Stephen Dinan and Ben Conery THE WASHINGTON TIMES \t \t \t\t Drug Enforcement Administration agents this week raided four medical marijuana shops in California, contrary to President Obama's campaign promises to stop the raids. The White House said it expects those kinds of raids to end once Mr. Obama nominates someone to take charge of DEA, which is still run by Bush administration holdovers. “The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the federal government, he expects them to review their policies with that in mind," White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said. Medical use of marijuana is legal under the law in California and a dozen other states, but the federal government under President Bush, bolstered by a 2005 Supreme Court ruling, argued that federal interests trumped state law. Dogged by marijuana advocates throughout the campaign, Mr. Obama repeatedly said he was opposed to using the federal government to raid medical marijuana shops, particularly because it was an infringement on states' decisions. “I'm not going to be using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue," Mr. Obama told the Mail Tribune newspaper in Oregon in March, during the Democratic primary campaign. He told the newspaper the "basic concept of using medical marijuana for the same purposes and with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors, I think that's entirely appropriate." Mr. Obama is still filling key law enforcement posts. For now, DEA is run by acting Administrator Michele Leonhart, a Bush appointee. Special Agent Sarah Pullen of the DEA's Los Angeles office said agents raided four marijuana dispensaries about noon Tuesday. Two were in Venice and one each was in Marina Del Rey and Playa Del Ray -- all in the Los Angeles area. A man who answered the phone at Marina Caregivers in Marina Del Rey said his shop was the target of a raid but declined to elaborate, saying the shop was just trying to get back to operating. Agent Pullen said the four raids seized $10,000 in cash and 224 kilograms of marijuana and marijuana-laced food, such as cookies. No one was arrested, she said, but the raid is part of an ongoing investigation seeking to trace the marijuana back to its suppliers or source. She said agents have conducted 30 or 40 similar raids in the past several years, many of which resulted in prosecutions. "It's clear that the DEA is showing no respect for President Obama's campaign promises," said Dan Bernath, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, which advocates for medical marijuana and for decriminalizing the drug. California allows patients whose doctors prescribe marijuana to use the drug. The state has set up a registry to allow patients to obtain cards allowing them to possess, grow, transport and use marijuana. Kris Hermes of Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana advocacy group in California, called the raids an attempt to undermine state law and said they were apparently conducted without the knowledge of Los Angeles city or police officials. He said the DEA has raided five medical marijuana dispensaries in the state since Mr. Obama was inaugurated and that the first took place on Jan. 22 in South Lake Tahoe. "President Obama needs to keep a promise he made, not just in one campaign stop, but in multiple speeches that he would not be spending Justice Department funds on these kinds of raids," Mr. Hermes said. "We do want to give him a little bit of leeway, but at the same time we're expecting him to stop this egregious enforcement policy that is continuing into his presidency." He said he is aware that Mr. Obama has not installed his own DEA chief but that new Attorney General "Eric Holder can still suspend these types of operations." The Justice Department referred questions to the White House.
Deleted my thread without realizing yours had yesterdays news Oh well, might as well not have two threads about it(like the dozen Phelps threads, haha) http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/6/145515/3547/508/694121 Apparently he'll be stopping federal organizations(i.e. DEA) from circumventing state laws. So glad to hear this, even though my state does not have medicinal marijuana. Real good step in an even better direction
what exactly is obama doing about pot. is he pro or anti cuz it sounds like he keeps changing his mind.
He's not "for legalization" he has said many times, but he's stated that he is extremely against feds circumventing state laws in states where it's legal of medicinal reasons. He seems very "for" medicinal marijuana.
the legalization of medical marijuana wouldnt exactly help everyone else though right? those of us who just like it?
No, but it helps out multitudes of sick people who actually need it, as opposed to people who just use it recreationally. Not saying that we shouldn't have the right as well, but I think medical patients should have priority, plus you have to start somewhere.
medical marijuana would only help legitimate patients with legitimate illnesses the rest of us would still be at square 1
i dont see marijuana being legalized for everyone in our liftetime sadly. although maybe it will get easier and easier to be considered for medical marijuana. i hear in california its rele simple and pretty much anyone can be granted "treatment" but thats just what ive heard. who knows if it holds water.
no, you're right. there are doctors that exist who will give you a card if you bribe them to do so, but in all honesty all that does is take away legitimacy from the real medical marijuana practice for the people who really need it. so yea, you could get a med card and what not if you wanted, but ultimately its a moral choice and I have no problem getting bud any time anyways.
Lets say the government said cannabis would be legal for everyone in 10 years, until then the laws stay the same (schedule 1 drug). Then they say to make everyone happy they will make it medicinal in 5 years but not fully legal until 10. Who would say no? So what if it doesnt help the majority, its still a start.... You guys are acting like, pfft im not supporting it because it doesnt directly apply to me....
I don't know if you're referencing my post, but I think you are since its the only thing in this thread close to what you're talking about. but anyways, you misunderstood what I was saying..... ...what I am saying is that while you are right about "they" making "retarded rules" against legal weed, the prospect of medical marijuana is to give sick people a chance at cheap effective relief for a multitude of things. sure there are ways to get around the rules and abuse the system, and sure there are people out there at this very second who are doing just that. but if this abuse becomes too widespread and obvious then there is no doubt we will lose that foot hold that is medical marijuana. its already known anyways, so who knows where things will end up? unless someone is powerful political figure, we can only show our support for what we believe in and hope for the best, really. unless you have some c4 and a open weekend...
i dunno about that i mean this could end up like amphetamines (or what ever speed is) ya know? like how the doctors prescribed it for every little thing? but anyways i guess id be willing to stop if some one who actually needed would be able to do it with out the hassle from the popo. but itd be hard to stop lol
I know what you mean and yea its already going on I just personally don't support the idea of faking or exaggerating problems to falsely get a med card since it underminds the whole idea of having medical weed to begin with and we really don't need to give these government psychopaths any more ammo
This shit is crazy. This is right where I'm at in Marina Del Rey. I was at a dispensary in Marina Del Rey when another one was getting raided. Its cool that they all give each other a headsup. They were on the phone with the clinic that was getting raided. I went to Venice today to check out some glass and see the local dispensary only to find theirs was shutdown too. what bullshit. All those shops are like 10 minutes away from me.
there are doctors out here who do take bribes but not as many as people think. ive only ever heard of one and he got caught a few years ago. other than that though pretty much anyone who's ever been in a doctor's office in their lifetime can get their Medical Marijuana Card. Granted I have Craple Tunnel as a result of breaking both wrists and constantly being on the computer but that was enough for my doctor to grant me access to it. Heck you can even go to the Chiropractor and tell them you got in a car accident, your back hurts, they play with it and fill out a report, you take it to the MMJ Dr,and he gives you your recommendation. Average cost to get medical out here is 150.00 but there are some places as cheap as 100.00. On topic though, Obama sounds like he's taking things in the right direction - whether it be in his term or in some other presidents term - to get medical marijuana legal across the board. Here is what I would like to see. There are over a dozen states that have medical marijuana in place. I live in California. Say I want to go to Vermont and when I get there I either have or am buying a few ounces of some personal smoke to last me through my visit. I want for my California medical marijuana card to hold as much water in Vermont as it does here in California. It's the same principle as a driver's license - we can drive all over the country on a state license, so why not be able to consume my medicine all over the country on a state license, am i wrong?
regarding the legalization of medical marijuana...with the amount of stuff obama has on his plate, i doubt he'll do anything about it anytime soon. hopefully, i think he's for it since i vaguely remember an interview he had when asked about the medinal marijuana topic. as for legalizing marijuana, it's not happening in our lifetime. hopefully i'm wrong though.
Im not sure wether or not government law has the power to tell people what they can or cannot eat or drink or consume in any fashion at all. It is a base right as human beings to live our everyday lives as freely as possible. We breath air but should i decide its not for me and id like to add some Ozone to what i breath, well that'd be my choice. Im glad I have the right, it means im free. We have given up our personal freedoms too easily, If the DEA tried to close a dispensary but there were a thousand people using musscle to physically stop them we would have a standoff, and Police would by law have to get between the two parties to ensure Public safety effectively stopping DEA agents in their tracks. Mix in some kids under ten and noone will be touched. You have the right to peaceful protest, especially politically. Its called divide and conquer. Use the authorities against eachother, create unrest between state cops and the Federal Goons and the Goons will be going no where fast, no local Police force is going to haul away a thousand people with kids in tow, its logistically impossible to acheive, and they simply cannot lock you all up not when you all resist. National unrest gains attention at the Whitehouse quicker than anything and they will seek to put a lid on it in the fastest least harmfull way possible for the common good. And thats where we get what we want. Think like them, and act like them to change them, they wont give you shit unless you take it first. "When I was little I prayed to god for a bike, I soon realized that God doesnt roll like that, so I stole a nice red one and begged his forgiveness".