Briana Bilbray, GOP Congressman's Daughter, Joins Injunction To Stop Crackdown On Medical Marijuana in California

Cancer patient Briana Bilbray joined San Diego pot dispensaries on Monday in filing an injunction to end the federal crackdown on medical marijuana.

Bilbray, 25, is the daughter of U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.), who represents the northern coastal region of San Diego County. Her brother, Brian Patrick Bilbray, is a local councilman.

The injunction, which seeks to protect patients and shop owners operating in compliance with state laws, comes exactly one month after federal prosecutors vowed to target medical marijuana dispensary owners in California, shuttering state-licensed businesses and threatening landlords with property seizures for violating federal drug laws.

Briana Bilbray, who suffers from Stage 3 melanoma and uses marijuana to reduce nausea and pain, says her family has reservations about her involvement with the injunction.

"They believe me that it works," she told Patch's Khari Johnson of marijuana's medicinal benefits, "but there's such a negative image in everyone's head in general about marijuana. They still have that, but they support me in what I want to do."

Rep. Brian Bilbray's office elaborated in a statement on Monday.

"Karen and I raised our children to be strong individuals who think for themselves," wrote Bilbray, who formerly served as mayor of Imperial Beach. "I respect my daughter's right to fight for what she believes in based on her personal experiences. We may not agree with our children on every issue, but Karen and I are very proud parents."

Bilbray is filing the injunction along with four medical marijuana cooperatives based in San Diego.

The filing comes a week after Americans for Safe Access, the country's largest medical marijuana advocacy organization, filed a lawsuit against the federal government, claiming the Department of Justice had overstepped its constitutional authority, and after several members of Congress penned a letter to the Obama administration calling for an end to the federal crackdown.

Most of the nine signatories on the letter to the White House were California Democrats, including Reps. Barbara Lee, Pete Stark, Lynn Woolsey and Sam Farr. Bilbray, a Republican, was not among them.

Read the full story on Imperial Beach Patch.

Comments

[fumes]

11:19 AM on 11/11/2011

''but there's such a negative image in everyone's head in general about marijuana. They still have that, but they support me in what I want to do."
-------------------------
thoughtless people let other's do their thinking..

thoughtful people enjoy this 10,000 year old plant!

[Cratewasher]

09:37 AM on 11/09/2011

Anti pot?
Pro Zetas.

[ritamary]

08:27 AM on 11/09/2011

Briana, you should run for Congress! I live in the 50th Congressional District. I would vote for you; for your dad, not so much.

[landskroon]

03:00 AM on 11/09/2011

Poor woman, this Briana Bilbray. Hppy woman beause she comes from a rich family. She can go where she wishes, even to countries where all marijuana is free and care cheap. Cuba or the easy going countries in Europe like the Netherlands, poor people that do not have that possibilities

[ritamary]

08:25 AM on 11/09/2011

Why should she have to leave home when medical marijuana is legal in this state? Would you like to change places with her? You get the money and the stage 3 melanoma?

[Brant Kelsey]

02:45 AM on 11/09/2011

The Gateway drug Dictum has always been fraudulent: It is a straightforward conundrum: It is like some asking you "do you still beat your wife"..........If you say yes then you are condemned by your own tongue. If you say No then you have admitted you once did but do so no longer.

Taking the Gateway drug to it's logical conclusion? I first became addicted to Mothers Milk, which led me to fruit and cereal. That wasn't enough for me and I graduated to more sugary treats like cookies and jelly beans. From there I went to pop corn: which was really great with a couple of my dad's beers from the fridge: I'll be perfectly forthright. I have no desire to be controlled by any substance, government, other people, public opinion: And yet I have smoked and inhaled, after all I do live in Hawaii and it is our number one cash crop. I have been exposed too, and have tried at one time or another virtually every "drug" under the sun. I was going to say except Heroin, but I recall I did have the opportunity to smoke Opium, and I must say it was fairly enjoyable. But I've been able to pick em up and lay em down. No Problem.
I can also say unequivocally that there is only one drug that made me sick. And that is alcohol. It is the only drug that ever bent me over kneeling at the toilet.

[Brant Kelsey]

02:43 AM on 11/09/2011

he truth remains that the government's role is not protecting us from ourselves: Whether it's euthanasia, whether it's Abortion: Whether it's drug use: There is one inescapable reality to all of this. And that is that the prohibition of Drugs has left each one of us less safe. That the prohibition HAS CAUSED more Harm that the behavior sought to be prevented. thanks for listening. Aloha

[FormerlyTCnSRQ]

10:59 PM on 11/08/2011

Let's get reeal..... It is not a gateway drug and it is safer than alcohol and religion

[LaoShur]

11:55 PM on 11/08/2011

Correct! It is no more a "gateway" than caffeine or nicotine! As long as it is illegal, then those that sell other, far more dangerous drugs will have an "audience" to pedal their harmful drugs, THAT'S the gateway!

[FormerlyTCnSRQ]

12:08 AM on 11/09/2011

selling drugs illegally and buying them from questionable sources causes all sorts of risks and dangers for the 2 making the transaction and the community...legalizing is a win win

[Cheri Quinn]

12:37 AM on 11/09/2011

Realistic response. Why do we continue to waste time, money, and energy on this issue?

[gevan]

09:21 PM on 11/08/2011

As the war in Iraq has worn down the US is looking for a new fight. Maybe the super-committee can find a money saver in cutting the DEA's budget.

[JBaker]

08:15 PM on 11/08/2011

Usually any 'hot button' issue will draw two opposing sides to furiously argue their respective positions. What I find curious is that there is very little argument coming from those who support the criminalization of pot - only silent endorsement of the status quo.

[eva07]

09:23 PM on 11/08/2011

Realistically, what could they argue? There is no sane argument to support keeping it illegal..and neither is for industrial hemp.

[Keo]

06:59 PM on 11/08/2011

Any republican who says he, or she, believes in "smaller government" or "individual liberty" or
"freedom" who supports the continuation of the drug war is a fraud.

[freedom1947]

08:59 PM on 11/08/2011

Keep the flag waving. People are afraid of the christian right that wants their form of sharia law.

[Beavis Human]

06:47 PM on 11/09/2011

Sorry, but you can't blame the current state of things on Christians. The Bible does not support cannabis prohibition; in fact it is explicitly against it (Genesis 1:29). Cannabis prohibition was created by racists and people who didn't want it interfering with their business interests (Hearst, DuPont, etc.) and today is supported most by those who profit from it (cops, prison industry, drug cartels, and competing industries like tobacco, alcohol and Big Pharma). You are barking up the wrong tree, freedom1947.

[bmike]

06:46 PM on 11/08/2011

We already have OXYCOTIN - so powerful that you won't even know you are alive. The most addictive known to man and ten times stronger than marijuana but known among politicians we made it legal so it must be good -at least for the seller.

[Dosadi]

10:35 PM on 11/08/2011

Rush loves that stuff.

[chazzman4]

06:25 PM on 11/08/2011

NO PROFIT, NO PAIN. Are we suppose to take the words of a Ca (r) rep dau? I say heck yes. Get the Drug companies involved and the lobbies will shower the hill with GRASS. This should be a State Rights issue any way. And to answer your question, NO, I do not indulged "NOW."
GBA.

[ColleenHarper]

06:55 PM on 11/08/2011

And the GOP and Teabaggers are all for states' rights ...

Except when they're totally opposed to states' rights ...

[HoyaHoyaSaxa]

06:15 PM on 11/08/2011

Big Pharma owns Congress on this issue. Not gonna happen.

[lifetimestudent]

08:44 PM on 11/08/2011

I agree. When we hear that pharmaceutical companies are buying up land to plant marijuana then we’ll know that they have decided to have their paid representatives in Congress begin the process of legalization and regulation.

[Jeremy Echols]

01:48 AM on 11/09/2011

Wrong. When they buy up land to plant marijuana, it means we've completely lost the battle and congress is going to legalize big pharma's version of pot, to be sold exclusively by them.

We either fight and get it legal ASAP or big pharma controls it for the next century.

[pedaba]

05:45 PM on 11/08/2011

they better clean up their own house before trying to cleanup societies

[Deep Thinking Man]

04:59 PM on 11/08/2011

http://www.equalrights4all.org/religious/bible.htm

i'm not a bible-thumper but this link says your christ commented on Cannabis himself.