Native American Church Sues DEA over Sacramental Use of Cannabis

Honolulu, Hawaii - The OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF HAWAII filed for an injunction in Federal Court that would allow its members to continue to use Cannabis as a ceremonial sacrament. The Plaintiffs are seeking an Order declaring their consumption, cultivation, possession and distribution of Cannabis to be free from federal penalty.

Currently the Federal Government is prohibited from preventing members of The Oklevueha Native American Church from using the entheogenic cactus Peyote, and The Church is now seeking the same religious freedom for its members' religious use of Cannabis.

Church President and named Plaintiff MICHAEL REX "RAGING BEAR" MOONEY is a Native American Spiritual Leader (commonly known as a Medicine Man). Mr. Mooney and The Church are suing ERIC H. HOLDER, JR. (Attorney General for the United States of America), MICHELE LEONHART (Acting Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration) and EDWARD H. KUBO, JR., (United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii).

According to the Plaintiffs' attorney, Michael A. Glenn, "the federal government is required (by the American Indian Religious Freedom Act) to protect and preserve for American Indians their inherent right of freedom to believe, express, and exercise their religion, including the use and possession of sacred substances, and the freedom to worship through ceremonies and rites."