Here at Mondo Cult, we spend a lot of time writing about music, film, books, science fiction, horror you name it. If it’s popular culture, we’re on it. Mondo Cult was conceived by Brad Linaweaver and me as a cross between Cult Movies and Worldly Remains, taking the best of both and causing them to collide in LA. The resulting debris would be discussions of world culture, affectionately referred to as Mondo Cult, that which you are reading.

We’ve spent a lot of time ignoring the politics of Worldly Remains in favor of the joys of  a couch potato lifestyle. Now however, it’s time to bring back the rest of the world. Something has happened and it’s time to give voice to what has become all too common in the city of Los Angeles. It’s time to discuss States’ Rights, taxation, bigotry and racism. In fact, it’s past time.

The current “popular” view of people who use alternate medicines is disgusting. It’s only in the last few years that insurance companies have begun to cover chiropractic care. Many folks think chiropractors are witch doctors. For me, chiropractors are miracle workers. There are cancer patients who refuse chemo. Indeed, there are centers for alternative cancer care today and their praises are being sung by those who have chosen that route. The AMA may not like it, but they are not the only game in town. Alternative medicines have always been around, but they fall into the “weirdo” category because they’re not little colored pills in plastic bottles with unpronounceable names. Medical Cannabis is one such alternative, and you can’t use it without a recommendation from an MD.

The incident in question that has driven Brad and your humble editor-in-chief to this pass will be discussed in the following article and in a continuing series of same over the days and weeks to come. In brief, we have the good fortune to have in our fold, a gentleman who has seen the face of bigotry first hand when he had the distinct honor of working with Dr. Martin Luther King in Atlanta, back in the day. That man’s name is David Paul Campbell. He’s a hell of a writer, a bull-dog researcher and one other thing. I’m proud to say that he’s also my husband.

He’s covering this story for us and will follow it until there’s nothing more to say. Make no mistake. This is an exclusive. No one else has had the good grace to speak with these patients as if they were just that, patients. No one has bothered to consider the possibility that in the 12 states that have legalized Medical Cannabis, the people who use it are under a doctor’s care. They have been laughed at, pointed at and muttered about. They have been arrested, badgered and ridiculed and it’s time this behavior stopped. Because we at Mondo Cult are aware of this and angered by it, some of the people in question are willing to speak with us. They will speak with no one else.

Take the time please, after reading David’s articles, to visit our Guest Book and post your comments concerning this situation. Conversation and questions lead to learning. Let’s get educated. 

Jessie Lilley
Editor-In-Chief

Protestors massed today in front of the Van Nuys Police Station in Van Nuys Civic Center. Between 200 and 300 men and women carried pink and brown signs, chanting slogans like “Make no mistake, we’ll still bake” while marching out to Van Nuys Boulevard and across the street as passing cars honked and shouted encouragement. Once out on the Boulevard the chant changed to “We’re patients, not criminals,” along with several others. No arrests were made and as far as that goes no LAPD presence was seen at all other than a patrol officer walking past, who was soundly booed. I almost felt sorry for him.

Earlier in the protest, several tins and bags of non-medicated baked goods were displayed and given away to the protestors with instructions to feed the homeless. After about two hours of speeches and commentary the crowd dispersed peacefully. Speakers demanded that LAPD explain itself in the matter of alleged desecration of a religious symbol under color of authority.

I was standing to the side and observing the crowd when a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy who gave his name as Mike, asked me if I was one of the organizers. I replied, “No, I’m covering this for Mondo Cult Magazine.” He then asked why the protest was at the Van Nuys PD rather than the Federal Bldg. He was under the impression that the Karma Collective episode of April 26 was a DEA action. Mike was surprised when I told him that it was strictly LAPD. When I told him that there was a possibility of civil rights violations under color of authority he agreed that no matter what agency it was, a violation of this nature would be very bad news for all concerned given the political atmosphere in California right now.

Today’s protest was triggered by actions of the LAPD Narcotics Unit, Van Nuys division. On Thursday, April 26, 2007 members of the aforesaid Narcotics Unit conducted a search at The Karma Collective, a fully compliant Medical Marijuana Collective as defined by California state law.

The collective, a licensed business in Los Angeles County located in Van Nuys, was broken into sometime during the night of April 25, 2007. A small amount of cash (just what was in the register, about $200) was taken. None of the small amount of cannabis (less than 2 pounds, reliable sources said) was taken, nor was anything else. The door to the shop was damaged. This is important in view of what happened later.

Following is an eyewitness account. A neighboring business worker noticed the collective’s door was broken in and called police to report the apparent burglary. LAPD burglary officers responded approximately two hours later. By this time, the collective was open and dispensing to member patients. Burglary officers immediately notified Narcotics Officers who came on scene quickly.* At that point the operators of the collective, who are observant Jews, arrived along with their attorney. Narcotics officers detained one of the collective’s employees, a young lady with no criminal record who just graduated with honors from a local university.

As soon as Narcotics officers arrived, they called for a search warrant and detained the employee inside the dispensary while not allowing the collective’s attorney to enter. A black drape was also drawn across the front of the collective and observers were unable to see what was happening inside. A search of the premises ensued, during which a religious symbol (a mezuzah) was removed from the door and ended up on the floor.

Reliable sources told me that the collective’s employee was arrested and charged with “manufacture of cannabis foodstuffs.” She was released on $100,000 bail around 3AM the following day and is currently awaiting a trial date. The collective boarded up a window that had been broken during the search, repaired the door and reopened for patients shortly after the Narcotics officers departed, taking with them less than two pounds of medicinal cannabis (so say our sources). The collective’s neighboring businesses came by to offer condolences and ask how they could help. Our witnesses reported that the first patient through the door once the collective reopened was wheelchair-bound.

In the course of the raid, the interior of the collective was seriously damaged.

Collective owners stated that a lawsuit was pending, but declined to state any details until papers were filed.

Jewish Defense League officials also declined comment, while the ACLU could not be reached at the time of this writing.

*According to a source within the LAPD who wishes to remain anonymous, this is not standard procedure. I was assured that this should have been handled in the same manner as if the police arrived at my home to take a report of a burglary. Take the report and move on. There is no directive from the Department to immediately notify Narcotics if a burglary took place at a Medical Cannabis Co-Op -- Ed.

Read the next report, posted May 5, 2007: Fear and Loathing in the Council Chamber