Is Obama Planning to Allow More Medical Marijuana Raids?

[Ganjarden]

In the aftermath of a couple very questionable DEA raids of medical marijuana providers, not to mention the nomination of notorious drug warrior Michele Leonhart to head the DEA, we're forced to question once again whether President Obama intends to abide by his pledge to tolerate medical marijuana in states that have legalized its use.

I'll be the first to tell you that the medical marijuana situation has improved considerably since Obama took office. The aggressive anti-pot posturing of the previous administration has largely subsided, and the DEA's hideous practice of raiding medical marijuana facilities has certainly declined. But in light of recent events, the future of federal medical marijuana policy is anything but certain.

Mike Riggs has a story in The Daily Caller today that isn't going to make anyone feel better about the situation:

But the White House and the Justice Department both told TheDC that Holder's memo does not give dispensaries carte blanche to grow or sell marijuana, and that recent raids don't conflict with what Obama expressed while campaigning.

"I wouldn't say the memo 'discourages' certain raids," a DOJ offical told TheDC. Rather, "it talks about prioritizing resources most efficiently." And both the White House and the DOJ argued that the gist of the Holder memo was that the DEA would "not focus its limited resources on individual patients with cancer or other serious diseases."

Admittedly, the Holder Memo does suck if you actually read it. Alas, we find ourselves confronted with the exact sort of shameless backtracking that the memo was so deliberately crafted to allow for.

Whether Obama is breaking the various vague promises he's made with regards to medical marijuana policy is debatable depending how one interprets events up to this point. But there's no doubt that he's positioning himself to horribly piss off the large majority of Americans who've long opposed federal harassment of patients and providers. To whatever extent to ugliness of Bush era medical marijuana policy is behind us, Obama would be wise to keep it that way.



NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: StoptheDrugWar.org
Author: Phillip Smith
Contact: StoptheDrugWar.org
Copyright: 2010 StoptheDrugWar.org
Website: Is Obama Planning to Allow More Medical Marijuana Raids?

 

[GanjaAL2]

And just wait... once prop 19 passes it will be like shooting fish in a barrel...LOL. More people in jail and more ruined lives. It may last about a year maybe 2 but who really knows how long.

 

[Mama Train]

This is a real contradiction....the US government took out the patent on the process of producing medication from MJ in 2003 durring the Bush admin. The patent was issued to the dept of HSS.
Not sure whats going on...but certain they want to stop all of our legal grows and force us to support the medical/insurance/pharma industries in the name of profits.
read this:Am I the Only One Bothered by This?
there you will find a link to the patent so u can read it 4 yurself.

In addition....I failed to realize how seisure funds are allocated. The states/muni's get up to 90% back from the feds. Ther is a powerful reason to bust as many as possible...funds to run the states and citys.
The Texas thread WAS A REAL EYE OPENER.

There are many powerful fiscal reasons to perpetuate the WOD and retain control of all MJ production.

Just my take....

Careful what u wish for, prop 19 is a bad way to start because it allows too many loopholes for the authorities to exploit. If u don't pay their lil tax, u r still at risk of being painted as an illegal dealer

 

[Kingdiamond]

Michigan is also under assault from the DEA a caregiver member of the michigan medical marijuana association had his house raided by the DEA last month in saginaw the local sherrif confiscated a new mustang from a legal patient last year and currently drives it around town with the graphics on the side

"Forfetited from a local drug dealer"

The guys very anti medical marijuana and is harrasing legal patients on a daily basis.

Obama is a joke he lies and we are very sad we even voted for his turncoat arse.

 

[AvonBarksdale]

Thats why Id be very afraid to even be a MM patient because then the DEA has access to all your records and knows who has a MM card and who are the so called legal growers... All this mess makes me want to move to Amsterdam....

 

[Hogdady]

Obama is a joke he lies and we are very sad we even voted for his turncoat arse.

How do you know when a politician is lying? When his lips are moving.....

 

[SnowBender]

Thats why Id be very afraid to even be a MM patient because then the DEA has access to all your records and knows who has a MM card and who are the so called legal growers... All this mess makes me want to move to Amsterdam....

Are you worried your doctor will break his oath of patient confidentiality?

Why move to a country like Holland, where both rec and medical are really illegal?

 

[Mama Train]

Are you worried your doctor will break his oath of patient confidentiality?

Why move to a country like Holland, where both rec and medical are really illegal?

In many states (like my own dear Alaska) as a med patient u r required to b listed in the state registry. This has nothing to do with DR oath and makes all the paitents and providers vulnerable. These are semi public records that the feds and state authorities have access to at any time. This would b why Amsterdam looks sooooooo goood

 

[GanjaAL2]

Thats why Id be very afraid to even be a MM patient because then the DEA has access to all your records and knows who has a MM card and who are the so called legal growers... All this mess makes me want to move to Amsterdam....

They are going after growers... not patients.

 

[DrProfessor]

Don't give up on Prop 19 because you think it makes it easier for the Feds to bust you that's nonsense. Remember when MMJ was started some didn't think it was good enough and didn't want to vote for it because it was just medical. Legalized and Medical marijuana that is what we need, Cannabis should be rescheduled and everyone wins. We know this will not happen over night but in steps it can work and will, not voting for prop19 legislation because it's not perfect would be a huge set back and put us all back a decade so think about that. Putting everyone in jail to raise money on a voter approved law very unlikely the Feds would try other tactics first maybe.? Who knows but just remember all the negative that was said about prop215..."We have nothing to fear but fear itself" I would say defiantly applies here.

 

[Mama Train]

Don't give up on Prop 19 because you think it makes it easier for the Feds to bust you that's nonsense. Remember when MMJ was started some didn't think it was good enough and didn't want to vote for it because it was just medical. Legalized and Medical marijuana that is what we need, Cannabis should be rescheduled and everyone wins. We know this will not happen over night but in steps it can work and will, not voting for prop19 legislation because it's not perfect would be a huge set back and put us all back a decade so think about that. Putting everyone in jail to raise money on a voter approved law very unlikely the Feds would try other tactics first maybe.? Who knows but just remember all the negative that was said about prop215..."We have nothing to fear but fear itself" I would say defiantly applies here.

Why can't we craft something realistic that gives the individual freedom and privacy in their own home. Tax it as a commercial crop but leave the home grower out of it.

 

[Doobie]

Why can't we craft something realistic that gives the individual freedom and privacy in their own home. Tax it as a commercial crop but leave the home grower out of it.

I like your thinking there Mama Train. I for one am not about getting rich in the Cannabis trade. I just want to be left alone to take care of my medical needs.

 

[DrProfessor]

Who talking about getting rich this is about freedom.

You still have to walk before you crawl I would love to have no tax grow as much as you want do what ever you want but not very likely. You would have no medical marijuana if so many didn't have the courage to vote yes on 215 and 420. Prop 19 would not be the bill that I would have written either but I will take it for starters and still continue to move forward and work for more freedoms. Why is this bad for medical marijuana I still don't see it unless your making big money right now and I can't see voting no unless your a greedy pig. More freedom more selection somewhat lower prices how is that bad remember they said 215 wasn't good enough....it's not perfect but it works.

You really think there is going to be someone running around making sure your in your 25 sq ft plus who's to say that won't be increased to a larger area once people realize how much safer it is compared to alcohol. Tell me how is this bad for you or MMJ I don't get it......??????

 

[Mama Train]

Who talking about getting rich this is about freedom.

You still have to walk before you crawl I would love to have no tax grow as much as you want do what ever you want but not very likely. You would have no medical marijuana if so many didn't have the courage to vote yes on 215 and 420. Prop 19 would not be the bill that I would have written either but I will take it for starters and still continue to move forward and work for more freedoms. Why is this bad for medical marijuana I still don't see it unless your making big money right now and I can't see voting no unless your a greedy pig. More freedom more selection somewhat lower prices how is that bad remember they said 215 wasn't good enough....it's not perfect but it works.

You really think there is going to be someone running around making sure your in your 25 sq ft plus who's to say that won't be increased to a larger area once people realize how much safer it is compared to alcohol. Tell me how is this bad for you or MMJ I don't get it......??????

With all peace...u assume I am taking a stand against legalization. Im not. Im not even in cali...
This is not an issue of courage at the polls...there is a curtain and we are all alone in the booth.
My concern is what if u have to call the cops, ur home is broken into, something dreadful happens and u need um. U could be in trouble if u havent paid ur tax, dont have a med card, have children present.....the list goes on. Its OK to say loud and clear that u wont accept a law that places greater control on MJ than the controls on placed on Alcohol. Are we not adult enough to decide what we smoke grow or drink in our own homes? Its almost as if u r willing to give up some of ur freedom 4 permission.
I totally understand the baby steps...but would we not better expose all the slimy reasons for the WOD and appeal to Americas common sense instead of its fear. EDUCATE and hold out for good fair legislation? I hope I make sense. Peace again and good luck either way. I am waiting to see what Cali will do.

Im in ALaska. We once had, and enjoy again (on the state not fed level) freedom of privacy in our home. The Reagan era voter initative can not change the AK constitution. We can grow a few plants and not b bothered...unless u have a med card, then u get some small hassles due to the registry.
No ticket...no bother....no use to try because the AK Supreme Court would throw it out. Can U imagine how liberating that could B? Pay the tax at the store, cafe, clinic. Leave U alone at home. Just my opinion.

 

[vaping]

we regret getting medical cards. we are under scrutiny now. they know where we live. we got 2 guys on medical cards at our house. this is a large property. i am 74 and my eyesight is not what it used to be. i don't go in the bush back where this one guy lives. he had grown way more than allowed. a month ago there was a raid. i don't use pot and didn't pay attention. now i ended up 4 hours in a prison cell without my medication. my nerves are ruined and i have severe insomnia and PTSD. sometimes i scream for no reason. my whole personage has changed. i wish so die. they want to take my house. i hired a lawyer and he just said that "they don't want publicity" because the medical mmj permits so they "likely will not harrass us anymore". former charges have not been laid. i am so angry for having my good name smeared all over our paper. this is a small community. i have never been in trouble or arrested before. my mental torture is unbelievable. i guess is was well-sheltered all my life. i want to sue the f*ken shirts off of the police and their methods including some false accusations they did against one guy here who had no part in this except he lives here. i guess in the end he would have been better off still homeless. surprise! my trust for authority is completely gone.

 

[GanjaAL2]

This is a prime example of how prop19 will not help this situation. Hope it all works out for you brother.

 

[DrProfessor]

Sad is all I can say Vaping it ashameful waste these agencies police,DEA,ATF state prison systems are scraping and scratching for money. So who do they come after the sick the people who don't have the $ to fight. 19 would be a start we defiantly need more these types of things happen all over the country EVEN MIGHTY ALASKA. The only way to stop this nonsense is to systematically work it on all levels...education of the non cannabis user is critical there is so much fear of this plant. It's going to take legalization in California to be successful before others will even think about it. Tell as many as you can when someone talks about marijuana like it's for stupid kids educate them on what it really is odds are they have been lied to as well .
I had a drug councilor tell me about 5 years ago how dirty and nasty a cannabis plant is. How it was a filthy weed she didn't even know how marijuana had been made illegal. So I schooled her for a while went home took about 10 pictures of my garden the next week before class I showed them to her and she had no idea what it was??? WOW to say the least now these were nice photos taken with good light but do I have to say any more "it looks more like a flower" is what she had to say. All people are shown is dirty ditch weed they have no idea what good cannabis is nor how benificial it can be.

 

[DrProfessor]

I had always thought Hawaii was fairly laid back???

Well I hope your alright Vaping that's why I'm moving to Cali I'm in Missouri now and I live in fear.

 

[Mama Train]

I had always thought Hawaii was fairly laid back???

Well I hope your alright Vaping that's why I'm moving to Cali I'm in Missouri now and I live in fear.

I had quite the experience in HI. They don't have to honor my med card there as it is not a 'cooperative' state and neither is MIGHTY ALASKA. My son was getting married, mother of the bride lives on OHAU. They 'obtained' 4 me as they know it keeps me moving. I took my lil stash back to the hotel. DID NOT SMOKE IT IN THE ROOM, just had it on the table. Apparently a neighorboring room smelled it and called the front desk. A very large security guard and the asst. GM came to the door and attempted to enter our room threatning to call the police.
At that point....I just made um back off & out by telling um I didn't know what they were talking about and insisting they can not enter. There are different rules for Hotels as far as entering the premisses. They backed off but they called the cops anyway. This gave me time to remove the meds from the room. I showed them my med card and told them a hawaiiian med paitent was about to become family. They just stopped by for a moment and did not mean to upset anyone. No one smoked anything in the room. The cops looked around briefly. Not finding anything...the cops left me with a warning I would b watched. Warm welcome hu?

The point is that we are all vulnerable no matter who says otherwise. As an alaskan med patient, I am known to local law enforcement. I get a little extra scrutiny. If MJ were to b decrimialized on a national level, I could be free to gro without this additional BS. I support as a med patient total full decrimalization for personal use. I think there will b struggles as the bugs are worked out of the law and we have to see how cali will handle it. I have concerns that some of the controls and tax structure contained in prop 19 will have negative concenquences for individulas and create mega businesses for the commercial industry.

 

[DrProfessor]

If you vote no on 19 what kind of message does that send? .........I'll wait.

Personaly to me is says raid more to the FEDs we're winning see the people of California have had enough we were right let's work even harder against these potheads.

I think I'll vote yes on 19 when I get to California and and hope that some more good things come from that. Not NO hoping we get another chance in the next 15 years.