By Khari Johnson
Congressman Brian Bilbray is opposed to legalized medical marijuana in California, but his daughter, who has cancer, is pushing back against a federal crackdown.
Cancer patient Briana Bilbray—the daughter of Congressman Brian Bilbray—and local medical marijuana cooperatives on Monday filed for an injunction to stop a federal crackdown on marijuana sales.
Attorney Matt Kumin, who filed for the injunction, said the goal is for the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. attorneys “to stop threatening folks who are in compliance with state law.”
The filing comes a month after the Justice Department pledged to crack down on California’s commercial marijuana cooperatives and dispensaries.
Plantiffs in the case include four medical marijuana cooperatives from across San Diego and 25-year-old Imperial Beach resident Briana Bilbray. Bilbray’s brother, Brian Patrick Bilbray, is an Imperial Beach city councilman and her father, Brian Bilbray, is a U.S. Congressman representing California’s 50th District and a former mayor of Imperial Beach. The congressman’s district includes Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos and 4S Ranch.
Briana Bilbray has Stage 3 melanoma cancer and opposed the city of Imperial Beach’s efforts to restrict medical marijuana cooperatives earlier this year.
“Before I had cancer I thought it was people just trying to get it legalized,” she said. “That changed pretty much once I realized that it really did work and it was a legitimate way to get nausea to go away.”
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