Board of Equalization be the entity that gives out that number, but they say it goes directly into the General Fund and there is nothing that requires the dispensaries to indicate what they sell. I hope over time that they will consider it, so it's not just us saying that we represent $100 million annually in sales taxes," Hermes added.

Berkeley is considering a plan to help get medical marijuana to patients if the Drug Enforcement Administration shuts down any of the city-permitted cannabis clubs.

The plan by City Councilmen Darryl Moore and Kriss Worthington already has drawn fire from the Berkeley police, the city manager's office and the DEA.

The resolution before the City Council on Tuesday night declares Berkeley a sanctuary for medical marijuana users and distributors, and says "the city itself shall ensure a continuum of access to medical marijuana" if the DEA moves in.

Vancouver � So-called prince of pot Marc Emery will be back in court Tuesday asking for more time to work out details of an agreement with U.S. authorities to allow Emery to serve a prison sentence in Canada.

Mr. Emery said last week he'd reached a tentative plea-bargain agreement with the U.S. Justice Department over his Internet sales of marijuana seeds that would have meant he would spent at least five years in prison � most of it in Canada.

In July, DEA administrators mailed letters to dozens of landlords in Los Angeles warning owners that they risk arrest, up to 20 years in prison, and the loss of their property if they continue renting to cannabis dispensaries. Since that time, similar letters have been sent to the landlords of other medicinal cannabis providers throughout the state, including several in San Francisco, leading to the closure of various high-profile dispensaries.

Last week the Arts District Healing Center, a Los Angeles-based medical cannabis provider, filed a federal lawsuit in US District Court claiming that the DEA extorted its landlord by sending a letter threatening imprisonment and property seizure.

"By this notice, you have been made aware of the purposes for which the property is being used," said a copy of the letter sent to Sacramento landlords, signed by the special agent in charge of the DEA's San Francisco office, Javier Pena.

"You are further advised that violations of federal laws relating to marijuana may result in criminal prosecution, imprisonment, fines and forfeiture of assets."

Agents who raided the Compassionate Patients Cooperative in Hayward and several other east Bay Area locations shortly before dawn Tuesday also seized $200,000 in cash, two late model Mercedes Benz automobiles and a home in Lafayette.

The pot club's owners, Winslow Norton and Abraham Norton, have been charged with drug distribution, money laundering and several other felony counts. They are being held without bond.

Smokedot's main focus is on the reform of marijuana laws, but one of the biggest stories in the news today is "Operation Raw Deal". The DEA has made the largest steroid bust in history in conjunction with nine other countries. They busted "56 steroid labs, confiscated 11.4 million doses, and 534 pounds of raw steroid powder."

Buyers "are solely motivated by a desire to gain an unfair competitive advantage by using illegal performance-enhancing substances," said Terry Vermillion, who heads the Office of Criminal Investigations in the US Food and Drug Administration.

Fourty-five members of Congress have wirtten a non-binding letter (warning PDF) to the DEA urging them to comply with the February 12,2007 opinion and recommended ruling that private production of marijuana is "in the interest of the public". These members of Congress are lobbying for the University of Massachusetts to cultivate their own supply of marijuana for "federally-approved researchers." The PDF goes futher on into detail about how the National Institute on Drug Abuse has a current monopoly on the production of medicinal marijuana used for clinical trials, and a great quote by former DEA Administrator Robert Bonner.

Our boys over at stopthedrugwar.org bring us an update of Bryan Epis who has been convicted and sentenced again to 10 years in a federal prison for cultivating medicinal marijuana. Best quote of the story from Epis:

"If Proposition 215 had not passed, I wouldn't be standing here today," Epis told Damrell. "I'm being prosecuted because I have a heart. I've seen too many people suffer and die from cancer and AIDS not to try to help them. I'm not ashamed of what I did, but I am sorry for my family."

Please research the whole story about Bryan and help support his cause by voicing your opinion!