COMMENTS: 31
Major Blow to 'War on Drugs': Obama Tells Fed Prosecutors, Don't Waste Your Time with Medical Marijuana Arrests
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In what can only be described as major departure in the so-called ‘war on drugs’, the Obama Administration is issuing a new three page memo this morning mapping out the federal government’s new guidelines for states that have laws protecting medical cannabis patients.
In February Attorney General Eric Holder indicated in a press conference that the Obama Administration -- which favors physician-recommended access to medical cannabis -- would abate from what had been an aggressive law enforcement (and propaganda) campaign against medical access to cannabis.
Today’s memo from the Department of Justice formalizes these changes and is a MAJOR victory for citizens who support cannabis law reform!
Report: New DOJ guidelines to back medical marijuana laws
By Bridget Johnson – 10/18/09 11:40 PM ETThe Obama administration is set to make a sharp turn from the Bush administration when it comes to state laws regarding medical marijuana usage, the Associated Press reported late Sunday.
The guidelines to be issued to federal prosecutors Monday will suggest that it’s not a good use of time to go after users and distributors of medical marijuana in the 14 states that allow such usage, while encouraging that illegal pot operations involving violence, firearms and sale to minors still be pursued.
Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington currently have state laws allowing at least limited use of marijuana for medical purposes. The AP reported that federal prosecutors in these states, as well as top officials at the FBI and DEA, would being receiving the three-page Justice Department memo outlining the new policy.
Under the George W. Bush administration, medical marijuana dispensaries were still targeted for violating federal law despite state laws allowing pot for medical use. Attorney General Eric Holder signaled a shift in this policy in March, stating that federal enforcement would concentrate on illegal marijuana operations that use medical pot allowances as a cover.
The move doesn’t come as a surprise, as Obama the candidate had expressed support for states that allowed medical marijuana.
“I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users,” then-Sen. Barack Obama said on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: P.E.A.C.E. on Oct 19, 2009 12:30 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» Hemp seed at the World Summit on Food Security
Posted by: P.E.A.C.E.
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Posted by: 3rdI on Oct 19, 2009 3:51 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» Absolutely!
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: Absolutely!
Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» NORML is not...
Posted by: aahpat
» I think I detect
Posted by: LightningJoe
» Casting aspersions
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: yup
Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» lol
Posted by: permanentilt
» oops, mistype
Posted by: permanentilt
» WRONG!
Posted by: aahpat
» YOU are wrong
Posted by: permanentilt
» Mischaracterization is dishonest debate
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: Mischaracterization is dishonest debate
Posted by: permanentilt
» No force of law
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: No force of law
Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» Citing Bush memos -- It is bad law and bad ethics.
Posted by: aahpat
» No force of law?
Posted by: LightningJoe
» RE: YOU are wrong
Posted by: 3rdI
Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 19, 2009 8:42 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The feds investigate for pretexts and turn the pretexts based cases over to zealous local prosecutors for action.
I wrote more about this here:
Drug Warrior Obama's Disingenuous "New" Medical Pot Rules
DEMAND REAL CHANGE!!!
Write to you representatives in congress and to Barack Obama demanding that they support:
H.R.2835 "To provide for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with the laws of the various States."
Going further. If you are fed up with the authoritarianism of the war on drugs Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia authored S-714 to create a national criminal justice commission to look into all aspects of the use of America's criminal justice system. Sen. Webb has even indicated that marijuana legalization is "On the table"
Thus far 35 senators have signed on to Sen. Webb's S-714 as co-sponsors. S-714 tally sheet of senators thus far co-sponsoring the bill. The bill needs all the support it can get because drug war supporters have offered a counter bill in the House of Representative.
H.R. 2943 "To eliminate most Federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use..."
These bills will eliminate the ongoing human rights atrocity known as the war on drugs. Write or call your members in congress and to President Obama DEMANDING that they support this legislative agenda.
IF THEY DON'T HEAR IT FROM US THEY WON'T HEAR IT!
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
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Posted by: thedevil666 on Oct 20, 2009 4:00 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: picket on Oct 20, 2009 6:37 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Dennis Peron, MJ activist went on to coauthor California's Prop 215 The Compassionate Use Act of 1996.
Obama has taken ONE SMALL STEP. Dennis Peron changed the political debate 13 years ago but the battle is not over. When it comes to the God-given healing Cannabis plant, the Lawmakers must be made to agree with Peron re MJ.
"ALL USE IS MEDICINAL"
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: JohnTruth2001 on Oct 20, 2009 8:00 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 20, 2009 8:16 AM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Drug war proponents support criminal anarchy and violence on American streets.
Drug war proponents support cartels and drug black market funded terrorism.
Drug war proponents are lawless anarchists.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 20, 2009 9:13 AM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Repeal of the drug war laws is the only major blow that will effect the war on drugs. This memo is a major blow to nothing.
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 20, 2009 9:17 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: flymulla on Oct 21, 2009 2:10 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Amnesty International is calling on the Texas authorities to commute Khristian Oliver's death sentence. The organization considers that the jurors' use of the Bible during their sentencing deliberations raises serious questions about their impartiality.
A U.S. federal appeals court acknowledged last year that the jurors' use of the Bible amounted to an "external influence" prohibited under the U.S. Constitution, but nonetheless upheld the death sentence.
Apparently, this "external influence" included the following passages from the Old Testament, some of which were read aloud in the jury room:
"The murderer shall surely be put to death"
"And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, the murderer shall surely be put to death."
"The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer."
(That last one, I assume, was determined to be logistically unfeasible.)
According to Chris McGreal in the Guardian, "another juror, Michael Brenneisen, told a journalist in 2002 that he asked himself 'Is this the way the Lord would decide the case?' But Brenneisen also said that in discussing the Bible the jury 'went both directions in our use of the scripture -- forgiveness and judgement.'"
so divided we are in the crime that we are teaching the students law.
The days of long sermons and traditional services may not be over, but they have been augmented by something powerful and new: religious social media.
As religions look to connect with younger followers, and to spread their messages to non-believers, they have quietly turned to Facebook, Twitter, and even viral video. And they have been tremendously successful in some respects. Businesses have known the benefits of viral marketing and dynamic social media for some time. Now religions are catching up.
In fact, Pope Benedict XVI just recently urged priests in a Vatican City press release to fully use new "communications media" to spread the good word far and wide.
Like the huge bonuses that banks give, we need the Mr Patel like to loosen the belts of the insurances but that takes guts and few day in the cooler, I mean the jail but that too need the guts.
A man who staged car crashes for money, helping fraudsters claim 1.6 million pounds from insurance firms, was jailed Wednesday for four and a half years. Mohammed Patel, 24, charged people 500 pounds a time to set up crashes enabling them to claim an average of 17,000 pounds each, a court heard. Look out for the Muslim name with the Hindu tail
He staged at least 93 accidents with clients' cars by slamming on his brakes so drivers behind him would plough into his vehicle, the court heard. He would then take details enabling his clients to claim on their insurance.
"The wickedness of these staged accidents is that you gave no thought to the victim," judge Bernard Lever told the court in Manchester.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: Raymond Emerson on Oct 22, 2009 9:22 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We have a whole coterie of people in the United States making a lot of money out of these illegalities. It is not just the drug dealers or the wholesalers or the smugglers. It has to include the parts of law enforcement that share in the big money. They are bought. They are crooked. Once they give up to be a little crooked they find it really easy to go a lot crooked. I once knew a county sheriff's deputy that had laundered enough money to have a paid for 250,000 dollar house before he was 40.
Our only problem is a shortage of honest people. The story of Diogenes may have been apocryphal but it has been remembered. I really, really do get annoyed with my fellow man.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: jonathanseer on Oct 23, 2009 11:12 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
To say what the AG did doesn't matter much, won't change much says far more about the people who say that and their complete detachment and hopelessly cynical world view than it does about Obama's efforts.
THIS IS A HUGE CHANGE.
The Federal Govt. has NEVER EVER climbed down in their anti-marijuana campaigns despite decades of studies showing their 100% wrong.
Their answer was always mindless rote repetition of the claims studies disproved over and over.
When something has been demonized and illegal for so long, and for such utterly idiotic reasons just making it legal could potentially cause a lot of needless social chaos. All of which can easily be avoided by giving society a few years to digest the changes and realize it's a good thing.
Move before then and this issue could easily be turned into a rather effective tool of the insane Repugnican hate machine in regaining some of the ground they rightfully lost in 2008.
Do I care about all Democrats, nope, but I do care a lot about the progressive champions like Pelosi and her ilk. (though I imagine if you think the AGs decision was more of the same, you probably lump Pelosi with Limbaugh)
After a couple of years or so, society will ready, willing and able to accept 100% legal marijuana.
Once that time passes, you can be certain that's where Obama will rapidly move.
Patience is a virtue especially when complete victory is within site, and impatience could jeopardize far more than the goal you personally seek.
AND Cynicism so deep and overwhelming that it blinds someone to the fact that things are going their way finally is the emotional Benedict Arnold that has contributed mightily to the failure of causes just and right throughout history.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: stacyhinjosa on Nov 11, 2009 11:40 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: P.E.A.C.E. on Oct 19, 2009 12:30 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» Hemp seed at the World Summit on Food Security
Posted by: P.E.A.C.E.
Comments are closed-
Posted by: 3rdI on Oct 19, 2009 3:51 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» Absolutely!
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: Absolutely!
Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» NORML is not...
Posted by: aahpat
» I think I detect
Posted by: LightningJoe
» Casting aspersions
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: yup
Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» lol
Posted by: permanentilt
» oops, mistype
Posted by: permanentilt
» WRONG!
Posted by: aahpat
» YOU are wrong
Posted by: permanentilt
» Mischaracterization is dishonest debate
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: Mischaracterization is dishonest debate
Posted by: permanentilt
» No force of law
Posted by: aahpat
» RE: No force of law
Posted by: Sister_Lauren
» Citing Bush memos -- It is bad law and bad ethics.
Posted by: aahpat
» No force of law?
Posted by: LightningJoe
» RE: YOU are wrong
Posted by: 3rdI
Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 19, 2009 8:42 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The feds investigate for pretexts and turn the pretexts based cases over to zealous local prosecutors for action.
I wrote more about this here:
Drug Warrior Obama's Disingenuous "New" Medical Pot Rules
DEMAND REAL CHANGE!!!
Write to you representatives in congress and to Barack Obama demanding that they support:
H.R.2835 "To provide for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with the laws of the various States."
Going further. If you are fed up with the authoritarianism of the war on drugs Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia authored S-714 to create a national criminal justice commission to look into all aspects of the use of America's criminal justice system. Sen. Webb has even indicated that marijuana legalization is "On the table"
Thus far 35 senators have signed on to Sen. Webb's S-714 as co-sponsors. S-714 tally sheet of senators thus far co-sponsoring the bill. The bill needs all the support it can get because drug war supporters have offered a counter bill in the House of Representative.
H.R. 2943 "To eliminate most Federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use..."
These bills will eliminate the ongoing human rights atrocity known as the war on drugs. Write or call your members in congress and to President Obama DEMANDING that they support this legislative agenda.
IF THEY DON'T HEAR IT FROM US THEY WON'T HEAR IT!
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: thedevil666 on Oct 20, 2009 4:00 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: picket on Oct 20, 2009 6:37 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Dennis Peron, MJ activist went on to coauthor California's Prop 215 The Compassionate Use Act of 1996.
Obama has taken ONE SMALL STEP. Dennis Peron changed the political debate 13 years ago but the battle is not over. When it comes to the God-given healing Cannabis plant, the Lawmakers must be made to agree with Peron re MJ.
"ALL USE IS MEDICINAL"
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: JohnTruth2001 on Oct 20, 2009 8:00 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 20, 2009 8:16 AM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Drug war proponents support criminal anarchy and violence on American streets.
Drug war proponents support cartels and drug black market funded terrorism.
Drug war proponents are lawless anarchists.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 20, 2009 9:13 AM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Repeal of the drug war laws is the only major blow that will effect the war on drugs. This memo is a major blow to nothing.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: aahpat on Oct 20, 2009 9:17 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: flymulla on Oct 21, 2009 2:10 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Amnesty International is calling on the Texas authorities to commute Khristian Oliver's death sentence. The organization considers that the jurors' use of the Bible during their sentencing deliberations raises serious questions about their impartiality.
A U.S. federal appeals court acknowledged last year that the jurors' use of the Bible amounted to an "external influence" prohibited under the U.S. Constitution, but nonetheless upheld the death sentence.
Apparently, this "external influence" included the following passages from the Old Testament, some of which were read aloud in the jury room:
"The murderer shall surely be put to death"
"And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, the murderer shall surely be put to death."
"The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer."
(That last one, I assume, was determined to be logistically unfeasible.)
According to Chris McGreal in the Guardian, "another juror, Michael Brenneisen, told a journalist in 2002 that he asked himself 'Is this the way the Lord would decide the case?' But Brenneisen also said that in discussing the Bible the jury 'went both directions in our use of the scripture -- forgiveness and judgement.'"
so divided we are in the crime that we are teaching the students law.
The days of long sermons and traditional services may not be over, but they have been augmented by something powerful and new: religious social media.
As religions look to connect with younger followers, and to spread their messages to non-believers, they have quietly turned to Facebook, Twitter, and even viral video. And they have been tremendously successful in some respects. Businesses have known the benefits of viral marketing and dynamic social media for some time. Now religions are catching up.
In fact, Pope Benedict XVI just recently urged priests in a Vatican City press release to fully use new "communications media" to spread the good word far and wide.
Like the huge bonuses that banks give, we need the Mr Patel like to loosen the belts of the insurances but that takes guts and few day in the cooler, I mean the jail but that too need the guts.
A man who staged car crashes for money, helping fraudsters claim 1.6 million pounds from insurance firms, was jailed Wednesday for four and a half years. Mohammed Patel, 24, charged people 500 pounds a time to set up crashes enabling them to claim an average of 17,000 pounds each, a court heard. Look out for the Muslim name with the Hindu tail
He staged at least 93 accidents with clients' cars by slamming on his brakes so drivers behind him would plough into his vehicle, the court heard. He would then take details enabling his clients to claim on their insurance.
"The wickedness of these staged accidents is that you gave no thought to the victim," judge Bernard Lever told the court in Manchester.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: Raymond Emerson on Oct 22, 2009 9:22 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We have a whole coterie of people in the United States making a lot of money out of these illegalities. It is not just the drug dealers or the wholesalers or the smugglers. It has to include the parts of law enforcement that share in the big money. They are bought. They are crooked. Once they give up to be a little crooked they find it really easy to go a lot crooked. I once knew a county sheriff's deputy that had laundered enough money to have a paid for 250,000 dollar house before he was 40.
Our only problem is a shortage of honest people. The story of Diogenes may have been apocryphal but it has been remembered. I really, really do get annoyed with my fellow man.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: jonathanseer on Oct 23, 2009 11:12 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
To say what the AG did doesn't matter much, won't change much says far more about the people who say that and their complete detachment and hopelessly cynical world view than it does about Obama's efforts.
THIS IS A HUGE CHANGE.
The Federal Govt. has NEVER EVER climbed down in their anti-marijuana campaigns despite decades of studies showing their 100% wrong.
Their answer was always mindless rote repetition of the claims studies disproved over and over.
When something has been demonized and illegal for so long, and for such utterly idiotic reasons just making it legal could potentially cause a lot of needless social chaos. All of which can easily be avoided by giving society a few years to digest the changes and realize it's a good thing.
Move before then and this issue could easily be turned into a rather effective tool of the insane Repugnican hate machine in regaining some of the ground they rightfully lost in 2008.
Do I care about all Democrats, nope, but I do care a lot about the progressive champions like Pelosi and her ilk. (though I imagine if you think the AGs decision was more of the same, you probably lump Pelosi with Limbaugh)
After a couple of years or so, society will ready, willing and able to accept 100% legal marijuana.
Once that time passes, you can be certain that's where Obama will rapidly move.
Patience is a virtue especially when complete victory is within site, and impatience could jeopardize far more than the goal you personally seek.
AND Cynicism so deep and overwhelming that it blinds someone to the fact that things are going their way finally is the emotional Benedict Arnold that has contributed mightily to the failure of causes just and right throughout history.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: stacyhinjosa on Nov 11, 2009 11:40 PM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
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