Obama's Misguided Crackdown on Medical Marijuana

[DreamSmoker]

All the reason the Feds have stated were Tactics and not proved facts...

In early October, the Justice Department announced that it would be targeting medical-marijuana dispensaries in California. Calling large dispensaries "profiteers" that "hijacked" the state's medical-marijuana law, "motivated not by compassion but by money," California's four U.S. Attorneys announced the arrests of two major dispensary owners and a lawyer they accused of making millions from growing the drug.

It was a reversal of President Obama's campaign promise to end the previous Administration's legal pursuit of medical marijuana. Although Obama's Justice Department had previously abided by a memo that said prosecuting marijuana providers and patients who followed state law was not an "efficient use of federal resources," over the summer, the Administration changed tack, expressing concern about "an increase in the scope of commercial cultivation, sale, distribution and use of marijuana for purported medical purposes." It began sending letters to dispensaries and their landlords threatening forfeiture of the properties if marijuana sales did not stop.

The IRS has also begun a crackdown on California dispensaries. It claims that the dispensaries owe back taxes because their business deductions were illegal. In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms recently warned gun dealers to not sell to users of medical marijuana.


http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/24/obamas-misguided-crackdown-on-medical-marijuana/

[tridim]

1. The Obama Administration officially supports legal MMJ

[doublethink]

5. This is true ... however ....

it's one of those odd juxtapositions where when one looks at the recent acts of the Justice Departments crackdowns on these dispensaries it makes one wonder if something else is going on? I suspect ... so far a least ... that this next link could be the underlying cause to this dilemma .....

Meet Your New Pot Dealer: Big Pharma
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1197002

Peace.

[Upton]

8. "The Obama Administration officially supports legal MMJ"

:rofl:

Despite promises to the contrary on the campaign trail, the Obama administration has announced an escalation in its war on legal medical marijuana dispensaries in California and elsewhere.

Federal prosecutors have sent letters to landlords and owners of dispensaries across California warning them to halt sales of marijuana within 45 days or face property seizures and other legal backlash, though some raids have already commenced.

“This is much worse than reneging on a campaign pledge or being bad politics at a time when 80 percent of the public supports medical marijuana,” Neill Franklin, the executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said in a statement. “This crackdown is going to endanger public safety. The fact is, people in California and the other states with medical marijuana laws are going to use their doctor-recommended marijuana whether the Department of Justice likes it or not.”


http://www.starbudz.net/2011/10/08/obama-administration-shatters-campaign-promise-escalates-crackdown-on-medical-marijuana/

With friends like the Obama administration..who needs enemies?

[ixion]

9. which means absolutely nothing

[redqueen]

10. Those words are not being backed up with actions... and as such, they're worthless. (nt)

[tridim]

11. Not just words, official policy.

There is a huge difference.

[robdogbucky]

12. Actually, that policy has been shown to be a lie n/t

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[redqueen]

13. Is it official policy to interfere in CA's business?

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/medical-pot-backers-sue-feds-calif-crackdown-14828484

[tridim]

15. The clubs in question are allegedly breaking state law.

Did you read the article? It is a rehash of the same article that the OP has been posting over and over again for a month.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the clubs are suing the CA State Attorney. This whole thing will be worked out in the courts if the clubs are indeed legit.

However, this has nothing to do with Obama's official support of legal MMJ. The order to "lay off legal MMJ" has not been rescinded. And again, there are thousands of legal clubs that remain open and unraided. Nobody ever mentions that.

[redqueen]

17. The suit also names Holder.

Maybe you're right and this is all being blown out of proportion, but it does seem that federal agents have raided places that were in compliance with local laws. I'm not sure how exactly that squares up with official policy.

[frylock]

14. no, they don't

[Dragonfli]

18. Are you still carrying water for that LIE he told way back in 2009? /nt

[Fumesucker]

2. It's not misguided..

It's deliberate and knowing.

There really is a difference.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[truedelphi]

6. You have nailed it. b/t

[iscooterliberally]

4. Profiteers hijacked The Defense Department years ago.

Now we are in a perpetual state of war. Who did the MMJ folks hi-jack the drug trade from I wonder? At least they'll pay their taxes and not gun people down in the streets.

:crazy:

[truedelphi]

7. + 1. n/t