NAPERVILLE—U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Director Asa Hutchinson should not have been surprised when he was met by medical marijuana activists at both of his Chicago area addresses today. The protests came early this morning during speeches by the Drug Czar outside the Kane County Courthouse in Geneva and later at the National Law Enforcement Officers Association convention at the Holiday Inn in Naperville. Since he launched a national “meth tour” last moth, the nation’s drug Czar has been met by protests nationwide demanding and end to Federal crackdowns on medical marijuana.

“We’re here representing the nine states and 73 percent of the American public who support safe access to Medical Marijuana” said Caren Thomas, one of a handful of activists who planned to unfurl a large banner during Hutchinson’s Naperville address, “The Federal Government is working against the will of the American people and we’re not going to stand for it anymore” she said, vowing that Hutchison would be met with similar actions as he works his way across the country.

The protest was meant to highlight the growing intervention by Federal government in State medical marijuana policies. Last week, the California Supreme Court affirmed the right of patients with a doctor’s OK to grow or smoke marijuana for personal health reasons. Despite the ruling, Bryan Epis, a certified patient and provider in California faces no less than 10 years in jail due to federal mandatory minimum sentencing restrictions.

“Hutchinson likes to talk about securing the health of our nation” Said Steph Sherer, executive director of ASA, “yet the DEA is arresting seriously ill patients even as state courts and city governments are working to protect them.”

Americans for Safe Access sides with the view of the 36 members of the U.S. Congress who have co-sponsored a bill by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) that would guarantee a state’s right to regulate medical marijuana.

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