A number of phone calls and emails to NORML this afternoon strongly indicated that federal law enforcement raided a number of companies yesterday and today that manufacture and/or market what are commonly known as ‘detoxification’ products. The target of SWAT-like teams was records and computer equipment.
That is story #1 as there are no federal laws that ban ‘detoxification’ products.
However, more oddly in my view is the reported confiscation of the unreleased DVD ‘A/K/A Tommy Chong’. How is that possible? Even if Tommy (a member of NORML’s Advisory Board) agreed in his 2005 plea bargain on federal paraphernalia charges to ‘not profit from his past criminal activities’ it seems unlikely to me federal confiscation of otherwise First Amendment-protected speech and expression could possibly be legal. Especially, on the heels of Tommy already publishing a best-selling book detailing his nine month incarceration in federal prison, the humorous and insightful ‘The I Chong: Meditations From The Joint’.
So, if I understand correctly, the federal attorney who first prosecuted Tommy in 2005, Mary Beth Buchanan, authorized some of these raids and the confiscation of the Chong DVDs, which are about…well, her prosecution of Tommy and his resulting incarceration.
OK…
The news stories are starting to roll in, confirming the raids:
WKRC Cincinnati (video)
http://www.local12.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=27876@video.wkrc.com
WKRC Cincinnati (article)
http://www.local12.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=06471fa4-66f2-4ffe-8
ddf-8c7630326bad
Cincinnati Enquirer
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/NEWS0103/805080
348
Cincinnati BizJournal
http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2003/05/12/story5.html
WCPO Cincinnati (ABC)
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=21a0f8d7-8f48-46e0-9c9b
-998532376f59
Marijuana.com
http://www.marijuana.com/drug-war-headline-news/99213-oh-actor-tommy-chong-c
laims-link-fbi-raids.html
Drugpolicycentral.com
http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/article/local127830.htm
420ideas.com
http://420ideas.com/oh-actor-tommy-chong-claims-link-to-fbi-raids/
What the hell is wrong with our government?
To big, to powerful and just plan stupid!
The DEA needs to go! They are more corrupt then half the people in jail.
I hope Tommy takes this to the Supreme court……
Representative Mike Pence tried to make me believe
marijuana lowers my quality of life. I say back to
to the poser your time is coming and the far right hook
will remove you from office then replace you with democratic candidate Barry Welsh!
Ron Paul for President 2012!
wtf man the government let alone a portin of the government aka dea cant be confiscateing dvds that goes against the 1st amendment freedom of speech and be sides your right there are no laws prohibiting the fabrication and the selling of detox kits so wtf is all this BS about damnd dea needs to stop holding grudges the public is informed we know what is right and wrong leave it to us to prosicute
How long will those who read this wait to defend their freedom?
This is a likely repeat of the 1989 Operation Green Merchant against grow room equipment suppliers, with numerous parallels.
I suspect they will correlate customer lists with persons required to undergo drug-urine testing.
i voted in the primary for obama just to spite the rightwing naxi christian devil-worshipers as mr chong so lovingly labels them.the drugwar has only recently became quite lucrative in fact the third largest growth industry in america.the marijuana movement passed up the chance to campaign full out for ron paul.bad enough that he was blackballed by the jewish-american press.a real opportunity lost..
You know, i see this as the government trying to squeeze every last dollar they can from us before marijuana is legal. Because we know it’s gonna happen and so do they. (republican)
If we are tired of being threatened of being arrested, let’s organize in mass like Martin Luther King did in 1960’s. Let’s call operation, “Tired of Being Arrested!”
It will bring the attention from the world and Americans. We have to stop being afraid and go out to voice loudly. Make noise! Let’s schedule it soon.
I dont like the fact that tommy chong was arrested. Mary Beth Buchanan, whereever you are, you can bet there is a nice warm spot in hell for you. Im not sure, but what Ive heard, there arent many interested in a marijuana parade. It would be nice to have some sort of protest, but first thing is first, everyone needs to know the facts about weed, and not the crap that they see on tv and the negative news media. Then and only then do we have a chance. Also, the more people get arrested for pot, the more someone is going to do something stupid, and some high ranking government official will have to choose between arresting his son or daughter, or makeing a tough but wise decision and decriminalize pot.
Does this government not see the GREAT promise of ending this too long prohibition? They talk of the deficit and the great debt is this not a chance to work on that? OH wait they are making it more difficult to even buy cigs..More and more of our FREEDOMS disappear everyday are we to become what Russia once was? Ruled by tyrants that have nothing to do but punish people that are not causing any trouble? I recently was exposed to a meth house. What is being done with that? NOTHING! They are too busy focusing all thier power on Marijuana. When are they going to stop the drugs that are killing our kids?
dude that suck tommy chong bro i know how you fell