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Source: The Oregonian (Portland)
Pubdate: Friday, May 24, 2002
Web site: http://www.oregonlive.com/
Address: 1320 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Forums: http://www.oregonlive.com/forums/
Copyright: 2002 The Oregonian
Fax: 503-294-4193
Byline: Steve Suo
Newshawk: "Phil Smith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
DEA seizes Portland man's old marijuana
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Thursday
followed through on its plans to seize 2.5 grams of
marijuana that the Portland Police Bureau has been
holding for three years and was scheduled to return to
its owner.
The aging buds are the property of Samuel Nim Kama, a
52-year-old heart bypass patient who uses marijuana to
control nausea brought on by his numerous other
medications.
After Portland police seized the tin of pot from him
in 1999, Kama was able to convince state authorities
that he was allowed to use it under Oregon's Medical
Marijuana Act. But the property remained in police
lockup while the city fought in court to keep Kama
from getting it back. When the city lost that fight
earlier this month, the DEA stepped in with a federal
seizure warrant.
Kama, who lives on a fixed income and has incurred
several thousand dollars in legal bills, said he would
continue to pursue his now-stale property in federal
court.
"The principle of the thing is the law," Kama said.
"Do the people have a right to make a law and live by
the law, or can the federal government just take it
away from us?"
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Baker said the
marijuana will be sent for storage at a DEA facility
in San Francisco. -- Steve Suo
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