Dear Dr. Stein,
We read Susan Saulny’s piece about you in the New York Times and caught you and Cheri Honkala interviewed on Democracy Now! We liked everything we read and heard.
Have you had occasion to set down your thoughts about marijuana —what you know as an MD, personal observations, etc.? If you have written something along those lines, or want to, we want to run it in the upcoming print edition of O’Shaughnessy’s. Or we could do an interview when you’re in the Bay Area, or a phone interview at your convenience. Please advise.
As you undoubtedly know, the Obama Administration is closing down dispensaries in California. Last week the U.S. Attorney notified an Oakland landlady that her property would be forfeit if she didn’t evict Harborside Health Center, the largest dispensary and, by all accounts, a business that followed state law to the letter. Harborside has more than 100 employees earning decent wages and benefits. The business pays $1 million in taxes to Oakland. Thousands of people appreciate the quality of their herb and extracts, and the professionalism of their staff. Unbelievably, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California moved against Harborside 11 days before Barack Obama is due at a fundraiser at the Fox Theater in Oakland. I rarely take part in demonstrations —most are displays of impotence, ultimately demoralizing. But I can see myself going July 23 with a “Stein for President” contingent.
Best wishes,
Fred Gardner
