In a stunning move, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that federal drug enforcement officials will no longer raid medical marijuana facilities. This may come as a surprise, since the feds have been cracking down on medical pot since California voted to legalize it in 1996. But Holder says we shouldn't be so shocked; after all, Barack Obama did promise to stop prosecuting medical usage during the campaign.
In fact, Obama used his mother's own experience with breast cancer to inform his opinion. On the trail, Obama said he didn't see any difference between the morphine his mom took and marijuana.
Last week, Holder explained the policy motives behind the move. He said: "The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws." And there you have it. If a state wants to legalize medical marijuana, the federal government will stay out of it!
Mexx
Alviero Martini
Liz Claiborne
whoo hoo!!!
1A wonderful move by the Obama administration! Now if only we could get them to take that next step...
2Wow! This is a big deal in California, the people voted in favor of this law.
3Is there a federal law? Because it seems like the medical marijuana laws are in conflict with federal laws. So why not just fix the conflict instead of just avoiding enforcing a federal law? If they dont enforce this one, why should they enforce the others?
4Haus, I think you're right about that. The Obama administration doesn't really have the power to legalize medical marijuana, but they could push the legislature to do something. However, I do think if you put it in terms of simply redirecting DEA resources towards enforcing other types of marijuana laws, then it makes a little more sense.
5This is the beauty of separation of powers! Congress can pass the laws, but its up to the President to enforce them.
6"The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws." You mean as long as the state law is one he agrees with.
7um why would they raid medical mary jane facilities? I don't get that at all.
8"If a state wants to legalize medical marijuana, the federal government will stay out of it! "
9Amen, I wish this was his stance on everything else though. Now he has his hands in what state's do with their own unemployment funds
10Someone with sense!
So he is basing his orders in personal experiance? How is that any different than Bush trying to put a stop to Stem Cell research and allowing doctors to say no to abortions?
11Man i'm lovin this change Obama promised. I was afraid he wouldn't do anything on drug policy because of his past usage but this is great! Its a small but important step. Using marijuana for medical purposes should not be illegal!
Frankly i don't think it should be illegal in the first place but that probably won't happen for quite awhile. This is a good first step.
12CG can you please explain how those two things are related?
13Bush was basing those decisions on his moral and religious beliefs while Obama is stopping raids for medical marijuana because he knows people who are sick with cancer (like his mother) can benefit from it. There is the difference.
14We should not be able to pick and choose what laws we will enforce. IF you feel the law is wrong to enforce, then repeal it. We are a nation of laws, not a nation of men. To do otherwise means our highest elected official determines what our rights are not our constitution, nor our laws.
15YAY
16"We should not be able to pick and choose what laws we will enforce. IF you feel the law is wrong to enforce, then repeal it. We are a nation of laws, not a nation of men. To do otherwise means our highest elected official determines what our rights are not our constitution, nor our laws."
Surely you heard of Bush's more than 800 signing statements? In 2006, a GAO study of just 11 of them found they statements had the effect of nullifying the law in question in about 30% of cases.
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