Obama's new POT MEMO *****

Rob Roy

Well-Known Member
http://ridleyreport.com/video/2009/oct/nh_cops_drag_pot_protester_arrest_six_we_think


Some people have stopped begging for freedom. There have been daily protests going on up in New Hampshire
in Keene, Manchester and Derry at 4:20 PM for about a month.

The feds do not belong in the states. The state POLICE do not belong in towns and town cops do not belong in people's lives or business that harm nobody. It's good that Obama issued his piece of paper, regardless of his motivation, but it's not enough and won't be until people start taking it to the street. I've heard rumor has it if pot isn't legal in NH by 4/20 2010 there will be of THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE gathering on the state house lawn and IN the statehouse, peacefully instructing their representatives. The state motto is Live free or die, ironic huh?
 

JimmyPot

Well-Known Member
Remember the people posting about Obama hating pot heads because he was banning fruit flavored cigs?They look dumb now and then too though.This will be the first law that the right will change if they get into office.If you vote right and smoke pot your an idiot and far to gone to ever be brought back to reality.If we want to see pot legal across the board in our life time we have to keep the right out of power period.The left and independents will slowly get it done!The right will always cause huge set backs.Its hard to get white middle America and red necks to not vote right.
 

Big P

Well-Known Member
[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]Feds to issue new medical marijuana policy[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif][FONT=Verdana,Sans-Serif]Email this Story[/FONT]

Oct 19, 8:07 AM (ET)

By DEVLIN BARRETT

[FONT=Verdana,Sans-Serif,Arial][/FONT]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal drug agents won't pursue pot-smoking patients or their sanctioned suppliers in states that allow medical marijuana, under new legal guidelines to be issued Monday by the Obama administration.
Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law.

The guidelines to be issued by the department do, however, make it clear that agents will go after people whose marijuana distribution goes beyond what is permitted under state law or use medical marijuana as a cover for other crimes, the officials said.

The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.

Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

California is unique among those for the widespread presence of dispensaries - businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services. Colorado also has several dispensaries, and Rhode Island and New Mexico are in the process of licensing providers, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that promotes the decriminalization of marijuana use.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice.
A three-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states, and also to top officials at the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.

The memo, the officials said, emphasizes that prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing which cases to pursue, and says it is not a good use of federal manpower to prosecute those who are without a doubt in compliance with state law.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the legal guidance before it is issued.

"This is a major step forward," said Bruce Mirken, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This change in policy moves the federal government dramatically toward respecting scientific and practical reality."
At the same time, the officials said, the government will still prosecute those who use medical marijuana as a cover for other illegal activity. The memo particularly warns that some suspects may hide old-fashioned drug dealing or other crimes behind a medical marijuana business.

In particular, the memo urges prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases which involve violence, the illegal use of firearms, selling pot to minors, money laundering or involvement in other crimes.

And while the policy memo describes a change in priorities away from prosecuting medical marijuana cases, it does not rule out the possibility that the federal government could still prosecute someone whose activities are allowed under state law.

The memo, officials said, is designed to give a sense of prosecutorial priorities to U.S. attorneys in the states that allow medical marijuana. It notes that pot sales in the United States are the largest source of money for violent Mexican drug cartels, but adds that federal law enforcement agencies have limited resources.

Medical marijuana advocates have been anxious to see exactly how the administration would implement candidate Barack Obama's repeated promises to change the policy in situations in which state laws allow the use of medical marijuana.

Soon after Obama took office, DEA agents raided four dispensaries in Los Angeles, prompting confusion about the government's plans. ---

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futureman

Member
I'm sure this has been posted over and over, but http://cbs2.com/wireapnewsca/Federal.government.won.2.1256333.html the article on the new law. I am happy to see the shift toward this tolerance. Over the summer, I was down in San Luis Obispo, CA and was dismayed when a local grower--who really DID supply SOLEY medical dispensaries in SLO and Santa Barbara--was busted. Not just that, but he received an 18-month jail sentence. Ugh!! Maybe this will give others in his situation an easier piece of mind? I hope so.
 

milowerx96

Active Member
Oregon has incredibly clear medical marijuana laws!! I am very happy about this. The promises you refer to were before he got the justice dept on board. Give the guy a chance! this is the most significant step in a very long time for the feds! Now if we can just get some insurance life would be grand!!! I still wish we had a Clinton in office.

Did anyone read the actual article...They made this exact same statement when Obama took office and later raided 4 dispensaries in LA and a few in the bay area. This statement doesn't change the federal governments stance at all. This statment is nothing but the same pseudo promises given to the MMJ community thus far.

Don't get excited over non victories, especially when the states that allow medical haven't even defined compliance yet, if you don't define compliance how can anyone EVER be IN compliance. ya dig?

My .02

CK
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
At the beginning of the Administration, the announcement was made yet raids continued.

Now, seven months after the announcement, there is a written policy in place.

It's a win.

Hats off to the President.

 

Attachments

PVS

Active Member
The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.
*quoted for the benefit of compulsive bush apologists and their conveniently selective memories.
 

Johnnyorganic

Well-Known Member
*quoted for the benefit of compulsive bush apologists and their conveniently selective memories.
Wow! An opportunity arises for us to come together in agreement. You choose to be divisive.

What is the point of evoking a previous administration? An administration which, everyone agrees, would never have made such a policy change.

It is possible that whiny Progressives actually miss President Bush?

He's not the President yet his name keeps coming up in Progressive rants. I'm just saying.... :fire:
 

MexicanWarlord420

Active Member
Remember the people posting about Obama hating pot heads because he was banning fruit flavored cigs?They look dumb now and then too though.This will be the first law that the right will change if they get into office.If you vote right and smoke pot your an idiot and far to gone to ever be brought back to reality.If we want to see pot legal across the board in our life time we have to keep the right out of power period.The left and independents will slowly get it done!The right will always cause huge set backs.Its hard to get white middle America and red necks to not vote right.
I have many friends who are far right and I know one guy who is in the klan and they're raging potheads. Their leaders on the other hand, I agree. Except Ron Paul, but I HIGHLY doubt he would get the nomination. Hell remember during the primaries when FOX news(who many people on this site praise) cancelled Ron Paul to be scheduled in their debate?
 

doobnVA

Well-Known Member
I have many friends who are far right and I know one guy who is in the klan and they're raging potheads. Their leaders on the other hand, I agree. Except Ron Paul, but I HIGHLY doubt he would get the nomination. Hell remember during the primaries when FOX news(who many people on this site praise) cancelled Ron Paul to be scheduled in their debate?
I think the entire debate got canceled, not just Ron Paul's appearance.
 

PVS

Active Member
Wow! An opportunity arises for us to come together in agreement. You choose to be divisive.

What is the point of evoking a previous administration? An administration which, everyone agrees, would never have made such a policy change.

It is possible that whiny Progressives actually miss President Bush?

He's not the President yet his name keeps coming up in Progressive rants. I'm just saying.... :fire:
facts tend to have a petty liberal bias.
 

NorthwestBuds

Well-Known Member
Wow! An opportunity arises for us to come together in agreement. You choose to be divisive.

What is the point of evoking a previous administration? An administration which, everyone agrees, would never have made such a policy change.

It is possible that whiny Progressives actually miss President Bush?

He's not the President yet his name keeps coming up in Progressive rants. I'm just saying.... :fire:
Bush lover! :-P
 

tnrtinr

Well-Known Member
This is so silly. So you have a "Drug" that is schedule 1 (which has no medicinal purpose) that is now selectively enforced by the Feds depending on your locale. If you are in Cali, nothing to worry about - if you are in Kansas bend over and grab your ankles.

So what you have is a Federal law (predicated on the assumption that Cannabis (A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse. (B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. (C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision." No prescriptions may be written for Schedule I substances) that is being ignored for certain people in certain states while being applied to others. If you agree that cannabis is medicine (which they are by recognizing prescriptions) - then you agree that it is not schedule 1. If it is not schedule 1 than why is ANYONE in the United States prosecuted as if it is? I wish they would end this pointless ineffective drug war. It has been shown that treatment is more successful and CHEAPER than incarceration.

If you are one of the 14 states that have medical cannabis this is great news for you - for your brothers in the other 36 states they will still be prosecuted for possession or sale of a schedule 1 drug. Can we say delusional?
 
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