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By Torri Minton, Chronicle Staff Writer

U.S. AGENTS RAID PERON’S POT FARM

250 Plants Seized On Eve Of Replanting Ceremony

Federal drug agents seized 250 marijuana plants yesterday morning from a rural Lake County "resort" run by gubernatorial candidate Dennis Peron.

The 2- to 5-foot tall cannabis indica, in pots, were supposed to be planted in gardens during a ceremony today. The potent bushes were to be grown for sick people who stay at the 20-acre farm for free, said Peron, founder of San Francisco’s biggest medicinal marijuana club.

Four people in the house—patients with illnesses such as AIDS, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma—were handcuffed for about a half- hour, said Lynne Barnes, a nurse and volunteer at Peron’s Cannabis Healing Center in the city.

More than three pounds of processed pot also was seized, according to Joycelyn Barnes, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. She said the raid was part of a continuing investigation, not related to the closure of Peron’s Cannabis Cultivators Club last month.

The Lake County raid took place the day after a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that California pot clubs must stop selling medical marijuana, which violates federal law. Peron vowed the club will proceed with the marijuana planting in Lake County today. At least 100 new plants had been donated by yesterday evening.

"We’re standing strong," Peron said. "If the DEA wants to come (to the ceremony), they are welcome. There will be 100 patients there to greet them, at least."

Peron opened the farm six months ago as a "collective resort" for sick and dying people, with eight bedrooms, 10 small gardens and a two-acre pond.

"This is very much like the time in the ‘60s when they were bringing out the fire hoses and the dogs," said Barnes, the marijuana club volunteer. "It’s a civil rights issue. Marijuana has never killed anyone, and yet there are people who die because they cannot get access to marijuana."

California’s 20-odd medical marijuana clubs have been battling officials over interpretations of a 1996 state law, saying they provide seriously ill patients with a safe way to obtain the drug.

Federal officials, in their case against six Northern California clubs, say the groups are using the state law as a smoke screen to peddle marijuana to the public.