Bernie Sanders Warns That a New President Could Criminalize Medical and Recreational Marijuana

[eridani]

http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/11/01/bernie-sanders-warns-that-a-new-president-could-criminalize-medical-and-recreational-marijuana/

Since the federal government lists marijuana as a hazardous Schedule I drug, Sanders pointed out that under the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana is currently considered as dangerous as heroin. While addressing the absurdity in comparing marijuana to heroin, Sanders advocated for allowing each state to regulate marijuana the same way that state and local laws now govern the sale of alcohol and tobacco. He also supported allowing marijuana businesses to use the banking system without fear of federal prosecution.

Although Sanders acknowledged President Obama’s decision to allow the states to determine their own laws concerning marijuana legalization, the presidential candidate warned that a new administration could step in and start enforcing federal laws in 2017.

“In response to the initiatives that Colorado and other states have taken, the Obama administration has essentially allowed these states to go forward and to do what the people in those states have chosen to do,” Sanders observed. “That’s a good step forward. But it is not good enough, because a new administration with a different point of view could simply go forward and prosecute those marijuana businesses and individuals despite what the people in those states have chosen to do legislatively.”

[PoliticAverse]

1. Indeed, marijunana isn't "legal" in any state because it is illegal at the federal level. n/t

[eridani]

2. The Obama administration has chosen not to make an issue of it

It really could change with the next administration--several Repubs have said as much.

[PoliticAverse]

5. Exactly. A Republican President could decide to start enforcing the law on the issue. n/t

[questionseverything]

3. hc will continue/escalate the failed war on mj

which disproportionately harms poc

so i do not understand poc supporting her

[eridani]

8. More likely to than Sanders, but probably more persuadable than any Republican

PoC support her because they, like most everyone, are not political junkies. Only political junkies follow the history of War on Some Drug policies.

[HassleCat]

4. It's up to the president

Sanders is correct. The new president, regardless of party affiliation will be under enormous pressure from the law enforcement community to return to the days of yesteryear and devote major federal resources to the war on hemp. Busting pot growers and dealers used to be a huge cash cow for police agencies, since they got to keep all the money they rounded up. Some police forces would track the hemp shipments, allow them to be delivered, then bust the cash as it went back the other way. Yes, you heard that right. They intentionally avoided interfering with the drugs to reap more cash. They still do, in many places, although it's more difficult without federal help. In states that have legalized or decriminalized, of course, the cops have to sit on their hands and watch all that money fly away. They will be putting the heat on the new president to give them back their money.

[JackInGreen]

6. It's a distinction that needs stating, LOUDLY

If we like our state laws on pot, Vote Sanders.

[99th_Monkey]

7. And he's absolutely right. Obama has evolved on weed, we may not be so lucky next time.

hmm ... that reminds me... has Hillary come out yet for full legalization of marijuana?

Wonder why not? ... this seems to be the ONLY issue she's not willing to co-opt Bernie's position on,

[DirtyHippyBastard]

10. Bernie only said he would legalize 3 days ago

so, give her another week and she will be on board with this, too.

[JackInGreen]

11. +1

Then we'll hear about how she was always REALLY ok with it.

[Unknown Beatle]

9. Sanders is right.

What I don't understand, in this date and age, why is marijuana a Schedule 1 drug? Unless, of course, it benefits big pharma, the DEA, The FBI and the CIA. Oh, I forgot, it also benefits big banks because they launder money for drug cartels, probably at a high percentage of the profits.

[AzDar]

12. K & R

[Roy Rolling]

13. Police vs Merchants

Republicans favor regulation because they can make money. Merchants and growers favor it. Law enforcement which gets its income from arrests oppose it.

[eridani]

14. Not Repub presidential candidates, several of whom have promised to crack down on--

--marijuana, medical or otherwise.

[passiveporcupine]

15. Hopefully, after saying this outloud,

this will push Hillary more to the left on stating her intentions in regard to Marijuana.

I don't trust her on this, but maybe she will evolve during this campaign.

[Lefty Thinker]

16. The marijuana situation is interesting

The federal government has jurisdiction over interstate commerce. An old Supreme Court ruling says this extends to local things that impact interstate commerce in a regulated commodity (it was about a farmer who raised wheat to feed his livestock instead of buying the wheat on the market). But in this case, the federal government has prohibited interstate commerce in marijuana, so they may not have any jurisdiction over intrastate regulation of marijuana. If marijuana were reschedule as a Schedule II drug, then all of the federal laws would certainly apply in Colorado, Washington, and everywhere else allowing some form of legal use.

I think that part of President Obama's light touch on marijuana law enforcement is to avoid a Supreme Court ruling enshrining the reasoning that, by prohibiting interstate commerce in some good the federal government is giving up all ability to regulate that good at the intrastate level.

[proverbialwisdom]

17. Sanders is correct. Witness the bipartisan coercive "caring" in NJ.

Overview:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laboratories_of_democracy
https://reason.com/archives/2012/08/17/want-to-go-to-drug-court-say-goodbye-to

Christie cares and so does the (D) NJ legislature:

https://reason.com/blog/2015/09/17/on-marijuana-christie-remains-the-republ
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-28/smoke-that-pot-now-christie-tells-users-in-states-that-allow-it

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/10/22/new-jersey-s-drug-court-program-making-the-sentence-fit-the-crime/

...Indeed, all 50 states now have drug courts, but New Jersey is the first to make treatment mandatory.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2014/04/christie_ties_support_of_drug_treatment_to_his_abortion_stance.html

...Gov. Chris Christie tied his support of treatment, and not jail, for drug addicts to his stance on abortion, telling a crowd at a Jersey City prisoner re-entry conference today that if you are pro-life, “you have to be pro-life all the way.”

Oh, this from VT (and NJ) couldn't be related:

http://vtdigger.org/2014/03/24/bain-capital-company-buys-brattleboro-methadone-clinic/
http://gawker.com/bain-capital-has-seen-the-economys-future-and-it-is-he-1562975652