Marijuan Is Now Legal ... Federally !!!

[DaGambler]

BIGGEST NEWS SINCE CALLY FIRST ANNOUNCED MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS ... MARIJUANA LEGAL FROM A FEDERAL STANDPOINT !!!

Obama Administration Announces New Policy: Will Stop Arresting Medical Marijuana Patients and Providers in Compliance with Their State’s Medical Marijuana Law, Even if it Conflicts with Federal Law

DPA Statement: New Guidelines Are Clear Mandate, Rogue District Attorneys Need to Stop Harassing and Going after Patients and Dispensaries

For Immediate Release: Monday, October 19, 2009. Contact: Tony Newman 646-335-5384 or Ethan Nadelmann 646-335-2240

The Obama Administration is releasing new guidelines today directing federal drug agents not to arrest or harass medical marijuana patients and their sanctioned suppliers in states that have approved the medicine, as long as they are following their state’s medical marijuana law. The new guidelines will impact thirteen states that currently allow marijuana for medical purposes. The states that allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
The guidelines are consistent with previous comments made by Attorney General Eric Holder back in March, and campaign pledges made by President Obama in 2008.
Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance issued the following statement:
“It's great to see the Obama administration making good on the promises that candidate Obama made last year. These new guidelines effectively open the door to sensible collaboration between state governments and medical marijuana providers in ensuring that patients have safe and reliable access to their medicine.
“What remains unclear is how the Justice Department will respond to rogue state attorneys, such as San Diego's Bonnie Dumanis, who persist in undermining state medical marijuana laws in their local jurisdictions.
“Now is the right time for the Obama administration to move forward with federal legislation to end the irrational prohibition of medical marijuana under federal law.”


PREPARE FOR THE AVALANCHE IN THE NEXT 12-24 MONTHS OF STATES THAT WILL ADOPT MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS - TO JUMP ON THE TAXATION BANDWAGON. SO LONG MEXICAN MARIJUANA DRUG CARTELS ... HELLO ALLEVIATION OF CHRONIC PAIN !!
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[gcvt420]

Good news indeed, but everyone must keep in mind that this is not "law" but merely a suggestion or guideline.

 

[DaGambler]

Good news indeed, but everyone must keep in mind that this is not "law" but merely a suggestion or guideline.

ur right, i suppose... i'd like to see something on paper... written as law. So long as it becomes the operating 'policy' and transfers from this administration forward....

i suppose there will have to be something official on the books at some point though. something with regard to a federal mandate of medical marijuana.

sorry, i just couldn't help but feel VERY excited by this stepping stone !!
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[vertise]

its a step but yes those are just guidelines also theres only 14 states with medical laws. The rest do not. But hey with such news coming from the federal government the future movement of new states legalizing it is promising. Once you see nj pass their law which is supposed to happen in november, states like ny,pa,con will most likely pass med laws too. When a state is pretty much surrounded between vermont, maine, rhode island, and soon to be new jersey its hard for it not to pass a law for medical use. Also the new guidelines want states to focus there drug enforcement on harsh substances and people who are violent drug pushers. Not just get that quick bust for some petty personal use

 

[Maryjane123]

Step in the right direction.

 

[vertise]

but you are right if there are positive results such as larger busts on drugs like meth etc because of not having to waste time and effort for medical users or small time pot bust in general, you may very well see the federal government put medical use into law. I mean also marijuana sales is basically 40 percent of the mexican drug cartels income. Take away even a quarter of that and you have created much more damage than any nation wide law operation could deal on them. thats billions of dollars out of there pockets along with the ability for law officers to focus on there shipments of meth and h which will also create a bigger blow to there pockets

 

[Illegal Smile]

I hate to be a wet blanket but I don't think it will make that much difference. There will still be federal busts of clinics that sell to anyone with a wink and a nod, growers that use legal status as a cover for illegal distribution etc. Plus some legal states only allow patients with a handful of specific diagnoses. There's a long way to go to call it legal.

 

[vertise]

well thats like any medical drug if you run a pharmacy and give xanax out like candy then your illegaly distributing it. also the national healthcare plan which i dont like the idea of but thats not important when set into play will have a great push towards its medical legalization. Cant say hey if you need treatment for your sleeping disorders or whatever you have, go to california because its legal there for that treatment type. You will see a broader spectrum of viable disorders that are allowed to be treated via its use. No matter how far the legalization is it is a important step in making the the drugs image more of a medicine, then a dangerous substance.

 

[vertise]

also as you may know fed and state governments are bleeding with debt. They dont want to continue to waste resources for what is more and more being viewed as a harmless drug

 

[vertise]

"The head of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws said he thinks the new memo is a harbinger of more lenient drug policies to come.

"There have already been invitations made to drug policy groups to meet with the drug policy director, something that hasn't happened in 20 years," NORML's executive director, Allen St. Pierre, said.

The memo urges prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases that involve violence, the illegal use of firearms, selling to minors, money-laundering or involvement in other crimes."

Heres a clip from a article about the memo

 

[Marduk5769]

also as you may know fed and state governments are bleeding with debt. They dont want to continue to waste resources for what is more and more being viewed as a harmless drug

Also good for the legalization movement. State governments are realizing they are missing out on a lot of tax dollars.

IMO, Obama is totally down with legalizing. Politically he says NO WAY because he has too. Then things like this happen. It will take time, but it will happen. I see the electorate slowly changing in favor of legalizing.

 

[doitinthewoods]

Wow, I got excited for a second and thought that it could have been something different than a lot of people have already posted about. No harm though. I thought that you meant it was legal for EVERYONE. ....I should have known better. It's a step in the right direction for sure.

 

[CrackerJax]

Look for more good news....right before the next election....

 

[Illegal Smile]

I guess I'm just cautioning you all not to be too excited. I remember 35 years ago when we thought it would surely be legal within 10 years. I agree there is a process in that direction but it is slow. I don't even think this announcement means anything. Politics. Don't be surprised if by the next election the prudent thing to do politically will be to crack down. If so that's what Obama will do.

 

[vertise]

yea true, but none the less once it is excepted by states with some of the harshest drug laws such as new york you will see drastic movement in a positive direction. In new york its already been excepted by the assembly needs to go on for its last vote and then get signed. New york has harsher penalties on drugs then even the federal government but alot of politicians from New York have said once the federal government accepts the states right to allow it new york will pass the bill.

 

[Green Cross]

This is yesterdays news; Federal law hasn't changed; MJ is not legal. And most states don't even have reasonable medical MJ laws

Obama only "asked" Federal attorneys not to prosecute legal ops

Here's more:


U.S. to end war on medical marijuana in legal states

Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:58pm EDT

By James Vicini and Dan Whitcomb
WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In a sharp policy shift, the Obama administration told federal attorneys not to prosecute patients who use marijuana for medical reasons or dispensaries in states where it has been legalized.
A Justice Department official said the formal guidelines were issued Monday to reflect President Barack Obama's views. The Bush administration had said it could enforce the federal law against marijuana and that it trumped state laws.
The decision was praised by activists in California, the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996. But concern remains among some medical and law enforcement authorities about hundreds of clinics said to be selling pot under the protection of state law and without regard to health.
A spokesman for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a brief statement in which Schwarzenegger appeared to support the policy change:
"The governor believes it is appropriate for the federal government to focus their resources on criminal activity and securing the border," the statement said.
As a candidate during his presidential bid last year, Obama said he intended to halt raids of medical marijuana facilities operating legally under state laws.
After he took office in January, a Drug Enforcement Administration raid on a dispensary in Lake Tahoe, California, raised questions about whether he would follow that pledge.
A White House spokesman repeated Obama's view that "federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws."
Stephen Gutwillig, California head of the Drug Policy Alliance, called the move a good first step.
"There is a fundamental need of patients to access marijuana as medicine right now," he said. "While it's great to see the Obama administration radically de-escalate the Bush and Clinton administrations' war on medical marijuana patients, more needs to be done to protect sick people and their caregivers."
CALIFORNIA LEADS THE WAY
About a dozen states have followed California in adopting medical marijuana laws and a similar number have pending legislation or ballot measures planned on the issue.
Gutwillig called on the Obama administration to support a proposed by Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank that would give states the right to adopt their own medical marijuana laws.
But the head of a California drug rehabilitation clinic criticized Monday's move as irresponsible.
"The Justice Department is required to enforce all federal laws that are on the books," said Jerrod Menz, president of A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center, said in a written statement. Continued...

 

[vertise]

yea we know but there huge huge progress because of that.

 

[mygirls]

ok i see this as being a set up from hell so that our local law enforcement can catch the medical patients growing and having more then they are allowed... you all better be in compliance when they come a knocking..

 

[nedmark]

ok i see this as being a set up from hell so that our local law enforcement can catch the medical patients growing and having more then they are allowed... you all better be in compliance when they come a knocking..

not only that those of us who make a living on medical marijuana are not in a rush to have it legalized. when that happens good bye mom and pop growers. hello big business with regulated thc levels.

 

[sj420]

like others have stated, we're not there, but this is an exciting step in the right direction. great reason to toke up and celebrate. Yes We Cannabis!