So you thought Customs Agents were basically nice guys, huh? The following is an astonishingly obnoxious letter received by Tod Mikuriya, M.D., a licensed California physician, from a US Customs official who recently busted an unknown patient at the border with one gram of medical marijuana. That's one, maybe two joints. Please circulate this widely. I think the head of customs in DC and a good deal of the press would appreciate the view of us ordinary citizens. Senior Inspector Johnson might like a few words as well. Note it begins "Mr." not "Dr." And note that a federal official is dictating state medical law to a physician. Note, especially, the arrogance of the Drug War. Disgustedly, Peter McWilliams
07/19/98 Mr. Mikuriya, As a reminder you may want to tell your "patients" that although they may have received a "prescription" for marijuana from your office it will hold no weight so far as federal or state laws are concerned. Such was the case a few days ago when we confiscated less than a gram of marijuana from one of the people who had put their confidence in you. As a result of what we in Customs call a "zero tolerance" seizure, the vehicle in which the marijuana is transported (be it a seed or a tenth of a gram) may be subject to seizure, remitted to the violator only after a fine of $5000 is paid. This fine may be mitigated to a lower level, as was the case this week, but it doesn't always have to work this way. The person from whom we seized both marijuana and vehicle was under the assumption that your signature was license to transport and use this narcotic freely. This was a stiff $500 lesson for someone who probably couldn't afford it, but erroneously placed their trust in you. You may want to clarify the risks for your "patients" in the future. Sincerely, Mark A
Johnson
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