Attorney: Medical marijuana patients being arrested

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - A Valley attorney claims people operating within the confines of the law by possessing medical marijuana are being arrested by police.

Attorney Adam Trenk tells ABC15 his law firm, Rose Law Group, has received dozens of calls from patients who claim to have had run-ins with police even though they can now legally possess medical marijuana.

"We've heard of one case where the SWAT team went and raided a gentleman's home," said Trenk. "This is an outrage."

Voters passed medical marijuana last fall, but Arizona's Department of Health Services put the dispensary program on hold until the federal government can weigh in on the legality of Arizona's law.

"If it's federally illegal, the states shouldn't be doing it," said Gordon Bates of Glendale. "The federal government needs to make a decision."

Michael Sanderfer of Chandler supports the new state law and doesn't understand why carrying a card has reportedly resulted in some people getting arrested for posession.

"I think the police need to back off," said Sanderfer. "Since the law was agreed upon, they need to accept the law and quit doing this."

Trenk worries even more medical marijuana patients could become targets of law enforcement.

"If the person is a qualified patient and they have the ID card, they need to be left alone by police," said Trenk. "If they're arrested, they need to contact an attorney."

Sanderfer agrees and hopes the law will go into full effect just as the voters intended.

"We voted for it," said Sanderfer. "Let it work."

A spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department said without specifics, which Trenk was unable to provide, he could not comment.