In what can only be described as major departure in the so-called ‘war on drugs’, the Obama Administration is issuing a new three page memo this morning [Paul Armentano updates: You can now read the memorandum, signed by Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden, here. You can also share your thoughts with the White House on the administration’s decision via NORML’s Take Action Center here.] mapping out the federal government’s new guidelines for states that have laws protecting medical cannabis patients.
In February Attorney General Eric Holder indicated in a press conference that the Obama Administration–which favors physician-recommended access to medical cannabis–would abate from what had been an aggressive law enforcement (and propaganda) campaign against medical access to cannabis.
Today’s memo from the Department of Justice formalizes these changes and is a MAJOR victory for citizens who support cannabis law reform!
Report: New DOJ guidelines to back medical marijuana laws
By Bridget Johnson – 10/18/09 11:40 PM ET
The Hill
The Obama administration is set to make a sharp turn from the Bush administration when it comes to state laws regarding medical marijuana usage, the Associated Press reported late Sunday.
The guidelines to be issued to federal prosecutors Monday will suggest that it’s not a good use of time to go after users and distributors of medical marijuana in the 14 states that allow such usage, while encouraging that illegal pot operations involving violence, firearms and sale to minors still be pursued.
Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington currently have state laws allowing at least limited use of marijuana for medical purposes. The AP reported that federal prosecutors in these states, as well as top officials at the FBI and DEA, would being receiving the three-page Justice Department memo outlining the new policy.
Under the George W. Bush administration, medical marijuana dispensaries were still targeted for violating federal law despite state laws allowing pot for medical use. Attorney General Eric Holder signaled a shift in this policy in March, stating that federal enforcement would concentrate on illegal marijuana operations that use medical pot allowances as a cover.
The move doesn’t come as a surprise, as Obama the candidate had expressed support for states that allowed medical marijuana.
“I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users,” then-Sen. Barack Obama said on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.
It’s time to write the President a thank you note. EVERY politician out there is watching to see where the public opinion lands on this one. Let them see that the public supports this move!
It takes two minutes; Here’s the address
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
#193 “Geez guys, look at the bigger picture here.”
Yes the bigger picture is that Obama has done NOTHING to stop the perpetual wars. He has increased the amount of young soldiers we have deployed and he has increased the pentagon budget. He has bailed out the rich elite at our expense. He has done NOTHING to improve transparency. He protects Bernanke and the federal reserve with all his might at all of our expense. He has used his lawyers to uphold Bush patriot act atrocities.
When you realize that the bigger picture is that democrats and republicans are exactly the same, THEN we can start the process of real change.
I will give obama props if he makes an honest attempt at marijuana reform even though I disagree with his other policies. BUT, a SUGGESTION is not enough for me to forget his war, his bailouts, and his fucking laughter at the idea of marijuana reform.
“How could you NOT VOTE for Barack Obama in 2012? ”
Sorry I have a conscious and I don’t vote for people who continue the perpetual war status quo Bush was so criticized for. Marijuana reform is very important to me, but a SUGGESTION is not enough for me to forget about the wars.
I know I am pulling another issue into a marijuana reform site… but is a suggestion seriously enough for you all to forget about everything, and vote for a man who mirrors Bush in all other ways?
This is personally to: Lea
Who commented on: October 20th, 2009 at 1:09 am
LEA, Is Sheila Better for you(I didn’t realize it would put Titshot). I am sorry my name pissed you off. It was given to me by a club I run with and the email site I used to respond to NORML was that account. I think you need to sit down and think about your comments and stop worrying about others (you have been pretty rude to a few people). Now, what does my name I used have to do with anything on this website?????? And for your concern, yes, I am sick with Hep C and obviously you have no idea what it feels like going through Chemo..God bless you Lea.
For anyone who wants to see what Lea felt the urge to say,,read her/his message below:
Lea
October 20th, 2009 at 1:09 am
7.Titshot: Your name sucks, what an arse you are.
If your comment is truly sincere, truly , go to the colleges. I’ve been told by friends in NC that marijuana is the thing to have in college.
The main problem in this world today is people like you who must say what they feel and assume they are correct at all of their comments. Everyone needs to stop running the world as government does (and you are doing the same damn thing Lea) and it needs to stop..we can do it ourselves. If anyone from HHH (a running club name for short) is involved in these comments, maybe let Lea know she is talking about a large family in the universe,,not just America. There is so much love in HHH and a name is,,just a name.
Once again Lea..God bless you..worry about yourself for that is needed.
Medical marijuana would suggest there is RESEARCH going on to advance our knowledge as a society about this miracle plant. Unfortunately, this “memo” does nothing to rid the government’s stranglehold on research in this nation. That is a shame, a sham, and should not be acceptable to anyone who is truly interested in cannabis as medicine.
<>
Voting for the candidate you WANT is NEVER “throwing your vote away”! The only reason more independents don’t win is because of defeatists like you not voting for them!!! You no longer have an excuse. Go on the internet and look up your candidates. Investigate them. If you feel like what they say and do fits you, VOTE FOR THEM!
Just remember that there was once a time when the “republicans” were a “third” party!
-Oz
The most racist relative I have smokes cannabis. He is a cancer survivor and it may be naive to think, but I wonder how he and many of his dixie-flag friends would feel about Obama if Obama went with outright decriminalization. Hopefully (now how naive am I?), one day I can ask him.
This is a definitive step forward. I hardly expected Obama to come out as a legalizer, and I never will. Unfortunately the reality of our legal and political system dictate that change can only happen at the slowest pace. At least it is happening.
I live in Rhode Island…..This is good news.Hope obam sticks to his word..an about time.
Is there any medical condition NOT avowed to be treatable by “medical marijuana”? Are there any “medical marijuana” dispensaries NOT charging black market prices for there drugs? Are there any dispensary clients who are NOT upper middle class pot smokers who never really had to be worried about being busted anyway?
Yes, the Obama is giving his Obamanistas a little shot in the arm, begging for a little momentum to a second term or, at this point, a vital first. NORML, we are supposed to thank him for this? And he won’t even offer a little encouragement to efforts for legalization? Not a chance.
[Editor’s note: “we are supposed to thank him for this?” Yes! You should…which has nothing to do whether you are a liberal or not, an Obama supporter or not–you should thank the President for recognizing medical cannabis’ utility, as well as largely following up on a campaign promise to dial back the federal govt’s medical cannabis enforcement.]
The only reason this is being done by the current administration is because the previous administrations have completely and totally fleeced this country, and now the ‘system’ is expecting to begin profiting from the sales of Cannabis to fill the financial vacuum.
Observe a meager glimpse of the state of current affairs, if you dare: billions of dollars we don’t have continue to be promised to foreign countries who do what our federal government wants them to do (at least on paper); banks suck the pennies from the pockets of their customers, receive ‘federal grants’ of taxpayer money -which they proceed to piss away in the form of benefits for their capitalist pig CEO’s after having pissed away all other forms of cash on bad investments- and continue to do business with just the slightest of viable power shifts.
Now thirty plus years of oppression by the government because everyone is afraid of the poisonous evil weed…only to have them flip flop at the first mention of billions of potential tax dollars being lost.
The taxes generated by the sale of cannabis will now be used to fluff up all the salaries of these bald white bastards, as well as perpetuate the ongoing slavery, murder, and polluting of every country our gun-loving government can get its filthy hooks on…which means now for the very first time, Cannabis sales in the U.S. will in fact be used to commit acts of rape, murder and gang violence around the world.
BULL. SHIT.
The right thing to do, but for the wrong reasons, and meant to benefit all the WRONG people.
Too bad Jimmy Carter didn’t get to pitch for legalization. Fuching nixon!!!!!
TO ALL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF WE THE PEOPLE OF THE GENESIST FAITH.
Now that the government has set Federal Guidelines for medicinal cannabis…before the next election…you’re going to have to “RECKON” your position on medicinal cannabis prohibition. “HOW” are you going to do that when “EVERYONE…INCLUDING YOUR OWN”…knows your protagonist stance is riddled with absurdities, and the infamy of intolerance and authoritarian suppression of freedom in thought and word, not to mention judicial injustice, and religious intollerance. “HOW” am I going to put my faith and trust in one who has deceived me, and placed my well being in harms way. It’s utterly ludicrous to think that I would support the enemy, or surrender. We Genesists didn’t want to feel this way…but…you have left us…”NO CHOICE.” Because of that…and
…because for every action there is a n equal and opposite reaction or effect…you have forced us to leave you…”NO CHOICE.” We insist on your statement before you get our vote. “NO STATEMENT…NO VOTE.” Political correctness be damned. No more seven layer crap cake…just a simple “YES or NO.” Do you support medicinal cannabis…or not? “IT’S UP TO YOU.” When you honor the Constitution…so shall we. Until then, we of the Genesist Faith dissolve all political bands with prohibitionists…and…are ready, willing, and able to provide prohibitionists a “ONE WAY TICKET OUT OF TOWN”…so help us God. Don’t be foolish to consider this frivolous bluster or bantor. You can however regard this a “PROMISE.”
If your opponent is a prohibitionist as well…we simply won’t vote for either one of you, and your names will be marked “REJECTED.” That abstention will be a vote of non-confidence. We don’t cling to the notion that our vote means anyhting anyway. We are not spellbound by fantacy. We are Individualists…and
…we are brave in adversity. There’s a lot of spaces to check, or leave blank on the ballot. We will vote for the candidate, regardless of the party. We will “VOTE OUR CONSCIENCE.” We will determine “BY YOUR STATEMENT” whether you have a conscience, or not, so we can “VOTE ACCORDINGLY.”
You may think…if we have dissolved all political bands with prohibitionists…”why are we saying all of this?” We say this because…not everyone in office is a prohibitionist, and we belive in “FAIRNESS IN POLITICS,” and offer all candidates a last ditch opportunity to “WIN OUR VOTE BY MAKING THEIR STATEMENT.” There’s no more free ride to the power dome. You’re going to have to earn your seat. We Genesists are giving our vote and support to “PROPONENTS” of medicinal cannabis.
We praise Christians for Cannabis, and Law Enforcement Against Prophibition-LEAP. God bless them, and keep them safe and well. They’re in the frontline trenches and have the most to lose.
Manford Mantis
The power reside in the people to claim what is and was rightfully theirs in the first place. Congress never truly had the right to act against the people of America, Never was the safety, health or welfare of the Nation endanger and therefore Congress lack the right away to abrogate our inalienable rights secure with in the constitution. Here in lays the proof that we as people do have a constitutional right to use cannabis even though it is not named specifically in the constitution by name.
We the People of these United States is where Sovereignty resides, Sovereignty doesn’t belong to our employees – government. Sovereignty resides in the employers and only the employers.
The law of the land says; “ In the United States, Sovereignty resides in the people, who act through the organs established by the Constitution.” Chisholm v. Georgia, 2 Dall 419, 471; Penhallow v. Doane’s Administrators, 3 Dall 54, 93; McCullock v. Maryland, 4 Wheat 316, 404, 405; Yick Yo Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356, 370.
Organs established by the Constitution is where our protected sovereignty lays and only by our taking action can we use that sovereignty to pursue our liberty and happiness. So we as people must act in order to receive what is ours in the first place, we must assert our liberty. We can find our inalienable right to use cannabis in the United States Bill of Rights, in Bell v. Hood, 71 F. Supp., 813, 816 (1947) U.S.D.C. So. Dist. CA. The Court said; “ History is clear that the first ten amendments to the Constitution were adopted to secure certain common law rights of the people, against invasion by the Federal Government.” It is here that the Court recognizes that the people retain Certain Common law Rights, these rights are not for government to decided as to what they are, it is the people who decided what these certain common law rights are and is our sovereignty to do so in pursuit of our liberty and happiness. Therefore we have a constitutional right that lays with in what the Court calls, “certain common law rights.” It is further clear that these common law rights are referred to in Article IX, of the United States Constitution, “The enumeration (to count out) in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed (explain) to deny or disparage (lower in rank) others retained by the people.” This makes it clear that there are certain common law rights which the people own.
Our Constitution or original contract from us to our government clear states where the boundaries are and who the boundaries were meant to control. That these boundary limits were set by the founding father for good reason they were set to prevent any stealthy encroachment upon our liberties, pursuit of happiness, and among those certain common law rights.
The Court has stated that the U.S. Constitution is Paramount Law, that it is the Law of the Land and everyone is bound to it.
We can see that Congress must also follow the structure of our Constitution for in Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 491. The Court made the following statement, “Where rights secured by the Constitution are involved, there can be no rule making or legislation which would abrogate them.” There is no Supreme Court case law or law of the land that changes this statement. This Court clearly tells the people of America that legislators and those who make the rules can not, I repeat, can not make any legislation or rules that abrogate our secured rights, even those described as Certain Common Law Rights in which our right to have and use cannabis arises. So you see We do have a Constitutional Right here and it has been unlawfully and without due process been abrogated.
The Court went further in South Carolina v. United States, 199 U.S. 437, 448 91905) when it said; “ The Constitution is a written instrument. As such, its meaning does not alter. That which it meant when it was adopted, it means now.” ‘…Every word appears to have been weighted with the utmost deliberation and its force and effect to have been fully understood.” Wright v. United States, 302 U.S. 583 (1938).
History has shown us that our government can and will act wayward and out side the will of the people. We know that Congress over steps it’s boundaries from time to time or Chief Justice Marshall would not have made the following statement in Marbury v. Madison, 5, U.S. 137, 174, 176, (1803). He said, “ All laws which are repugnant to the Constitution are null and void.” This would indicate that Congress at times violates the Constitution and when they do so those laws in conflict with the Constitution and the will of the people represented therein, those laws are null and void. And in Amos v. Mosley, 74 Fla. 555; 77 So. 619. (Congress) the Court stated, “ If the legislature clearly misinterprets a constitutional provision, the frequent repetition of the wrong will not create a right.” Even after all these years of fake due process, all the bullshit lies handed down, the great injustice upon our sub-culture and the total lack of equal protection of the law, We, the People still have the ability to fight in Court(s) for those “certain common law rights” which are open for us to define not the government (employees).
So you see folks just because the Court makes a claim that we do not have a constitutional right to have and use the cannabis plant and therefore have no constitutional argument I say we just haven’t presented our argument in a way that the Court can not ignore. We must ask the right question of constitutionally in the right Court excepted form to be heard. It is difficult to present the truth about the cannabis plant when some one has spent time wiping it clear from our historical records. But I a sure you the light is on and the lies are for once being seen as fake. The Constructive Fraud can hide no more.
It is great that the 14 states have come to the aid of the sick but I know and you folks know that medical cannabis respect is just one step in regaining what has been stolen from us by our wayward government. Above you can see just how far this wayward government has fallen from the Constitution and our liberties. You have been made aware of Jury Nullification and how a jury of our peers was designed to protect us from a wayward government as we have today. By planting your seeds in the enemy face we show them that whatever they do that is outside the will of the people will fail and that in the end the people’s will and it will be adhere to one way or the other. You would think that our fellow Americans would realize this simple truth.
It is late, and most likely because Americans that want the prohibition on cannabis stopped are the ones that voted him in, and his ratings are going down the toilet, but as a patient that lives in a non compassionate state and is drug tested for pain management this means very little to me, not until all Americans are set free would I consider supporting him for another 4 years, I don’t like to be lied to, and the pain isn’t going away, and the damage caused by the pharmaceuticals isn’t stopping and will not be reversed, so every day that I am with out safer more effective medicine is another day that I am looking for a better president a better congressperson etc. I don’t take it lightly the damage done by the pharmaceuticals nor do I take it lightly that at anytime the glaucoma will render me blind, and yet, I’ve watched him laugh about removing the prohibition, for as smart as he is, he sure hasn’t a clue about the demographics that voted him in. I do say thank you Mr. Obama for the sakes of millions of other patients but there are still millions left out in the cold and many of us can not afford to go through the court system when we get arrested for using a medicine that works, to save our eye sight or to have a few moments from suicidal pain with out being all drugged up or loosing a vital organ that our bodies needs, damaged by synthetic pharmaceuticals.
EVERY politician is watching to see how the People respond to this one.
Today is the day to drop a note to our Congressperson at http://www.house.gov/
and each of our two Senators at http://www.senate.gov/
But most importantly a note of APPRECIATION and SUPPORT to the first President to call off the prosecutors and allow a states-rights solution:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Carpe diem!
lets make it legal already! 1937 was the year hitler got his funding from bush’s grampa and the gov harriman of ny thru their banks in argentina and brazil. GM built opel’s machines. ibm had their own phoneline in auschwitz. wake up and smell the herbs!
Obama Administration gives go ahead to state medical marijuana laws
Contact: Carl Olsen, 515-343-9933
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 20, 2009
In a 3-page memo issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on October 19, the Obama Administration formally announced a new federal medical marijuana policy respecting states’ rights to exempt medical patients from the war on drugs. Thirteen states have already enacted laws protecting medical users of marijuana, and the next state may be Iowa.
To understand what is going on, one must understand that federal drug law is, and always has been, an unfunded mandate. Because state drug law makes the same activity illegal (possession of marijuana, for example), the unfunded part of the federal drug law is normally taken care of by the states.
When the states tinker with state drug law, such as legalizing the medical use of marijuana, this presents a dilemma for the federal government: (1) to step in and take up the slack; or (2) back off. The Obama Administration has chosen the later approach. Budget constraints explain why.
Federal drug law is actually a contract with the states. The contract requires party to do their part in upholding the contract. Because the states have the power to amend federal drug law through the Administrative Procedures Act, the states have failed to uphold their part of the contract. Of the 13 states that have legalized the medical use of marijuana, not one of them has asked the federal government to remove marijuana from its current classification as a substance with no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
Thus, you see the dilemma for the federal government and the Obama Administration. Now, it’s time for the states to uphold their end of the bargain – by telling the federal government to reclassify marijuana. Iowa can do this. Let’s make it happen. Yes, President Obama did, and yes Iowa, we can.
1. are you happy ?? (medical use only, within extremely strict state laws only, 14 states only, nothing permanent, no law, no re-scheduling, no admission of proven and LONG-SUPPRESSED medical efficacy, only a suggestion) or
are you PISSED OFF ??
if you’re happy, he will leave you alone. (with nothing but a suggestion)
if you’re pissed off, he may have to ACTUALLY do SOMETHING for your vote.
2. there are MANY ways he could do it IMMEDIATELY; an executive order, based on nixon’s schaffer report, a signing statement, announce a “temporary moratorium, pending review”, then “stack” the review committee in our favor, apply the quality data act, cite “equal protection under the law” with alcohol and tobacco, WRITE A LAW, and give it a very popular name, then present it for a vote, (like bush did with pat.act), etc.
3. if he legalized now, MILLIONS OF JOBS !!
MILLIONS KEEP THEIR HOMES !!
result; MILLIONS OF VOTES !!
and a GUARANTEED RE-ELECTION.
SO THEN, WHY WOULDN’T HE DO IT ??
4. this is a subtle form of extortion; as soon as we vote someone else in, it goes back to the way it was; AUTOMATICALLY, therefore, we are FORCED to re-elect him, even if he does nothing else for us.
(his #1 opponent for 2012 was hillary, he threw her a bone, she took it, and she said recently she will not run again. this, AFTER declining to be his v.p. during the primaries)
5. re; go to schedule 2
what schedule is tobacco ??
what schedule is alcohol ??
that is where pot should be placed.
or higher.
6. re; post #6;
“like it or not, a Democrat or a Republican IS going to win the presidential election. You can say, oh I’ll vote for a third party candidate, but you know that is throwing your vote away.”
—MILLIONS OF DOLLARS have been spent by BOTH (major) PARTIES to BRAINWASH people into believing that DISGUSTING LIE.
WE ARE THE REAL “MORAL MAJORITY” now.
WE CAN ELECT WHOEVER WE WANT TO, THIS TIME !!
go GREEN or LIBERTARIAN !!
What ever!
jon ganj-ovi has a valid point. Unless we get this into law, it will be up to the will of the next president. The whole thing is explained by the U.S. Supreme Court in Gonzales v. Oregon, 546 U.S. 243 (2006). The state of Oregon enacted an assisted suicide law and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno said it was okay. Then Bush got elected and Attorney General John Ashcroft said it was not okay. The Attorney General of Oregon sued Ashcroft and won. We need some state attorney generals right now to stand up for the voters and legislatures who enacted these medical marijuana laws. And, no, Schedule II says high potential for abuse and severe restrictions on use. I’m sorry, personal cultivation and distribution without profit with a doctor’s note is not a severe restriction and nobody is being injured. Marijuana does not fit in any of the five schedules of the Controlled Substances Act.
Use Jury Nullification and we don’t have to wait for the president or the congress to pull their head out of their ass and acknowledge this Constructive Fraud for what it is, a scam, a set of lies told for years, a foundation made in the sand.
It is true, the jobs would be many. We as American could produce more than just buds if our hands were freed. Hemp is a product the entire mid-west could grow, it could be used for all kinds of products and each of these products would create jobs. The land would benefit from having cannabis grown on it. The plant itself would strip polution from the air. It is sad that the president lacked the wisdom to see. Or perhaps he just lacks the backbone to do act on the people’s will and change the law with a stroke of his pen. Dam Shame, just dam shame.
“For the first time,” a tiny step in the right direction, even if it is just more smoke and mirrors. What we need is re-lgalization of cannabis for adults whereby the government can get its cut of the action. I suggest an annual personal use grow permit for one thousand dollars. It would authorize the bearer up to twelve sexually identifyable plants and six ounces maximum cultivation/possession at any one time for a full year. The only problem this would cause is a shortage of wheel barrels to transfer billions of dollars worth of permit fees from point of sale to public tax coffers. No, my suggestion is not perfect, but what the hell is?
So some Americans can have their medicine but the rest can’t? Is this a sample of the new health care bill?
SOME! Americans really got ripped on this one, it’s not good enough, what kind of policy is this?
We will let a few Americans have medicine but not the rest????? Is this what the health care bill is going to be like?
Freedoms cost cannot be measured in dollars and cents.
No one should have to apply for any kind of grow permit for anything. Ever.
By doing so you introduce yet another avenue that can be exploited by narrow minded law enforcement, and which once again allows the federal government to stick its nose into the private affairs of the people it was supposed to serve.
The more that opportunities to profit from Cannabis are introduced, the more greed and corruption will ensue, and the more likely this is all going to go down in flames very soon anyways when it gets regulated to death.
Instead of seeing the price drop, as should be expected, the cost will skyrocket.
The federal government deserves NO CUT of ANYTHING.
Remember?…these assholes are the reason why we are in the condition we are in now!
How many families torn apart?
How many lies, deceptions, exploitations of the legal system?
How many children taken from their homes?
How many FARMERS locked up so that RAPISTS and MURDERERS can get paroled early?
How many crimes of prejudice, racism?
How many voter decisions deliberately ignored, disregarded?
How many people shot to death for growing or consuming flowers?
how many political pundits made their careers on the pain and suffering of the average citizen?
how many homes, cars, assets, bank accounts seized and forfeited?
How many suicides resulting from the actions revolving around this so called drug war?
How many people blackballed, blackmailed, blacklisted?
HOW THE FUCK CAN ALL OF YOU SUDDENLY UP AND FORGET THE CRIMES THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED AGAINST US, IN OUR NAME??
All because they ‘might’ stop persecuting medical Cannabis users?
WHAT the FUCK.
Why in the hell would anyone think of rewarding them????
We should be filing lawsuit en masse against the federal government, for fifty years and trillions of dollars of damages, pain and suffering, not cutting them in for some profit.
The FEDERAL government should get not one penny.
THEY ARE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.
Eliminate the federal as a source of authority at the state level, and cut them off from any revenue that could be generated.
ALL revenues should remain in control of the state where they came from, not pooled in some federal account waiting to be misappropriated when no one is looking.
Without the additional funding (which it doesn’t need anyways) the federal government cannot fund its attacks here or abroad with money from Cannabis sales.
With a little luck that is a step in the right direction toward putting the government back in the little box it belongs in.
By the way…some of you inflated ego wannabe pundits really like to listen to yourselves type.
I mean REALLY like to listen to yourselves.
I say this because no one else appears very much interested in taking the time to read through your four or five page misspelled grammatical trainwreck of a diatribe.
I am not the only one who just gives up and skips over the massive politically-motivated run-on spewage, so be aware that your drawn out messages are possibly only reaching the person you most want to reach. Yourself.
[Russ responds. No. You are not the only one.]
I live in a place still firmly under draconian control. I have been a medically qualified ( by any current med states qualifications) user and I’m sick of fearing for my life, family, property, etc. I wept when I read this as it gives me hope that one day I can have the most effective medicine I’ve ever found for my condition without fear. The only reason a sensible person would vote against medical access is just plain ignorance in my opinion. All credible research shows the benefits FAR out weigh the risks and makes morphine look like a lethal injection. Please help spread the word so people like me can come out of hiding and begin to live full lives without fear! If my community even knew that I felt this way I would be jailed immediately (bogus charges are not beyond them). Thank you to all who have advanced the cause this far and never give up!
Correction to above comment
I have been a qualified medical user by any states standards that currently allow it, for more than 30 years.
RLD I with you there. I think Court is all that we have left. once that fails Well God help us history will be at our door and repeat will be the leason of the day. So Sad.
I too see the wayward government tryiong to gloss over the crime against the people that they have committed. I to will not surrender for just a little of what is our in the first place. I want the Constructive Fraud thrown into the light of day so the citizen population can see what is ahead.
Bottom line for me is that I am at my liberty and will remain there with or with out my governments endorsment. I am free and no longer caught up in the idea that I’m the criminal, I’m not.
“[Editor’s note: “we are supposed to thank him for this?” Yes! You should…which has nothing to do whether you are a liberal or not, an Obama supporter or not–you should thank the President for recognizing medical cannabis’ utility, as well as largely following up on a campaign promise to dial back the federal govt’s medical cannabis enforcement.]”
No NORML, see many of us here DON’T think this is the president recognizing medical cannabis’ utility. It is a “SUGGESTION”!! Words but no action. This is strictly a political move. When the next dispensary is raided, he can place the blame on local authorities and take the heat off of himself. Anything less than real reform is a SHAM. Reform does not exist without changing any laws. If we thank him, where is the incentive to provide real reform? All he cares about is re-election so he can make money off of all his lobbyists he SAYS he doesn’t get paid from, but in actuality is through loopholes. See a pattern here NORML? What he says vs. reality??
Once again this is where I absolutely disagree with NORML’s stagnant methodology. Half the people commenting here definitely do not want to thank him for his sham political move with no action…
[Editor’s note: Don’t pretend to speak for others….rather than be a shallow partisan…why not recognize the immense progress made: This time last year the executive branch did not recognize the utility of medical cannabis; Drug Czar Walters propagandized to the end that ‘that there is no such thing as medical marijuana’ and the feds regularly raided medical cannabis dispensaries in states like CA.
Today, the feds have largely stopped the raids; by allowing states to have both state compliant users and providers the executive branch de facto acknowledges medical cannabis’ utility (and safety); Obama (unlike Clinton and Bush) is allowing states like NM and RI to have state-sanctioned dispensaries and the TSA now allows medical patients flying out of airports like Portland (OR), Oakland, SF and LAX to possess their medical cannabis.
But you think Obama sucks and his actions are a sham….OK.]
“Editor’s note: Don’t pretend to speak for others…”
LoL.. I’m not. You moderate the comments. About half of the commenters are not impressed/convinced/etc etc. I am not the lone ranger here.
“rather than be a shallow partisan…”
Impossible. I do not believe there is any significant difference between the “two” political parties right now. But it is easy to paint anyone who does not agree with your guy (apparently?) as a partisan because it is a nastay word.
Where in Obama’s memo does it speak to the acceptance of medical marijuana utility??? It does not. It seems that prosecution is more of an annoyance. DON’T SPEAK FOR OTHERS NORML!! LoL.
“Obama (unlike Clinton and Bush) is allowing states like NM and RI to have state-sanctioned dispensaries ”
Again NORML.. he is SUGGESTING… not allowing. Actions speak louder than words. And unless the obama admin and congress start changing some laws, this can all be reversed when the next neo-con is elected.
I believe this is a half-assed gesture to get marijuana reformers off of his back while not making any significant reform.
HOPEFULLY I am proven wrong and hopefully in the near future you wont be blogging about the latest dispensary raid.
Ok, I was all fired up untill I read the memo…
“Nor does this guidance preclude investigation or prosecution, even when there is clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state law, in particular circumstances where investigation or prosecution otherwise serves important federal interests.”
Serves important federal interests, so if the feds can make enough money to make it worth the bad press go for it… Well at least there talking about MJ but only because we keep talking about it. They still have done nothing for us. KEEP UP THE FIGHT!!!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29892857/
And then we all remember this day:
Obama joked at one point about the most popular question from his online audience — whether he favored legalizing marijuana and could that turn around the economy.
“I don’t know what this says about the online audience,” he said with a smile, adding that he opposed legalizing the illicit drug.
Please explain how we have a “medical” marijuana policy on a drug that has no medicinal applications.All the terms used to describe m/m patients,clinics,and treatments are in medical terms and treating health problems,just like medicine. And the federal government has recognized that marijuana is a medicine for treatment of nausea and glaucoma. And doctors in the states where they are allowed are using it as treatments for numerous health problems,too numerous too list here. But that is what the 30 million dollars from the pharmaceutical industry given too our elected legislators want,delay,delay,delay.
That is the 30 million they paid in the 2008 election funds,split equally between dems and reps,and I’d be willing to bet that the 2010 “donations’ will top the charts
because you know it cost them a ton of money to delay the Justice Dept for 8 months too write a 3 page memo. Congress has been writing a health reform bill for the whole nation,and have done it in half the time.
The clock is ticking,now lets see how long it takes them to even discuss rescheduling marijuana.
They may have gag rules in court,and I still don’t understand how that came about,as far as I know if a person takes the stand in his own defense he has a right to any defense he deems important enough to use,and freedom of speech is just as much your right in court as it is anywhere
else in the US,and should be more so when you are arguing for your freedom. They would damn sure have too gag me.
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=H04
Above is link to election fund donations. While there,check your legislators and see if yours recieved donations from big pharm and you will know for sure if you need too replace them. Barney Frank and Ron Paul recieve $0 from them,while the two senators from my state receive hundred of thousands from big pharm,and both state they will not support medical marijuana or rescheduling it. We are working on replacing them both.
Ok thats great that it is slowly becoming legal for medical patients! How about we all start helping other countrys for example Australia prohibition is about to get worse with Western Australia’s Marijuana law getting tuffer how stupid is this one country is trying to make it legal and another country is trying to make it look evil! and make it even more illegal by brainwashing majority of the population to think that Marijuana is as bad as heroin serious that is how alot of people see it in other countrys wow the government wants to withold freedom and try to slowly sneek into peoples privacy by creating laws that allow No real privacy just fake privacy to give people a sense of well-being! Lets stop all Government Darkness! and free the people from slavery!
Oh yeah the doctors over here in Australia tried to tell me that i was allegric to Marijuana and that i have to stop smoking it or else i will become a zombie how farking dumb is that really gets me angry when lies make people gang up on individuals doing something that should be legal!
Fark the Government and its so called freedom to the people lets get rid of this slavery and open a new world order!
check out these websites friends!
http://www.nimbinmuseum.com
http://www.hempembassy.net
http://www.nimbinaustralia.com/aclrm
http://www.nimbin-marijuana-march.420-web-hosting.com/
RIGHT ON OUTLANDER WE WILL HELP YOU MATE!
AND MARC WE ARE TRYING! IT WILL HAPPEN!
I also believe small changes can turn to big changes but, he can change the law. It is called an EXECUTIVE ORDER he has signed enough of them already. He should make this new ruling natonwide and make it medically legal in all states. Not just the few that have it now.
Osama Obama is a talking head. all talk , no substance. I will believe him when I see cops becoming police and helping people instead of using the so called drug war,or war on americans to persecute and ruin peoples lives. The country is going belly up and we are worried about an herb? what kind of priorities does law enforcement have anyway? two wars and a collapsed economy and a failed drug war. this country is stupid!
anyone ever had a post taken down by norml? i can’t figure out why mine post is not up any longer???
It is not becoming slowly legal on the federal level though. It is still very much illegal. This did NOTHING to law. It is a suggestion AT BEST! Bait, hook, sink. Done.
So long as we have an ever expanding federal government, don’t expect state government to have any say. State government is becoming obsolete. Big federal brother knows best..
So as long as you keep on voting for federal imperialists who hate the constitution like McSame and Obomba, then don’t expect state laws to matter.
Again, actions speak louder than words. This “suggestion” is appeasing a lot of people while he is deciding how many of us to send off to Afghanistan to die needlessly. Obomba = Bush lite.
TWO STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIECTION
Ledership has taken the first prodigious step by issuing federal guidelines…an act that has been sorely needed for a very long time. To demopnstrate that Genesists “CAN AND WILL” put our trust in government’s word…we will in good faith…take the second step by praising and applauding any acts of support of medicinal cannabis government would offer.
As we are tempted to take a position about what is right, and what is wrong, we realize that there is an opposite, and equally valid posiiton. The world is not black and white. There is ultimately no where to stand, no side we can ultimately take, and not cut ourselves off from the truth. “THE TRUTH” is our biggest concern, perhaps our only concern.
The American Policy…including harm reduction, and the Data Quality Act were equally and recognizably the first giant steps towards a civilized society. They were accepted with great enthusiasm. The American Policy, and now the Federal Guidelines are a “SOLID FOUNDATION” for the adfvancement of humanity. However…the thorn that remains in government’s side is the Data Quality Act. It’s a beautiful rose bush with nasty thorns. It’s a sweet smelling blossom with sour flesh.
Genesists…more than anything, are “REALISTS.” We fully understand how impossible it would be to correct all the false and misleading information that has been disseminated, without having so much egg on government’s face. But…”IF” government wants the people to “ACCEPT ANYTHING IT HAS TO SAY”…it can start by leaving the truth up to science, and not political idiology and the news media. It can start by eliminating the statement that cannabis is a “DANGEROUS DRUG.” It can pay strict attention to the Data Quality Act, and “KNOCK IT OFF.” Cannabis is not a “DANGEROUS DRUG.” In fact…it is the most safe drug…more so than alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, even coffee. The entire world knows “THE TRUTH” about it’s so-called danger…so why insist that it is. This only causes distrust in government’s word, and draws attention to the violation of its own policies.
On the other hand, we praise and applaud the progressive act of Federal Guidelines. Keep up he good work. The more good work the government does, the more the people will appreciate its efforts. Insofaras the prohibitionists are concerned…they made their bed, and they can lie in it. This society will never sail into the future with prohibitionists at the helm. If it’s any consolation to government
…Genesists are not a bunch of hot heads and hooligans with a “STORM THE BASTILLE MENTALITY.” We are however, red blooded, law abiding Americans with a “DON’T TREAD ON ME ATTITUDE.”
Manford Mantis
I am shocked by the hate and negativity!
You guys DO realize that this is the BIGGEST STEP ANY PRESIDENT HAS EVER TAKEN in support of Marijuana legalization, right?
This is the first time any president has ever said anything positive about marijuana. The reaction here in Iowa from the media has been huge. I spoke to a group of doctors, nurses, and lawyers last night who wanted to discuss it. They said they would rather have it completely legalized like other herbs used for medical purposes. I told them that’s exactly what they should be thinking. Stop whining and stop expecting President Obama to wipe your ass.
I am not particularly impressed by this “verbal” promise. However, it is indeed a step forward and who knows maybe in a short time from now (hopefully in my lifetime) we will see this war reach its end.
And Order to be restored. We should be the ones running our lives not old white people that are too decrepit and feeble to stand up for our country the way it should be.
Quote: [Editor’s note: “we are supposed to thank him for this?” Yes! You should…which has nothing to do whether you are a liberal or not, an Obama supporter or not–you should thank the President for recognizing medical cannabis’ utility, as well as largely following up on a campaign promise to dial back the federal govt’s medical cannabis enforcement.]
Advancing the cause of “medical marijuana” is not progress. There is nothing to suggest that advancing the cause of “medical marijuana” will have anything whatsoever to do with freeing people from the petty, vicious grasp of law enforcement or the slimy grasp of dope dealers. Nothing. If anything, it is making the situation worse. Opiates are also dispensed as medicine and far more legitimately than cannabis too. The Drug War is the problem. “Medical marijuana” is not the solution. Even if we can just decriminalize cannabis, the “medical marijuana” dispensaries will dry up overnight. And meanwhile, there are efforts to legalize cannabis that deserve the support of anyone who wants to be respected for confronting the struggle to Reform Marijuana Laws.
[Editor’s note: ‘The Drug War is the problem. “Medical marijuana” is not the solution.’ Amen!]
Blessed ALL, so it is written from the MOST HIGH…
And GOD said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yeilding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. GENESIS 1:11
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of air, and to every thing tat creepeth upon the earth, (wherein there is life), I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so GENESIS 1:30
Everyone simply needs to take 5 minutes and read the actual memorandum sent out to the 13 State Prosecuters where marijuana is legal in their state. It clearly states in its first paragraph that “congress has determined marijuana is a dangerous drug”. as long as the congress and other gullible parties beleive that “marijuana is a dangerous drug” you can guarantee more arrests and dispensory busts. Notice this memorandum is for State Prosecutors, eluding to the fact that they need guidance for their “further” arrests they may have to deal with. THIS NEEDS TO BE LAW OBAMA!!! Dont send recommendations, WRITE LAWS!!!
GOD AND HIS GIFT OF HOLY SACRAMENT
There are 3,141 counties in the United States. If there is “ONLY ONE(1)” person who believes in God and his gift of Manna as Holy Sacrament in each of these 3,141 counties, the Genesist Faith is represented by at least 3,141. Now!…take a wild guess and consider just how many other individuals in each of these counties believe this to be so.
If there are 3,141 counties in the U.S., there are 3,141 Genesist “COLONIES” in the U.S. Anyone who can snicker at that number has a reserved seat waiting for them at the psych hospital.
They all laughed at the nerve of the original thirteen
colonies. They all laughed at Christopher Columbus when he said the world was round. Prohibs…just keep laughing, and soon you will be overwhelmed by the single drop of water settling in a crack, and freezing.
“FRIENDS FIND EACH OTHER…AND…BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER.”
Manford Mantis
This is great! We’re finally making significant progress. With the Federal government approving medical cannabis, it’s only a matter of time before people start dismissing propaganda and more states join in. I can now believe that the day of legalization will come soon enough.
Don’t be hating on PRESIDENT Obama. Were in multiple wars, recession, and a job crisis. You should be glad he even paid attention to this. He said he would do this and he kept his word. What’d you expect him to legalize bud the first month in office? Anyone who does is delusional.
You have to give it up for Obama. Where is every other politician right now? Obama got the Power to make a move to legalization and he went for it. Granted, that it is not exactly what all of us smokers would like to hear, but he paved the way for activist all over American to give the DEA the last laugh.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it republicans
Let us not forget Obama laughing off our request to legalize marijuana during his first town hall meeting.
Your government has no intention of legalizing marijuana.
This step of suggesting that the Fed back off Medical Facilities is just a move to pacify the pot heads of America back into a controlled slumber.
There is far too much money being made by those who wage the war against marijuana. Entire task forces with families and bills to pay. Authorities who have their pockets filled by drug cartels. Federal Department heads with dollar signs in their eyes and greed in their hearts.
The war is not even close to ending.
They have only just begun to rid you of your right
to flex your free-will. Citizens have no free will.
They have Law, and they have Punishment.
Don’t let them blind you by acts of “kindness”.