OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 30, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a Courthouse News article Wednesday, Chris Marshall reports on the City of Oakland's motion filed November 27 in court to block forfeiture proceedings against the nation's model medical cannabis dispensary, Harborside Health Center, while a federal judge considers the state vs. federal questions that are looming across the country. This latest motion from the city will delay the court hearing previously scheduled for December 13th until December 20th.
Even though Harborside is licensed by the City of Oakland, and fully compliant, U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag filed suit to seize both locations of the dispensary in July of this year. Harborside's landlords, Ana Chretien of Oakland and Concourse Business Center of San Jose, subsequently filed a motion to restrain the dispensary from growing, possessing and selling marijuana on their properties.
The City of Oakland has now asked the court to stay all proceedings in the forfeiture action in order to "challenge the defendants' wrongful conduct and to protect its unique public interests and the health, welfare and safety of its residents" until conclusion of its lawsuit filed in October against the federal government. According to the City of Oakland, Harborside Medical Center is compliant with all state and local laws and should remain open.
Executive Director Steve DeAngelo states, "Oakland's motion recognizes that the entire community has been negatively affected by the federal crackdown on medical cannabis, not just those who depend on cannabis for their health. If Melinda Haag is successful in her crusade to close Harborside, Oakland will lose over 100 well-paying jobs, and close to $1.5 million in annual tax revenue. Our patients will be forced back to the underground market, driving a resurgence of street drug sales, and delivering millions of dollars into the hands of gangs and cartels. The safety of Oakland's neighborhoods will decrease, and the burden on local law enforcement will increase. And Oakland's carefully crafted regulations will take a hit from which they might never recover. This is the reason the city has filed suit to block the federal government, an action which Harborside welcomes and appreciates."
To learn more about medical cannabis and the ongoing controversy between local, state and federal laws, visit http://www.harborsidehealthcenter.com/
About Harborside Health Center
With locations in Oakland and San Jose, Harborside Health Center is a national model and the premier medical cannabis dispensary in California and the U.S. As one of the first alternative health facilities of its kind, Harborside offers lab tested and high quality medicine along with compassionate, individualized service to all medical cannabis patients. Harborside also strives to protect community safety and cleanliness by strictly observing and enforcing state laws regarding medical cannabis. For more details, visit the Oakland medical cannabis dispensary online at http://www.harborsidehealthcenter.com/.
The Harborside Health Center logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=16023