This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on May 12, 2011.
Two medical marijuana providers have sued the federal government over what they are calling unconstitutional raids of their Montana businesses.
Federal agents executed 26 search warrants against pot businesses in Montana on March 14, seizing drugs, cash, weapons and vehicles. Since then, agents have raided two Washington state dispensaries and federal prosecutors have sent letters of warning to leaders of at least four medical marijuana states.
The owners of two of the raided businesses, Montana Caregivers Association and MCM Caregivers, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Missoula. They claim the raids unconstitutionally pre-empted Montana’s medical marijuana law and violated their civil rights.
They are asking Judge Donald Molloy to prevent the government from threatening, interfering or prosecuting them for activities allowed under state law.