DEA Uses RAVE Act to Shut Down Fundraiser

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http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16134

 

 

DEA Uses RAVE Act to Shut Down Fundraiser

Drug Policy Alliance

June 10, 2003

Viewed on June 11, 2003

 

 

Only two months after the RAVE Act was passed by Congress it has been used by

the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to intimidate the owners of a

Billings, Montana, venue into canceling a combined benefit for the Montana

chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)

and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). One of the biggest reasons

activists waged a national campaign to stop the RAVE Act was the fear that it

would be used to shut down political events like this.

 

On the day the fundraiser was set to take place a Billings-based DEA agent

presented the venue owners with a copy of the RAVE Act warning them that they

could face a fine of $250,000 if illicit drugs were found in the premises. The

bands -- most of which regularly played at the venue -- were also approached and

warned that their participation in the event could result in a fine.

 

Rather than risk the possibility of enormous fines, the venue decided to cancel

the event. This blatant intimidation by the DEA was obviously designed to shut

down the marijuana reform fundraiser. Unless the American people speak out

against this attack on free speech, the DEA will be emboldened to use the law

against other events they do not like, such as all-night dance parties, hip hop

concerts, hemp festivals, and circuit parties.

 

Sponsored by Senator Biden (D-DE), the RAVE Act (also known as the Illicit Drug

Anti-Proliferation Act) was first introduced last year. It proved so

controversial then that two of its original co-sponsors withdrew their support

because they feared it would send innocent business owners to jail. Business

owners collected over 20,000 signatures in opposition to the bill. Protests

against it were held around the country and tens of thousands of voters urged

their elected official to oppose it. Controversy over the bill stalled it last

year, but Senator Biden attached it to the popular " Amber Alert " bill without

public debate or a vote of Congress earlier this year and sneaked it into law.

 

The RAVE Act expands federal law to make it easier to jail and imprison event

organizers and property owners that fail to stop drug offenses from occurring on

their property -- even in cases when they take serious steps to reduce drug

offenses. It applies to " any place " , including bars and nightclubs, hotels,

apartment buildings, and homes. Legal experts warned that the law was so broad

that it could be used to shut down not only raves and electronic music events,

but also Hip Hop, rock, and country music concerts, sporting events, gay and

lesbian fundraisers, political protests, and any other event federal agents do

not like.

 

On May 30th an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told managers

of the Eagle Lodge in Billings, Montana that the Lodge could be fined $250,000

if anyone smoked marijuana during a planned benefit to raise money for a

campaign to change Montana's medical marijuana law. After consulting their

attorneys, the Eagle Lodge canceled the event.

 

The Drug Policy Alliance, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana

Laws, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and numerous other organizations have

begun a campaign to pressure the DEA to stop using the RAVE Act to shut down

political events.

 

 

 

© 2003 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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