Vanessa Gregoriadis

But the real raids by the DEA, those were worse. Because once again, the sale and possession of marijuana was still federally illegal. And sometimes the feds would raid the shop and they'd just take the inventory. But other times, they'd seize your house, your car, everything. If Eddie got raided by the DEA, he could lose it all.

But the real raids by the DEA, those were worse. Because once again, the sale and possession of marijuana was still federally illegal. And sometimes the feds would raid the shop and they'd just take the inventory. But other times, they'd seize your house, your car, everything. If Eddie got raided by the DEA, he could lose it all.

All of his hard work in this brave new world of sort of legal pot would go poof. It was a terrifying thought, so Eddie told me he tried to keep his business as decentralized as possible. He stored weed and cash in safes spread across several locations. He didn't trust an assistant with records, lest they narc on him.

All of his hard work in this brave new world of sort of legal pot would go poof. It was a terrifying thought, so Eddie told me he tried to keep his business as decentralized as possible. He stored weed and cash in safes spread across several locations. He didn't trust an assistant with records, lest they narc on him.

Plants don't do that, right? Eddie thought there was something peaceful about plants. He actually seemed to me like he wanted to be somebody different. Somebody more carefree. Somebody more like Sam, making marijuana plants from seeds. Plants couldn't stab Eddie in the back. Except there were people out there saying Eddie'd be the one to do the backstabbing.

Plants don't do that, right? Eddie thought there was something peaceful about plants. He actually seemed to me like he wanted to be somebody different. Somebody more carefree. Somebody more like Sam, making marijuana plants from seeds. Plants couldn't stab Eddie in the back. Except there were people out there saying Eddie'd be the one to do the backstabbing.

You know how sometimes you smoke weed and you just get really paranoid? Like, you start to think your heart is beating really loud, like way, way, way too loud, and everybody else can hear it? And not only can they hear it, but they're staring at you, judging you, and thinking the absolute worst of you? Well, it sort of seems like that happened to Eddie.

You know how sometimes you smoke weed and you just get really paranoid? Like, you start to think your heart is beating really loud, like way, way, way too loud, and everybody else can hear it? And not only can they hear it, but they're staring at you, judging you, and thinking the absolute worst of you? Well, it sort of seems like that happened to Eddie.

Because of his job, maybe he started to get really, really paranoid. He started getting nervous, thinking he was being watched. And you know what? He was right. Right after I hung out with Eddie, there was a huge raid. I watched the whole thing on the news. It was like a huge number of DEA agents, 120, and they came down hard.

Because of his job, maybe he started to get really, really paranoid. He started getting nervous, thinking he was being watched. And you know what? He was right. Right after I hung out with Eddie, there was a huge raid. I watched the whole thing on the news. It was like a huge number of DEA agents, 120, and they came down hard.

They went right to Eddie's place on the Sunset Strip, across the street from the Hustler store, which might have sold furry handcuffs and PVC bras, and they just busted in.

They went right to Eddie's place on the Sunset Strip, across the street from the Hustler store, which might have sold furry handcuffs and PVC bras, and they just busted in.

I called Eddie to find out what happened. All in all, from these 11 dispensaries, the DEA seized 5,000 pounds of pot, $200,000 in cash, and several guns. Lots of people protested against this kind of action, but the city said the dispensary scene was going to be over. No one else could open up. And so Eddie's business was under greater risk than ever, but he was determined to survive.

I called Eddie to find out what happened. All in all, from these 11 dispensaries, the DEA seized 5,000 pounds of pot, $200,000 in cash, and several guns. Lots of people protested against this kind of action, but the city said the dispensary scene was going to be over. No one else could open up. And so Eddie's business was under greater risk than ever, but he was determined to survive.

When I spoke with him, he did talk initially about wanting to leave, to go up to the beautiful world of the North where there were people and plants and it's 3 a.m. and you can just watch something as it blooms and everybody's just got to see it. But he was now adamant that he was going to persevere, that he and the rest of the new pot entrepreneurs were going to stay open.

When I spoke with him, he did talk initially about wanting to leave, to go up to the beautiful world of the North where there were people and plants and it's 3 a.m. and you can just watch something as it blooms and everybody's just got to see it. But he was now adamant that he was going to persevere, that he and the rest of the new pot entrepreneurs were going to stay open.

But according to court documents, he wouldn't talk to me about this himself, he started cutting corners. And cutting corners is never a good sign in business, especially one that's only sort of legal. The Eddie I met, the weed yuppie with a heart of gold, was the type of guy who, yes, carried thousands of dollars in cash, but also checked in on his assistant while she recovered from surgery.

But according to court documents, he wouldn't talk to me about this himself, he started cutting corners. And cutting corners is never a good sign in business, especially one that's only sort of legal. The Eddie I met, the weed yuppie with a heart of gold, was the type of guy who, yes, carried thousands of dollars in cash, but also checked in on his assistant while she recovered from surgery.

So what happened next was unexpected, to say the least. Before we get into Eddie's story, let me just explain something. In some dispensaries, perhaps to facilitate easy purchasing, there was an ATM. And ATMs are the perfect way to wash dirty cash. Sam, who sold seeds, told me about this.

So what happened next was unexpected, to say the least. Before we get into Eddie's story, let me just explain something. In some dispensaries, perhaps to facilitate easy purchasing, there was an ATM. And ATMs are the perfect way to wash dirty cash. Sam, who sold seeds, told me about this.