Police in Hawaii said that the state's medical-marijuana law was used as cover by seven people recently charged as drug traffickers, while the alleged leader of the ring claims the arrests were in retaliation for a lawsuit he filed against the police, the Honolulu Star Bulletin reported Nov. 15.

Last December and January, police in Maui seized 335 marijuana plants, 2,300 grams of processed marijuana, 4,830 grams of unprocessed marijuana, 32 grams of hashish, 100 marijuana-laced candies, and more than $14,000 in cash from several homes and businesses.

Brian Murphy, director of a medical marijuana advocacy group called Patients Without Time, filed a lawsuit against the Maui police chief and his department on Oct. 31, asking for the return of the seized marijuana and money, claiming the money was collected from qualified members to purchase medical marijuana and that the marijuana seized was intended for them. "We don't make a profit from the pot," Murphy said.
 
Under Hawaii state law, a physician can recommend marijuana use for a patient with a debilitating disease and allows a patient to have seven marijuana plants and up to three ounces of marijuana.

The police said that Murphy's group abused medical marijuana laws for personal gain and helped people to get high. Murphy was indicted on 13 offenses, including criminal conspiracy and commercial promotion of marijuana.