Drew Carey on DEA Raids & Medical Marijuana Use by Minors

Drew Carey on DEA Raids & Medical Marijuana Use by Minors June 10th, 2008 Posted by Rebecca Saltzman reason.tv just came out with its second video on medical marijuana, featuring Drew Carey talking about one young man's battle with cancer and use of medical marijuana. While his parents approved of his medicine, the DEA did not and shut down his local dispensary: Owen's parents knew the idea of giving medical marijuana to a 17-year-old strikes many people as scandalous. Local Sheriff Pat Hedges even asserts that allowing medical marijuana is "not in the best interest of a community that prides itself on providing a healthy, family environment." But the Becks weren't concerned about what other people thought; they were focused on helping their son. So with a written doctor recommendation in hand, they purchased medical marijuana for their teenage son. The new medication eased Owen's pain and nausea like nothing else had, and the Becks grew fond of Charlie Lynch, who would sometimes refuse payment because, says Steve Beck, "He was just a compassionate kind of a guy." But one day, Owen's life took another abrupt turn. Federal agents and local sheriff deputies raided Charlie Lynch's dispensary, and seized nearly everything inside, including Owen's medicine. "He had a prescription from a doctor at Stanford, and they took his stuff!" says Debbie Beck. Federal agents cuffed Lynch, and put him behind bars. Even though state and local laws allow for it, medical marijuana is still illegal under federal law. And because he had clients like Owen who were under age 21, Charlie Lynch faces heightened penalties. In California the average first-degree murder serves 20 years behind bars; Charlie Lynch could face a sentence as long as 100 years in prison. Source: http://safeaccessnow.org/blog/?p=110 The Charles Lynch Trial Is going on right now for more information: http://www.friendsofccl.com/index.html