During a conference call with state governors today, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the US Department of Justice would allow the marijuana legalization laws in Colorado and Washington to go into effect.
Holder announced that the Department of Justice will take a “trust but verify approach” to the new marijuana laws, but did reserve the right to file a preemption lawsuit at a later date if necessary.
In a three page memo issued by Deputy Attorney General Cole, the DOJ clarified they will still retain the right to prosecute individuals who engage in the following circumstances:
-the distribution of marijuana to minors;
-revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs and cartels;
-the diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal under state law in some form to other states;
-state-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity;
-violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana
-drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana use;
-growing of marijuana on public lands and the attendant public safety and environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public lands;
-preventing marijuana possession or use on federal property.
“This is a historic step forward,” stated NORML Communications Director Erik Altieri, “Assuming the Department of Justice stays true to their word, these states and others will no doubt move forward with the state-licensed regulation of cannabis for adults. The public has evolved beyond the simplistic, failed policies of cannabis prohibition and are seeking pragmatic, regulatory alternatives. It is encouraging to see that the federal government no longer intends to stand in their way.”
Much more on this story as it develops.
You can view the official DOJ memo here.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee released the following statement applauding this move by the Department of Justice:
“We want to thank the Attorney General for working with the states on this and for finding a way that allows our initiative to move forward while maintaining a commitment to fighting illegal drugs. This reflects a balanced approach by the federal government that respects the states¹ interests in implementing these laws and recognizes the federal government’s role in fighting illegal drugs and criminal activity.
Attorney General Holder also expressed a willingness to work with the states on a financial structure that would not run afoul of federal law. The news today is an affirmation of good work by the state Liquor Control Board as it has devised a responsible system of implementing our voter-approved law. We can assure the Attorney General that Washington state will remain vigilant in enforcing laws against the illicit marijuana market. Since voters approved Initiative 502 last year, the state has been working to implement it. Today’s announcement from Attorney General Holder is a confirmation that the process can continue to move forward as planned. We appreciate that the federal government will allow the voice of Washingtonians to be heard on this issue.”
But yet they reserve the right to bust you if you if they want to. This is lukewarm at best. We don’t need a system that says they will allow us to have weed but yet still fear that we can be busted at anytime… The fear needs to end. END PROHIBITION NOW GOD DAMMIT
hell yeah
well that’s that , moving to Colorado
Wow, 50 years after Martin Luther King maybe out Govt will finally stop the discriminatory practices against cannabis consumers! Is it really possible that America will regain the prestige of being a free country?
For now, even if the Feds give in to the Will of the People on this matter, some states still treat cannabis as though it is an evil that must be beaten to death; like Virginia and Oklahoma… We still have a long way to go but progress is being made and that is worth celebrating; unless you are one of the thousands of non-violent marijuana users suffering in prisons…
-revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs and cartels;
-state-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity;
—
This is pretty good news. Note well taken on his motion to reserve the right to preemptive lawsuit, meaning he could “take this back” and go against his word, but doing so with proper procedure, according to law-talk.
An attack or rebuff or states’ legalization, or decision to end costly and failed public policy would prompt immediate attention and resistance. Including from states that are aware of what is possible, and are waiting for their turn to end policy that enriches few and alienates all the rest.
When legalization occurs in the rest of the states, it will become more apparent (wake up) that prohibition is and has been the problem. So not getting rid of problematic public policy that does more harm than good, makes things much simpler. Like a burden lifted, a big breath of fresh air. Where a bulleted list of “conditions” to be verified evaporates when the bad policy just goes away.
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! The sweet smell of freedom is in the air! Thank you Eric Holder! Thank you President Obama!
Finally, I’m seeing it before I die! Gonna have to celebrate!
Any pool started on how many states will have legalization bills by 2014 going through their legislatures by the control freak politicians where a voters initiative is possible,,they will want to put the law in that benefits them more than anyone else.
Greed of the few began marijuana prohibition and greed of the many will end it.
Any word on the government removing cannabis from schedule 1? That will be the final blow to the DEA and the drug war machine.
That’s nice but states don’t need his permission.
So * getting rid of problematic public policy that does more harm than good, makes things much simpler.
*(delete “not” from conclusion)
I nearly forgot, and a big thank you to NORML and the other groups and people who’ve helped us see this day.
The Biggest Leap EVER!!
Well, it’s a start.
This memo is only a political gesture, and is probably intended to “fake out” legitimate marijuana businesses and their consumers, so as to catch them off guard when the DEA storms in with battering rams and assault rifles. Never, ever trust a government body to actually stand by anything written in a memo released to the public.
The Feds blinked. We have a winning hand!
For all those folks who defended the criminalization of MJ due to Federal laws can take a step back since the Feds themselves are not going to enforce them other than in very specific cases.
Now to see what we get for full legalization measures on the ballot in 2014 and in the coming years thanks to today’s announcement.
NORML,..your snowball has become an avalanche! Now the DOJ and local law enforcement can concentrate on the more dangerous, life-ruining (cocaine, heroin, meth, etc.) type chemicals and leave us peaceful users be. A giant step forward for the cause. Thanks to everyone!
Am I dreaming? If so please never wake me up.
It’s about frickin’ time. Nearly a century of bloodshed and they are just now getting around to it…better late than never, I suppose. Looks like my prediction from about 20 or 25 years ago is finally coming to life. Yes, it will happen, and soon.
Washington, like most western states, is about 1/2 federal land. But I suppose in effect, the last condition means that a ranger at a national park will bust you, since that’s the only place you’ll find rangers.
We know the intent of the destroyer at this stage so what may be the cumulative effect of a society of stoned individuals? A laid back, I dont wanna fight’ consciousness. Played right into their hands.Release the pot and the people will calm down. Just how they want us, apathetic and concerned with snacks above all else. Now if we can get the bad guys to be potheads we may have a chance.
I would like to see the fight continued until cannabis is legalized and unregulated. If you need to treat a medical condition you shouldn’t be forced to pay a bunch of money for a plant God gave us to use. We should be able to grow it in our gardens.
Smoke screen. It’s all false hope. Until you can smoke a joint walking down the street like you can a deadly cigarette, its not truly legal and won’t be. We will still be harassed and persecuted for smoking marijauna. To many people are still too closed minded to allow it. It’s a very sad situation. But very real.
what we need is full decriminalization. Keep big business out of the supply chain and protect our environment from large indoor operations polluting us! save energy go green house or outdoor keep it organic
Thanks, all, especially NORML!
It’s a good start.
Keep up the pressure. Keep advocating and educating!
Peace.
Oh no! This could portend the end of Western civilization!
Let’s see if the conservatives dare make an issue of this in the next elections.
Oh my… the door just opened wide. Thank you, lord. It is happening!!!
It is sad that Jerry Brown acts more in the interest of the 10th Amendment than the national Republican and Democratic parties.
It should be a state’s decision to ban cannabis, legalize medical cannabis, or legalize cannabis outright. Let the 50 states learn from each other to get more adaptable laws that make sense.
This is a big win, no doubt, it should tell California to legalize it outright to end the war on Harborside. I personally support legalizing medical cannabis only, but I prefer outright legalizing cannabis to the gaming of our rights the federal government engages in every day.
Does this mean Leahy’s hearings are cancelled; or will they help inform us further on this development?
Thank Mr. Holder for not enforcing these lies… I mean laws.
Seriously, every day Holder doesn’t use his power under the CSA to DEschedule cannabis is an outrage. People are rotting in jail over lies people, LIES!!!
THANK GOD!!!
This is a big deal! The next American election will provide the end of Cannabis being illegal!!! Dont stop writing your representives!!!!!
Matt, you can’t walk down the street drinking a beer. Weed will be treated the same way. It will be legal to consume it, but not in public. Same as the open container law.
It seems that Attorney General Eric Holder is trying to work with the issue instead of blindly going against it. I just hope it does not come out as “Good Cop/Bad Cop” routine. Remember, he made a promise to the nine former top DEA administrators for some reason?
Doesnt say anything about banking or
Federal taxes so still won’t be able to have a bank account. Which means lots of money sitting around dispenceries and stores waiting for a robbery to allow the goverent to state that legal weed raises crime rates.
The DoJ is going to intervene. They will not attack the law legalizing MJ, but they will sue the implementation of that law, which serves the same ends. This article only points out 6 guidance points, but the DoJ listed 8 of them.
(http://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/resources/3052013829132756857467.pdf).
This blog left out “-Preventing drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana use”
DoJ and congress still consider marijuana a “dangerous” drug. What could constitute as an “adverse public health”? How exactly are you supposed to on site test for marijuana intoxication if you are pulled over driving? Blood test? THC can stay in your body long after its effects have worn off. It is not as easy as giving a breath test or have someone walk a straight line.
Those are the door the DoJ has created for itself. It does not need to attack the law itself (that would be wildly unpopular). But by saying “hey, you have not implemented your system to the standards we have outlined. Here is the lawsuit telling you to stop.”
A hesitant “bout time”. now could it be possible to release thousands in prisons for cannabis cultivation and transportation that are elderly or unhealthy. Please?
Doesn’t sound like legalizing to me. Sounds like ‘we’ll just look the other way cause we don’t want to admit we were wrong about that whole war on cannabis thing.’ Typical government b¥llsh_t. Doesn’t matter anyways. 😉
i dont understand
The states already have the right to do as they please…this Holder memo really says in affect that they know that and as Just An Observer says, “they blinked”…I am grateful to all who have pressed on these 70+ years….Hooray for us!
how does this make anything diffrent? its taking a thief cheat lier on their word.
But they reserve the right to file a lawsuit if they feel the need?you all know its likely…unless they are going to just enforce their bullshit claiming the dispensary or retail store of selling coke or the H or meth or some trash and that’s when they will crucify the people who thought they were in the clear…I was reading the guidelines of the Washington state law’s for producers,processors, and retailers and they want cameras all over the property plus records of EVERYTHING, not to mention the background checks they run thru the FBI, as they give all your info to the corrupt fucks right off the bat…should have never gone full recreational…the medicinal route was the way to beat these pieces of shit, holding us all down…still schedule 1?fuck the Feds.
This is good news! Up yours Melinda Haag!
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/160507622/DAGMemo8-29-13
SAY IT AIN’T SO! This is a step in the right direction. I will hold my breath until it is written in stone though. Then i will celebrate.
I have to say I’m not surprised at all by some of the lukewarm responses above. (In fact, I expected them.) Do you guys get excited, or non-cynical about any good news?
Never mind, go back to sleep or back to cynical-land, or wherever it is you go to sit and complain about all things government.
As for me, I’m celebrating this historic victory.
What a rush, from the disappointment felt after prop 19 to the joy experienced after Colorado, and Washington ST. the dominoes really are falling! Yeah I feel for the fallen ones who got screwed by lies, but we are winning at last. Thanks NORML et.al. for all you have done.
I read this after reading a column in my paper about Dick Nixon having the worst week in Washington, after more of the tapes are heard, WOW!
This is great news and I hope this is the beginning of a domino effect in states that are still locking up people who use marijuana. Nobody should have their life and future destroyed by a conviction for possessing or using marijuana and I pray that this will bring massive changes. Thank you NORML for all you do in this fight.
This is a very good start and I accept it so far. Now let’s get them to admit about UFO’s since we seem to already know 🙂
This is great. However it needs to go all the way especially when it comes to ones employment rights. It’s ridiculous that you smoke a little medicinal or recreational bud and you can’t get a job , or you’ll lose your job over it . If you have an accident sure , but to just test for it and detect it is a bunch of crap if it’s legalized. Should be treated as alcohol . Lord knows people have made it to work with a hangover and not been fired.
I don’t trust him. He just wants lawyers waiting for him relax.
Strong steady progression, many thanks Mr Holder. Maybe this will lead to more public news about the great divide of injustices plagued on many persons of color in impoverished areas of out country due to cannabis prohibition. This issue of social justice as important as the medicinal,textile,, energy and food properties alongside cannabis’s recreational uses and other great benefits of cannabis. One devistating blow to babylon walls.
There was a time we asked for the law to change, now we are demanding it.
Now they mock us with this memo? It is worded to allow them to keep doing what they are already doing.
The fed’s have become all powerful, they need to be reminded they work for us, vote the scum out and disband the DEA.
IMO
Remove it from the Controlled Substance Schedule.
Tax it’s growth and sale.
Business use
Require a permit to grow more then 10 plants
or sell any amount.
Private use
Can posses up to 1 Lbs in your home.
Can grow up to 10 plants.
Can posses on your person up to 1 once in public.
Can donate Up to 1 once a time.
All grow and sales must be to people 21 or older.
ALL taxes/fee’s should remain local to the county it was grown/sold in. NO FED TAX
#3) (Strongly Opposed) “Diversion” of medical grade cannabis to elderly/sick patients in prohibition states like Florida, is an act of saintly compassion. Why do the Feds insist that citizens are protected by enforcing a black market? Sales from regulated distributors to adult customers/patients will always be safer than prohibition. This law will slow down the adaption to legalization because it prevents competition to organized crime. Leave it to the prohibition states to “catch” their citizens safely receiving small personal amounts of cannabis by mail. (This should be reworded to only be in opposition to organized crime operating outside the regulations of their state and trafficking tons of cannabis.)
#5) (Moderately Opposed) Within a truly legal and regulated system, there should be far less need for protecting property with guns. Yet, banks and insurance companies have yet to treat legal cannabis industry fairly. This results in a lot of cash and a lot of property that is not adequately insured. There should be allowances to take this into consideration, so that businesses and growers are not targets of theft.
#6) (Strongly Opposed) The state is obviously going to regulated driving under the influence of cannabis. It’s to the state’s own benefit to do so. The Federal Government claiming a need to reserve the right to prosecute is sneaky. This would be very easy to abuse, and prosecute safe drivers for a unscientific view of their blood content.
#7) (Strongly Opposed) If the state/local government, should like to provide fenced land, for impoverished/disabled residents to grow on at a discounted price, this should not be interfered with. This needs to be restated to only intervene in growing that is not fenced and not approved by the state.
#8) (Strongly Opposed) Federal Government should not arrest or prosecute for possession on BLM land, or consumption away from others. This should be done as a mere courtesy acknowledgement of the local resident’s culture, and acknowledgement of the limited opportunity to consume not in public view. Forcing people to put up tents to avoid arrest is ridiculous.
*Overall, I’m quite concerned with this long list of exceptions to legalization. We all need to be very vigilant in how we respond to the Federal Government positioning its “authority”. Remember, the people have spoken by poll already, as a majority we want full legalization! These restrictions supposedly meant to protect, do not hold up to the benefits of allowing states the “freedom” to self-regulate.
Thankyou Eric Holder and President Obama for Finally seeing the Light!
Also thankyou to NORML and all the other groups out there fighting to get this Natural plant that was God given to us….LEGALIZED.
Free at last…free at last, almost but this is a huge step, a real tipping point
I hope and pray the nation takes the steps needed to legalize cannabis, Lets help the people that use it to control health issues, Do we ever, ever hear about the good it does for people
“environmental dangers posed by marijuana production – See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2013/08/29/breaking-eric-holder-announces-department-of-justice-to-allow-marijuana-legalization-to-go-into-effect/#respond” LOL
O for once our clans and kin
The bonds are broke which held us when
Should we speak of lest we fall,
But bound we are, together, all.
Intrust we’re given eight new laws,
Follow for the sake of cause.
And so shall we remain free men
Just this once for clans and kin?
JD
Voice of the people
While this has some gotchas, like maybe we willscrew with you if you dont abide by our guidelines, it might be the best we can get at this time. Remember this has been a long struggle. Most importantly, this greenlights legalization initiatives in the 14 and 16 electiond
I mean really, does NORML still believe these BS memos from a known liar Eric Holder? Give him time and he will use excuses to raid storefronts. This is a dog and pony show. Unbelievable.
Thank you NORML!. I am 48 and never thought I would see this happen.Thank you Mr. Holder and Mr. Obama for listening to the people.
A momentous day Indeed – Maybe not everything everyone wants just yet but enough to make me very happy !
Thanks to NORML and all those who worked hard to make this happen.
Anything less than full repeal of all federal laws banning marijuana for anyone over 18 is still enforcement of an unconstitutional legislation. Don’t be fooled by his attempt to ‘move the window’, so to speak. None of the states would have initiated legislation against the possession of marijuana without the pressure/enticement of increased revenue VIA higher taxes and forfeiture laws. Is he indicating that my 2nd Amendment rights are not in effect, should I choose be in possession of my medication? We must all double our efforts to require our so-called representatives to uphold the Constitution, That is Eric Holders job ,too. Or will he rely on the likes of Arizona sheriffs to decide if they themselves violated Fed civil rights? You see, Ignorance Is No Excuse In Apache County, (unless you’re the sheriff’s deputy) then he claim he didn’t understand the law. Thank you Marijuana Policy Project, NORML, everyone who votes, helps people register to vote or helps to inform the public on upcoming legislation. God bless you! From One Humboldt honey.
Here are the possibilities of what will happen, some of which WILL happen because of inevitability : People will start forming “businesses” where they buy pot legally at a cheaper price (or grow it in Colorado) and use it for trafficking to illegal states, at the 5 ng / ml limit people will start getting “DUIs” at such a low limit (especially daily users), a segment of distribution in Colorado will not be from stores but personal grows, adults will buy marijuana from the marijuana stores and a small segment of them will be caught sharing it with a minor. All of these will be enough reason for federal “interference” and then they will shut down the program and make lots of money off seizing assets.
Cautiously optimistic, but I still want the prez and congress to address the issue, eventually. The only acceptable solution for me is to remove cannabis from the CSA. Last note, we need to stop using that M word, it was used against cannabis to effect the initial prohibition. It was called Cannabis as a relaxant, Cannabis Indica as a medicine, and hemp as a industrial/food product before some monopolistic and racist individuals got away with the biggest and longest lasting lie ever foisted on the public by calling it by a unknown and little used slang term that sounded menacing and evil to the people of the day.
The simple fact of the matter is the US govt doesn’t want this stuff being freely grown and back into the hands of the people. If they were going to do any form of regulation, it would keep the prices high with tax added, and be VERY tightly controlled and easy to shut the program down.
This is all just as I predicted. I predicted that the federal government would avoid interfering with legal operations in CO and WA but will still go after any that try to distribute outside of the state, or any that are tied to any broader criminality.
It’s perfect. The feds will actually go after the CRIMINALS now, instead of honest hard working dispensary operators.
I see a lot of cheering and celebration using the words at last, and finally. You all need to stop take a step back and look at the big picture. This was not a win, but merely a cease fire and regroup memo. You have to consider the source and realize its a heavily loaded statement. How many statements have they issued to date and actually followed ? What I’m saying is don’t stop now just when we are ahead. That’s what they want you to do. There is still ALOT of work to do and a need for vigilance in the present more than ever before.
As usualy a stack of people, blaming Obama for busting all the dispensaries.I laugh at all the people that tried to blame Obama for this.It’s well known to anyone who knew the truth,that even though he said it wasn’t a priority for him personally.Local,and state feds were still able to act on their own.And bust people…
Good news. Let’s move forward in New York State.
We’ve got these memos before. Fool me once…
Their panicking right now;the justice department that is.
Well, it’s about damn time. But don’t think they’ve seen the light. Their reasons are purely selfish.
As long as the federal government is allowed to keep unconstitutional, immoral laws on the books, we aren’t safe. We must repeal the Controlled Substances Act and disband Nixon’s DEA. States must be allowed to make their laws, and citizens must be allowed to make their own choices again.
…with Liberty and Justice for all.
“Cautiously optimistic, but I still want the prez and congress to address the issue, eventually. The only acceptable solution for me is to remove cannabis from the CSA. Last note, we need to stop using that M word, it was used against cannabis to effect the initial prohibition. It was called Cannabis as a relaxant, Cannabis Indica as a medicine, and hemp as a industrial/food product before some monopolistic and racist individuals got away with the biggest and longest lasting lie ever foisted on the public by calling it by a unknown and little used slang term that sounded menacing and evil to the people of the day.”
The ignorance never ends… How on Earth is “marijuana” a scary foreign word, when we have all sorts of places and things named in foreign tongues? Ever hear of that scary place “Milwaukee”? or “Arkansas”? You’re so right, folks in “Chattanooga” are being held back by the name of their city. And noboby likes people from “Omaha”.
Don’t you folks understand changing the name means nothing? It is still going to be the same thing that illogical pricks hate. It is part of their belief system or money flow. You’ll just give them another word to pollute.
Go head, change the name. That doesn’t change any law that already says, “All forms of Cannabis are a schedule one material”. Only a judge or congress can knock it down.
This is the biggest story of my lifetime because it opens the door to an open dialogue about how cannabinoids cure cancer — and how prohibition has been causing cancer and a host of other illnesses since it was imposed in 1937. I am 61 years old and I live in the state of Washington. I have waited 45 years for pot prohibition to end and today it did.
Hazah for this step forward. And yes, there’s more work to do. Thank you to all who participated in the creation of this moment. We’re not done, but this is a mighty fine time to relish a moment of gratitude.
This is hilarious. Congratulations NORML; all your decades of hard fought activism have burst like a dam full of 40 years of retained cannabis all over the DOJ. Eric Holder is posturing like he still has a threat of suing Washington and Colorado.
Colorado and Washington could sue the Federal government for unconstitutionally organizing an executive agency to legislate cannabis and drug policy in the first place under the Controlled Substance Act. And the Supreme Court is pro-cannabis. The battle over Federal intervention is won, but the war continues…
This is effectively the end of medical in Washington State. There’s no really good way to regulate it. To conform to the agreement with the Feds, everything MJ-related needs to be tightly controlled. Also, MMJ is the direct competitor of the state-run stores. I would expect those dispensaries to be receiving letters from the state soon.
It’s almost time to demonstrate to the world the true intelligence of recreational users, I can only hope the groups that will no longer have to FIGHT the prohibition can now use their POWER to educate the recreational medicine user on exactly how we are supposed to behave more intelligent instead of the old myth driven “DOPE” label. The discovery of the Endocannabinoid System was the straw that broke the camel’s back. After that, it was down hill from there for the anti-folks as myth upon myth was debunked. Why Israel kept their findings sect from the world is beyond me but i thank them very very much for at least keeping an open mind and studying it, proving its worth even amongst all of God’s followers. The folks here at NORML must be in tears as they see wall after wall breaking down while they were one of the wrecking balls this entire time.
the federal government cannot decide what occurs on public land owned by the state only on federal land -growing of marijuana on public lands and the attendant public safety and environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public lands; -environmental dangers huh HA HA HA what a tool if the state allows it the federal government cant by the constitution do anything about it.
All I want is to be able to legally have my medicine percribed ,by my doctor, in Texas.
There is a lot of miss trust here and for a very good reason. When we get a new Press here. And he is (R)He will be able to close it down. Saying we gave it a try and we all saw what happen. And then I could be wrong. But I dont think so I dont trust this Gov.
Iam in tears first many thanks to norml and then prresident obama never thought i would see this in my life time many sick people need this medicine.
California Cannabis Hemp Act of 2014
!!!!!!!help Californians!!!!! Please norml!!!!!!!!
AN ACT TO AMEND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE OF CALIFORNIA:
!!!!!! Here’s our actually insentive begins oct 13!!!!!!!!!!……!! Help!!
I. Add Section 11362.4 to the Health and Safety Code of California, such laws and policies shall control any contrary laws and policies:
1. No person, individual, or corporate entity shall be arrested or prosecuted, be denied any right or privilege, nor be subject to any criminal or civil penalties for the possession, cultivation, transportation, distribution, or consumption of cannabis hemp marijuana, as provided in this act, including:
(a) Cannabis hemp industrial products.
(b) Cannabis hemp medicinal preparations.
(c) Cannabis hemp nutritional products.
(d) Cannabis hemp euphoric use and products.
2. Definition of terms:
(a) The terms “cannabis hemp” and “cannabis hemp marijuana” mean the natural, non-genetically modified plant hemp, cannabis, marihuana, marijuana, cannabis sativa L, cannabis Americana, cannabis chinensis, cannabis indica, cannabis ruderalis, cannabis sativa, or any variety of cannabis, including any derivative, concentrate, extract, flower, leaf, particle, preparation, resin, root, salt, seed, stalk, stem, or any product thereof.
(b) The term “cannabis hemp industrial products” means all products made from cannabis hemp that are not designed or intended for human consumption, including, but not limited to: clothing, building materials, paper, fiber, fuel, lubricants, plastics, paint, seed for cultivation, animal feed, veterinary medicine, oil, or any other product that is not designed for internal human consumption; as well as cannabis hemp plants used for crop rotation, erosion control, pest control, weed control, or any other horticultural or environmental purposes, for example, the extraction of atmospheric carbon dioxide and toxic soil reclamation.
(c) The term “cannabis hemp medicinal preparations” means natural cannabis hemp, and all products made from cannabis hemp that are designed, intended, or used for human consumption for the treatment of any human disease or medical condition, for pain relief, or for any healing purpose, including but not limited to the treatment or relief of: Alzheimer’s and pre-Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma, cramps, epilepsy, glaucoma, migraine, multiple sclerosis, nausea, premenstrual syndrome, side effects of cancer chemotherapy, fibromyalgia, sickle cell anemia, spasticity, spinal injury, stress, easement of post-traumatic stress disorder, Tourette syndrome, attention deficit disorder, immunodeficiency, wasting syndrome from AIDS or anorexia; use as an antibiotic, antibacterial, anti-viral, or anti-emetic; as a healing agent, or as an adjunct to any medical or herbal treatment. Mental conditions including, but not limited to bipolar, depression, attention deficit disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are also conditions considered for medical use.
(d) The term “cannabis hemp nutritional products” means cannabis hemp grown for consumption by humans and animals as food, including but not limited to: seed, seed protein, seed oil, essential fatty acids, seed cake, dietary fiber, or any preparation or extract thereof.
(e) The term “cannabis hemp euphoric products” means cannabis hemp intended for internal consumption by people for personal, recreational, meditative, spiritual, religious, or other purpose, other than cannabis hemp industrial products, cannabis hemp medicinal preparations, or cannabis hemp nutritional products.
(f) The term “personal use” means the internal consumption of cannabis hemp by people 21 years of age or older for any relaxant, meditative, religious, spiritual, recreational, or other purpose other than sale.
(g) The term “commercial production” means the production of cannabis hemp products for sale or profit under the conditions of these provisions.
3. Industrial cannabis hemp farmers, manufacturers, processors, distributors, medicinal collectives, and retailers shall not be subject to any special zoning requirement, licensing fee, or tax that is excessive, discriminatory, or prohibitive.
4. Cannabis hemp and cannabis hemp medicinal preparations are hereby reclassified and de-scheduled from the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, and restored to the list of available medicines in California. Licensed physicians shall not be penalized for, nor restricted from approving or recommending cannabis hemp for medical purposes to any patient, regardless of age. No tax shall be applied to cannabis hemp medicinal preparations. Medical research shall be encouraged. No recommending physician shall be subject to any professional licensing review or hearing as a result of recommending or approving medical use of cannabis hemp.
5. Personal use of cannabis hemp euphoric products.
(a) No permit, license, or tax shall be required for the non-commercial cultivation, transportation, distribution, or consumption of cannabis hemp.
(b) Testing for inactive and/or residual cannabis metabolites shall not be required for employment or insurance, nor be considered in determining employment, other impairment, or intoxication. Testing for active (not metabolized) cannabis may be used and considered in determining employment, impairment, or intoxication.
(c) When a person falls within the conditions of these exceptions, the offense laws do not apply and only the exception laws apply.
6. Commerce in cannabis hemp euphoric products shall be limited to adults, 21 years of age and older, and shall be regulated in a manner analogous to California’s beer and wine model. For the purpose of distinguishing personal from commercial production, 99 flowering female plants and 12 pounds of dried, cured cannabis hemp flowers, but not leaf, produced per adult, 21 years of age and older, per year shall be considered as being for personal use.
7. The manufacture, marketing, distribution, or sales, between adults, of equipment or accessories designed to assist in the planting, cultivation, harvesting, curing, processing, packaging, storage, analysis, consumption, or transportation of cannabis hemp plants, industrial cannabis hemp products, cannabis hemp medicinal preparations, cannabis hemp nutritional products, cannabis hemp euphoric products, or any cannabis hemp product shall not be prohibited, except as provided in this act.
8. No California law enforcement personnel or funds shall be used to assist or aid and abet in the enforcement of Federal cannabis hemp marijuana laws involving acts that are hereby no longer illegal in the State of California.
9. Any person who threatens the enjoyment of these provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor. The maximum penalties and fines of a misdemeanor may be imposed.
II. Repeal, delete, and expunge any and all existing statutory laws that conflict with the provisions of this initiative.
1. Enactment of this initiative shall include: case review for the purpose of amnesty, immediate release from prison, jail, parole, and probation, and clearing, expunging, and deletion of all cannabis hemp marijuana criminal records for all persons currently charged with, or convicted of any non-violent cannabis hemp marijuana offenses included in this initiative which are hereby no longer illegal in the State of California. People who fall within this category that triggered an original sentence are included within this provision.
2. Within 60 days of the passage of this Act, the Attorney General shall develop and distribute a one-page application, providing for the destruction of all cannabis hemp marijuana criminal records in California for any such offense covered by this Act. Such forms shall be distributed to district and city attorneys and made available at all police departments in the State to persons hereby affected. Upon filing such form with any Superior Court and a payment of a fee of $10.00, the Court shall liberally construe these provisions to benefit the defendant in furtherance of the amnesty and dismissal provision of this section. Upon the Court’s ruling under this provision the arrest record shall be set aside and be destroyed. Such persons may then truthfully state that they have never been arrested or convicted of any cannabis hemp marijuana related offense that is hereby no longer illegal in the State of California. This shall be deemed to be a finding of factual innocence under California Penal Code Section 851.8 et seq.
III. Within 6 months of the passage of this Act, the legislature is authorized upon thorough investigation, to enact legislation using reasonable standards to:
1. License concessionary establishments to distribute cannabis hemp euphoric products in a manner analogous to California’s beer and wine industry model. Sufficient community outlets shall be licensed to provide reasonable commercial access to persons of legal age, so as to discourage and prevent the misuse of, and illicit traffic in, such products. Any license or permit fee required by the State for commercial production, distribution or use shall not exceed $1,000.00. Regulation, penalties, and enforcement shall be in a manner analogous to California’s beer and wine model.
2. Place an excise tax on commercial sale of cannabis hemp euphoric products, analogous to California’s wine industry model, so long as no excise tax or combination of excise taxes shall exceed 10% of the retail price of the products. Fifty percent of the excise tax revenues collected shall be made available for the research, development and promotion of industrial, nutritional, and medicinal hemp industries in California.
3. Determine an acceptable and uniform standard of impairment based on scientifically acceptable performance testing, to restrict persons impaired by cannabis hemp euphoric products from operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery, or otherwise engaging in conduct that may affect public safety.
4. Regulate the personal use of cannabis hemp euphoric products in enclosed and/or restricted public places.
IV. Pursuant to the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, the people of California hereby repudiate and challenge Federal cannabis hemp marijuana prohibitions that conflict with this Act.
V. Severability: If any provision of this Act, or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance, shall be held invalid by any court, the remainder of this Act, to the extent it can be given effect, or the application of such provisions to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby, and to this end the provisions of this Act are severable.
VI. Construction: If any rival or conflicting initiative regulating any matter addressed by this Act receives the higher affirmative vote, then all non-conflicting parts shall become operative.
VII. Purpose of Act: This Act is an exercise of the police powers of the State for the protection of the safety, welfare, health, and peace of the people and the environment of the State, to protect the industrial and medicinal uses of cannabis hemp, to eliminate the unlicensed and unlawful cultivation, selling, and dispensing of cannabis hemp; and to encourage temperance in the consumption of cannabis hemp euphoric products. It is hereby declared that the subject matter of this Act involves, in the highest degree, the ecological, economic, social, and moral well-being and safety of the State and of all of it’s people. All provisions of this Act shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of these purposes: To respect human rights, to promote tolerance, and to end cannabis hemp prohibition.
…if this is on the up an up,i read that this will require those who indulge to be responsible about its use,sale, growing and general attitude. if we want arrest and prosicution to be low, we must work together so they will see by the facts and records that america can handle the challenge. if the first two states can be responsible with cannabis( and you know your being watched like a hawk !) you will make it so much better for us other states to be able to enjoy the freedom that we all wish! please free states…do your part for the REST of us!!!…..
I echo the concerns of Out of my Body Out of My State and others, and advocate cautiousness in NOT letting down our guard. The last paragraph of the memo basically says the feds can change their minds later and turn around and prosecute anyway, and in the list of people with titles the memorandum was sent to did NOT include anyone from the IRS, although it did go to the FBI and DEA.
The excerpt:
“This memorandum is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied on to create any rights, subsequent or procedural, in any matter civil or criminal. … Finally, nothing herein precludes investigation or prosecution, even in the absence of any of the factors listed above, in particular circumstances where investigation and prosecution serves an important federal interest.”
We need to be clear that this allows banks to do business with the cannabis community non-profits and for-profits that are compliant with state and DC laws and regulations.
Keep the plans for 360 security for compliant non-profits and for-profits by Academi style trained people, individuals or companies. Don’t put them through the shredder or delete them just yet. This memorandum is long overdue, and the best reason it was issued is that the feds have no other choice.
The only way the prohibitionists will legalize cannabis is because they have no other choice. While this nudges us along a bit further toward the legalization end of the cannabis continuum, we must be guarded as we move forward. The editorial pages across the nation need to echo Dr. Gupta’s changing his mind. The flat-earthers will always be there, but much more of the public that still believes the earth is flat, believe the propaganda of the old guard prohibitionists, will change their minds and acquiesce in legalization if not be excited about it being brought about.
Without the fear of federal intervention states will take their cannabis programs from being just on paper to being brick and mortar places from soil to store, from seed to sale. More states will legalize medical marijuana and legalize outright for industrial and adult recreational purposes.
Jump on that cannabis money train. Save lives, save families, save money, make jobs, make money. It’s a win-win.
CHOO! CHOO! ALL ABOARD!
I have a dream, that dream is to get the government talking about canibis in public. Yes, it used to be illegal to be a different skin color and use the same water fountain as me, a white man. Did our government always do the right thing or is it the will of the people pushing for sensible laws. Thank you norml and drugpolicy for all your work. Thank you Eric Holder for being so brave. This is only the beginning. Excuse me while I book my flight to Seattle.
…how can a state stop the flow of (illegal) grow from cartel to the underage? and, how can a state STOP the flow of legal grow to other states? without federal help?….
to jd….i dig the prose!…needs a shirt man!!….
Thank God – finally some common sense.
This is certainly going to be a problem as Lol mentioned. The mistakes of the few will be paid for by the many.
All I can hope for is enough people use it responsibly. This is going to be an in-house test for the federal gov’t. Some want to see numbers, (crime rates, revenues, populace relocation) before the federal gov’t interferes.
If this goes bad, they still reserved their right to sue, if it goes well, maybe other states will join.
This is a very good step, in the right direction. However, the Federal government should do a full reclassification just to be fair. Otherwise, this is nothing more then a smokescreen, just to arrest people later on a federal level. They probably are just putting people off, just so as to bust large legal selling operations in the two states, that legalized later. Until something is fully signed into law, I am not going to believe too much of what our US Government has to say here.
It is still a move in the right direction, I just hope that they follow through.
Wow, Eric Holder is such a dick. In the middle of fighting for our voting rights, he is still indicating that marijuana users are in fact second class citizens and he will continue to enforce it… What is this, ‘I can be a cracker and enforce civil rights at the same time.”
Eric, are you okay?
You just sent out another gotta memo, that says at the end, “Nothing you just read means anything.” Fucking Lawyers.
Lockedoutofmyshed said “…how can a state stop the flow of (illegal) grow from cartel to the underage? and, how can a state STOP the flow of legal grow to other states? without federal help?….”
Your questions assume that Prohibition is something that we should be engaged in.
Substance Prohibition never works and has always been a greater threat to society than whatever substances we have tried to ban. It’s time to count the costs of this war against human nature and learn never to repeat these same mistakes again.
There is a God.
re: john says:
August 30, 2013 at 10:39 am
“There is a God.”
=====
Yes, and He created cannabis, like wine, for Our benefit.
Genesis 1:29 NIV
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
So there are concerns that Obama/Holder will say one thing but then do another.
I think people are missing the point. Two states have legalized for recreational, adult use and the DOJ has stated that it won’t intervene but observe.
This is the only way it could be, the only way this will happen. The states will decide eventually and obviously the DOJ and other feds understand this. They know that the lie is ending, maybe they’re relieved that they don’t have to play along with the lies and corruption anymore out of self-protection.
People blamed Obama for not ending prohibition, but one person could never have done this themselves only the states can and will end cannabis prohibition.
Obama/Holder could not undo what Nixon/Mitchell made up easily because it grew into a monster with 20+ federal agencies related to CSA “work.” That “hope for change” went away quickly because it could not happen that way.
Apparently, the feds are wise enough to stay out of the way or end up in a national, political quagmire that will create upheaval strong enough to force the end. Specifically, the end of the unscientific, politically biased, fake scheduling system.
The point is not
“take cannabis out of schedule 1”
but instead it is:
“get rid of Nixon/Mitchell’s bullsh*t CSA scheduling system altogether”…because it is arbitrary, fraud, written by an AG (lawyer) not by pharmacologists, scientists, or doctors.”
Taking cannabis out of schedule I seems fine but wait, *the scheduling system is the problem itself,* based on arbitrary and mere disapproval and political gain, not on health standards or unbiased research
The scheduling system itself is the problem.
The existence of that classification system has proven itself worthless simply by way of our favorite example, cannabis.
If cannabis, safer than most all other medicines, can be labeled arbitrarily by govt. workers as having no medical use…despite mountains of testimonials from patients,doctors, scientists, lay people who can witness for themselves the health benefits, the huge difference cannabis affords certain patients in the qualities of lives of those they care about. Cannabis helps conditions that are not improved by any other known treatments, including those typically found from hospitals, or the ubiquitous system allopathic medicine. Sanjay Gupta, Surgeon General nominee (it was his for the taking but he turned it down) publicly agreed recently.
Cannabis is the only known treatment for cannabinoid deficiency. Exocannabinoids (external) from cannabis can supplement those who are lacking in naturally produced endocannabinoids (internal) which play crucial roles in immune health, the prevention of cancers, and are powerful mood regulators, and neuroprotectants that protect the brain and nerves from damage.
People who smoke cannabis have lower rates of cancer than people who smoke nothing at all. (Melamede, Univ of CO, Colorado Springs)
cannabis was never the the problem, but the scheduling pigeon hole it was placed in, allowed for such abuses of public policy and misappropriation of funds used to actually terrorize, not to protect.
The flippant, intellectually dishonest stonewalling regarding discussions about cannabis’ federal status make the point more clear.
If they can deny medical uses of cannabis, in the face of so many valid claims that prove them plainly wrong-headed and stubbornly reckless regarding public policy concerning peoples’ own health, their very lives, then those sorts could do this with any substance, now or in the near future.
If there were no schedule classification, cannabis would still be the safest among almost anything else that is consumed, recreationally or as medicine, or to achieve altered states to better know ones’ self.
If they can do this to cannabis for 40+ years, just ignore the people as if they have no say in the issue, while hiding behind a facade of concern for public safety yet ignoring the truth, they could do the same (slander cannabis medicine with propaganda and social engineering for over four decades) to any thing.
The Bureau of Narcotics and then Nixon’s CSA-drug-list prohibition by schedules, replaced the alcohol prohibition in terms of made-up work for government workers.
It may be serve the public interest if NGO’s could figure out in advance, ahead of the end to Nixon’s CSA circus, how to create new work for displaced prohibition workers, so that they that will not just transfer over into other pretend, busy work that makes a mockery of the justice system.
The cycle of allowing prohibition workers to invent new work for themselves by changing enemy substances to target, is going to have to stop too.
Marijuana should be completely removed from the drug class category. We are heading towards being truly free. I know we must keep the pressure on these politicians. I will not vote for any of them who are against the legalization of marijuana or who is to afraid to even talk about the subject. A good friend of mine tried to talk to Sara Palin about ending the prohibition on marijuana, and she blocked her from her sight. Sara Palin will not be getting my vote.
I agree with a number of comments that I’ve read. This may just turn out to be a cease fire, but it could also become a tipping point if we keep up the pressure. I’m with those who want cannabis removed from the CSA. In terms of the even bigger picture, I’m with those advocating that we abolish the CSA and the DEA. How can prohibition make any sense in a system of democratic capitalism — esp. since prohibition doesn’t work? But getting back to cannabis — legalization should be our goal. We shouldn’t have to be sick to enjoy its benefits, or to enjoy life. Also, while I respect the feelings of those who are thankful for this move from the Obama administration, I don’t share them. I was an ardent supporter of President Obama in his first run, and a grudging supporter in his second run (President Romney, really?). He lost my trust and support on the issue of cannabis. He either lied in his run for president in 2008, or else he lost his nerve. Either way, his admin has been a huge obstacle to the pro-cannabis movement, under the cover of the big lie — that his hands are tied until Congress acts. The HHS could force the DEA to re-schedule cannabis tomorrow. Of course, so could President Obama, since he runs the federal government, the DEA included. Because of this lie I began thinking, what else is he lying about, on subjects that I know less or nothing about? Thanking him now is like thanking someone for stepping out of the way of a moving train. A last thought. Why are people going after each other so much in these comments? If you’re pro-cannabis today is a day to celebrate in some fashion or other. As they say in the military, smoke ‘em if you have ‘em (I wish I did).
Okay, so the DOJ just paved the way for the banks to work with dispensaries. Let the ranting begin.
Doesn’t this make the federal government guilty of receiving drug money if they take taxes while it is still a schedule 1 drug?
“Acetaminophen overdose is one of the most common poisonings worldwide,” according to the National Institutes of Health.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/29/health/tylenol-cap-warning/index.html
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/tylenol-issue-warnings-pill-bottles-article-1.1440915#ixzz2dTt0uifc
“Overdoses from acetaminophen send 55,000 to 80,000 people to the emergency room in the U.S. each year and kill at least 500, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/14/health/gupta-accidental-overdose/index.html
“They don’t intend to die, but more than 20,000 times a year — every 19 minutes, on average — that is exactly what happens. Accidental overdoses are now a leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States, surpassing car crashes.”
Very good Mr Holder. Now do you, and President Obama want to address the hate, and smear campaign the was directed at so many honest, hardworking Americans for so many years. Let’s not forget the many wrong door raids, incidences of police misconduct,and evidence planting that have taken place.
I’m confused…what about children with medical marijuana cards? The memo doesn’t list any exceptions for minors, and actually specifically says the feds will go after any individual or “entity” who provides marijuana to minors… Am I missing something here?
Lockedoutofmyshed said “…how can a state stop the flow of (illegal) grow from cartel to the underage?”
What dealer in his right mind wants a clientele comprised of under-aged kids? Even if such guys exist, they wouldn’t last too long. Besides, would a cartel bother with the time, labor and expense of growing and running crops, if they only have children to sell to?
And, if you’re still worried about that gateway nonsense, in the first place, if that were true, then given how many people have tried it over the last fifty years, why aren’t there tens of millions of heroin addicts running around? Secondly, marijuana is NOT the first drug narcotics addicts ever used. Beer is.
the last line of my prior comment I quoted Martin Luther King, @ Free At Last, Thank God, Free At last”
I know it is not legal yet, but it is just around the corner. I am a 60 year old grandma and I have smoked cannabis since I was 16 that works out to be 44 years. I know it is just a matter of days, where the domino effect will occur and all the other states including mine will follow suite.
Be grateful, for all the things you have been blessed with. Don’t qualify yourself for the love of money. For it is truly bound to be your downfall.
@Voice of the Resistance, You need to relax and try not to be so pessimistic. “Let’s not forget”. How about we do just that “forget”. Forgive and forget. “Forgiveness free’s you of your enemies power to hurt you.” Move forward don’t look back and second guess yourself.
is it me or does theses sound like the same guidelines for alcohol?
welcome to the new and improved 60’s
peaceful friendly people socializing
taking bong rips in the park, music, children, no fear
the noooo waaaaaaaay
yowzah
Yes it is the CSA that’s all wrong
its all a redo with Meth being the most
Dangerous
And it needs to be fluid for all the synthetics to come
o yea lets also make it science driven
It’s so painful to watch Obama act like cannabis is
bad, when we all know he still and will always
love Sweet Leaf. After all its what got him where he’s at
..
It’s been a long time, I’ll admit, since I purchased a real paper “newspaper.” I just bought one today. The San Antonio Express News on 8/30/13 shows a beautiful house in 2007 with the water up to the dock.
There is no more Medina Lake today.
To anyone unfamiliar with cannabis law, the picture of Medina lake gone dry in the State of Texas wouldn’t appear related to cannabis at all.
-Hemp uses less water than corn.
-In 25 years Texas and Kansas will not have viable water supplies for irrigation to sustain corn at all.
-Hemp does not require fertilizer or pesticides.
– Fracking has sucked all the water to the Eagle Ford shales south. The drought took the rest.
-Hemp grows well after droughts compared to even the most genetically modified wheat or corn.
-The oil industry knows this.
-Our Senators know this.
It is time…
The latest memo has the same message as the previous ones. We must continue activism, to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act!
October 19,2009
MEMORANDUM FOR SELECTED UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS
FROM: David W. Ogden, Deputy Attorney General
SUBJECT: Investigations and Prosecutions in States Authorizing the Medical Use of Marijuana
“As a general matter, pursuit of these priorities should not focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.”
June 29, 2011
MEMORANDUM FOR SELECTED UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS
FROM: James M. Cole, Deputy Attorney General
SUBJECT: Guidance Regarding the Ogden Memo in Jurisdictions Seeking to Authorize Marijuana for Medical Use.
“The Ogden Memorandum was never intended to shield such activities from federal enforcement action and prosecution,? even where those activities purport to comply with state law. Persons who are in the business of cultivating, selling or distributing marijuana, and those who knowingly facilitate such activities, are in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, regardless of state law.”
Great. I love the idea of the feds getting out of the business of every person. However, there is about to be a lot of innocent people killed in Syria and the government needs a distraction. Think I’m kidding? As soon as employers start backing off a zero tolerance policy once and if it becomes legal, I will be one happy operator.
Thomas, all the drug money finds its way back to the government or to the lawyers, who then go into government just to maintain this crooked scheme.
Everytime there is a raid, where do you suppose that money goes? Back into the neighborhood? No, it is “seized as evidence”. All that money just got flushed down the toilet. This is one of the methods crackers employ to keep poor neighborhoods out of money and in the red.
Really, you think they are going to start looking bad over taking tax money from honest people? Or break some technicality? That already happened about 500,000,000 times during the course this crazy non-consitutional war the government has been waging on us.
steve r, my point was, if herb is taxed and REGULATED then,the underaged would have a harder time getting it(a requierment of the feds and decent people).as it is now, kids get it when they want. if a state regulates, how can they police the cartel (example) who would be unregulated and hence, would cause the feds to close the states operation…we must cover all the requirements so that does not happen..this NEEDS to be a sucess for the other states.heh, wasnt trying to say their clientele were children…have a good day my friend!
Ll,…no, you are wrong, i am against prohibition. dont agree as a consumer of cannabis for 32 years! my question was about manpower for the state to regulate this issue..some regulation and enforcement must be physical…can a state do this alone?i do not know this.we must cover all the requirements the feds call for in order for this to be a sucess for the rest of us! hence, the question…..
How does this affect Mexico? Jaymen Shively and Vincente Fox were working on a project that would reduce the death and suffering on the Mexican side of the border by importing through Washington state. This would be some premium sativa varieties, as well as indicas and mixed for the longer growing season there. $ for Mexicans who would NO LONGER have to fear the cartels, for example! The cartels bosses would have to go completely legitimate and be ONLY in the cannabis business to keep the Federales off their backs. It is a HUGE step that will save a LOT of Mexican lives.
Mexicans lives count, too. Far too long, D.C. has been dismissive of the drug violence as long as it has not been on the U.S. side of the border, as if those lives do not count. WELL, THEY COUNT!
I certainly hope this memorandum will allow Mexico to legalize in its individual states, if not at the federal level because of that blasted U.N. Single Convention on Narcotics of 1961 Agreement. Individual Mexican states could legalize like Colorado and Washington, and others that will follow. If California would hurry up and legalize for recreational and industrial use of cannabis as well, then you could have LEGAL trade in cannabis between Mexico and border states where cannabis is ALSO LEGAL. Mexicans could also ship it by water to U.S. coastal states such as Washington, even New England, as Massachusetts is gearing up for full-scale legalization.
I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH ALL THE DEATH, SUFFERING AND DRUG VIOLENCE GOING ON IN MEXICO AND I WANT IT DRASTICALLY REDUCED.
¡Amo Los Estados Unidos Méxicanos!
¡Viva Vincente Fox!
Now you’ve gone and done it. Hell has started to freeze over.
Moving beyond the cannabis debate and on to legal regulation from the South Texas School of Law and Rice University:
http://www.stcl.edu/hottopics/South_Texas_and_Rice_collaborate_on_marijuana_policy_course.html
See the conversation:
Get the facts:
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/Crime#sthash.4jzRWanB.dpbs
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970:
“(a) Establishment There are established five schedules of controlled substances, to be known as schedules I, II, III, IV, and V ….”
“(b)…. The findings required for each of the schedules are as follows:
“(1) Schedule I. – (A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse. (B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. (C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.
“(2) Schedule II. – (A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse. (B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. (C) Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
“(3) Schedule III. – (A) The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II. (B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. (C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychologicaldependence.
“(4) Schedule IV. – (A) The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule III. (B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. (C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule III.
“(5) Schedule V. – (A) The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule IV. (B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. (C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule IV.”
MAYBE cannabis belongs in schedule V. Majority consensus is cannabis should be removed from the C.S.Act.
Sorry. Thought i sounded bad. Just dont like evil things. Racism is bad.
Finally! Increased tax revenue for the states and less prison population. Maybe the taxes can go toward cancer research??
The list of circumstances that can still lead to prosecution is mostly a list of the consequences of prohibition. Can the DOJ prosecute congress for allowing prohibition and those unacceptable circumstances to continue?
Julian,
Regarding Lake Medina, you make a most excellent point! But let’s not forget our good friends in the “forest industry” that would rather cut down 1200 year old Redwoods than use hemp to make paper – like we did 100 years ago!
God, help me not to hate these fucking creeps and liars who rape our planet while simple, easy, and natural “soulutions” are easily had!
Epic. Couldn’t have said it any better than NORML’s Erik Altieri. This is a landmark event in the minds of many. Hopefully, we will see rapid progress on state and federal levels. Cheers to moving forward.
I’m deeply concerned with one of the rules. It’s worded to sound like they are doing you a favor but in reality it sounds like you are not allowed to exercise your 2nd amendment right to protect yourself from people that dont care about the law.
-violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana –
So if you are a caregiver within the state law and are doing everything correctly, what happens IF someone comes in and tried to rob you at gunpoint? By law you are not allowed to have your weapon if you are with your product. I just hope everyone takes proper precautions because although this is definitely a step in the right direction, it will not curb ALL crime.
So the DOJ wants to prosecute? Here are some upcoming trials for the South Texas School of Law to study, titled, “people vs.”
DOJ:”the distribution of marijuana to minors;
People vs.:”The right to distribute marijuana to minors with a medical license.”
DOJ-revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs and cartels;
People vs.: Revenue from the sale of marijuana going to criminal enterprises, the DOJ and cartels. (SOD program sees the Supreme Court)
DOJ-the diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal under state law in some form to other states;
People vs.: The State of Nevada allows permits of medicinal marijuana from other states for local purchase. Respect THOSE state rights.
DOJ:-state-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity;
People vs. : State authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity BY THE DOJ! (i.e. S.O.D. program– and we’re not talking about when Billy Milano and Scott Ian from Anthrax formed an eighties death metal band)
DOJ-violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana
People vs.: (Now here’s a slew of pending lawsuits…)
-Violence caused by the unconstitutional authority for executive DOJ agencies to legislate drug policy;
-violence from the institutionalized cartel of weapons distribution to conflicting sides of civil drug wars by the ATF’s (Fast and Furious) legal abiltity to conceal serial tracking numbers of weapons sales and distribution; (DEA dressing up as local law enforcement in Honduras…)
-violence of silence from people victimized by the indefensible S.O.D. program that fabricates or even plants evidence to convict innocent Americans for non-violent drugs while offering faux treatment and violent enforcement;
-violence from the CDC’s inability to research gun related deaths, much less associate state-sanctioned violence due to drug prohibition;
-violence from the military -industrial complex that allows privatized intelligence contractors such as Haliburton and Booz Hamilton to advice the NSA, DEA and CIA of “credible threats to national security interests,” and then allow the State Department to hire the SAME companies to obtain lucrative war “clean up” contracts. (NOW THERE’S A LAWSUIT THAT WILL TAKE AN ACT OF CONGRESS! [Thanks Snowden])
-violence from the Prison-industrial complex associated with incarcerating non violent drug offenders in a drug-infested, overcrowded, failed prison system of contrived evidence and violence.
-violence from 1.5 billion dollars of annual international drug enforcement budget without international prevention or treatment measures such as replacing Afghan poppy fields that cause enslavement with industrial hemp for export of Afghan traditional, healthy textile skills.
-violence by the DOJ through encouraging corrupted American agencies such as Child Protective Services (Department of Health and Human Services) to use fabricated drug evidence to separate peaceful, healthy families for cannabis posession or use and place innocent children in violent, unsupervised private foster care for profit. (Alexhillfund@facebook.com)
DOJ-drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana use;
People vs: bias of records for marijuana use while driving create inadmissable evidence for prosecutions of imparement: Exhibit A: The District Attorney of Austin Texas was caught on tape with an open bottle of vodka and prescription medication driving up the wrong way on hwy 360, received only 15 days in jail and has yet to resign months later. Exhibit B: A single case of treatment facility fraud in Southern California revealed a pair of ex-cons running lists of young “ghost patients” for marijuana rehabilitation in an empty building. Inflated numbers for drug testing non-existant patients have spoiled government demographics with 90 million dollars of fraud from just one facility in California in one year alone. (mpp.com)_
DOJ -growing of marijuana on public lands and the attendant public safety and environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public lands; -preventing marijuana possession or use on federal property.
People vs- American Indians have rights to grow their own medicine on federal lands. If the DEA has ANY role in post legalization it is to help zone food crops in prime farm lands and reserve ethanol cellulose production to arid lands using industrial hemp. (How’s THAT for “national interest”?) Furthermore, cartels will produce less on federal lands when legal corporations take their profit and enforce proper zoning of cannabis. In conclusion, if growing cannabis on Federal or public lands is illegal, then someone better tell the DOJ to shut down that marijuana farm they’ve had in the University of Mississippi for the last 40 years, and pay taxpayers back all the research money they squandered to prohibit a drug that, after all, the U.S. owns the patent to. Oh, and the patenting of God-given plants is another law suit prepared for the Supreme Court; We are what we eat; So does Monsantos and the U.S. government think they own us too? If animals have rights, then by the symbiosis of nature plants have rights too!
In conclusion, to the forward thinking law students who are wondering how all these cases will settle in the near future, it is through the previous determined analysis that the DOJ, through the C.S.Act itself and the abuse of executive privelege, has effectively prosecuted itself. And since the DOJ is in charge of disciplining the DOJ, Congress will have to enact laws to adress every one of the issues mentioned in the “people vs.” items of this column. And the Supreme Court will have to nullify the C.S.Act in its entirety.
Only then can we say “The End” to the made-to-fail Drug Wars.
good morning norml, I had written a couple of replies to comments to something I wrote here that was misunderstood and I don’t see them…thought it was important to clear up…im hopin it matters….thanks to all.
hopefully soon , the country will take a good hard look at all drug law in this country , beyond mary j; people are gonna do drugs and the threat of incarceration has rarely if ever deterred anyone from using . most other drugs , like weed , have suffered from the same negative propaganda that your parents were brainwashed with and put the scare into next generations . methamphetamine , sure weve all seen “faces of meth” pictures that are scary but the propaganda is so far from reality . do you think if meth was never invented , that those people on “faces of meth ” would all be normal perfect citzens? no , they would of found some other substance to help kill there pain . we need treatment for people like that and not incarceration . the argument that legalizing all drugs would cause rampant drug use is just horse puckey . if they legalized snifing glue tommorow , how many of you would run out and start using glue ? furthermore Portugal has DE-criminalized drugs for personnel , and its a complete success in every category . weed is a good start but we need to legalize all drugs and stop this medieval prison police state. porblem is the government relies on the money from drugs , thats why they never really tried to stop the influx and in fact have been involved in the importation of drugs since forever. think of how many people would be out of jobs if they truly stopped drugs from being availible . the lawyers the d.a the judges the prison gaurds ,the court employees the police all out of work if no drugs . the war is over and our government never meant to win becaseu they are playing both sides . furthermore , our government has the blood of millions of people and the complete destruction of the country of mexico . dont blame the peoples never ending hunger for drugs , blame this corrupt war that is not the will of the people but the will of an overbearing government gone crazy with greed and power and rules and lies and propaganda .
This is indeed an important step in the right direction. However, to those who are still pessimistic, I have to say this:
Show a little more patience for pete’s sake!
There is still more work that needs to be done, but this is a critical step that DOJ is taking.
It weakens marijuana’s scheduling under the Controlled Substance Act. It encourages other states where there is strong support for legalization to pursue it. It even helps states where decriminalization is more likely to happen. And those states where medical use is legal will benefit as well.
The Drug War has been fought unquestioned for the last 40 years. Washington, DC moves slower than the rest of the country to begin with on so many issues, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if it’s a little slow in regards to marijuana legalization.
The trick is to celebrate the victories, but keep fighting the other battles to win the overall war. It’s clear to me that NORML understands this and will move forward. NORML deserves a lot of credit here. Instead of just fighting “harder,” they and other groups pushing for marijuana legalization have fought “smarter.”
So what if absolute victory hasn’t been achieved overnight! It’s so rare when this happens, so the pessimists need to stop complaining and continue the fight. This is the second indication from the DOJ that we are winning. We just can’t rest until marijuana is treated like alcohol (which is more dangerous) in the eyes of the law. Be grateful for your achievements or else you risk losing them as you try to achieve more.
I just hope that DC is given more autonomy on marijuana (as it does with alcohol). DC is currently considering decriminalization (which has strong support among city council members) while legalization has strong support among residents.
So, I’m celebrating! But, I won’t rest. And neither will NORML!
I don’t think that legalization will decrease the prison population. The mighty prison complex system has evolved to building schools that resembles a prison compound with surveillance cameras. It has become a social training system to get young people prepared for the future by having them get use to being locked up, urine check, watched, searched, and have total loss of privacy. They will be all well and secured to the next level until they graduate. Then they will have an updated national I.D. cards and be on lifetime probation. (By this time a government rationed joint is the only joy and a temporary escape to freedom).
Freedom rules.
Its a shame that the budgetary retraints of our current administrations has made the decision to quit waving the federal wand that magically changed the cannabis medication into the demonized schedule one child stealer. You would think rational thought could outweight emotional self fullfilling propaganda.
Thank you very much President Obama and Attorney General Holder!
I was going to wait until after Senator Leahy’s hearing to thank the two of you. I hope I’m not being premature in doing so.
You’re doing the right thing on Syria. It looks like the war hawks and everyone who stands to profit some way, economically or politically, would like to rush the nation into war, and then find something to blame on you.
Thank you.
People who are against weed legalization will look for anything, any little bad thing, to say we shouldnt be allowed to smoke. They expect it to be perfect. Like if you feel great, awesome, and something bad happens and it snowballs into horrible thing. Like a bad thought about yourself, im fat and no one likes me. Normally you could handle it but this time it ruined your high. Bad things might happen with or without weed. I think weed should be legal because most of my times are great. Ive had bad thoughts but I dont LET them affect me. We just need more God. Dont glorify drugs. Stay in control of your mind and NOTHING bad will happen! I hope this helps our cause. God be with everyone
Until the DOJ or Judicial Committee removes the bounty money and seizure laws from marijuana arrests law enforcement will still see marijuana crimes as possible funding and we are the lowest fruit on the funding tree.
Also,,the 8 issues that the DOJ requires state governments to address already exist and in fact are the reason the states enacted legalization initiatives,,the removal of the criminal element and the stopping of trafficking marijuana across borders has been attempted by the federal government for 75 years and the DEA hasn’t been any more effective in the last 45 years and over 3 trillion dollars and hundreds of thousands of people around the globe killed attempting to stop marijuana,,the least they could do is explain how they have been so successful at it.
The story 1984 by George Orwell is relevant today. Here is part 1 of an audiobook that will make you cry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXFI12206A0
@ snapu23,
I couldn’t agree more. One might have thought that Holder just said we’ll fight Colo’s and Wash’s attempts at legalization in the courts if we have to, until legalization is completely dead, by some of the reactions on these boards. Sheesh, to those eternal pessimists, take a hit and chill. Things ARE moving in the right direction.
The “problem” I have is with the language in the letter. Mr. Holder clearly states that people lawfully possessing marijuana are officially second class citizens. Also, if you have marijuana in your system, you are a second class citizen. Mr. Holder is upholding the idea that if you use marijuana, you’ll start behaving in a criminal way, that it changes your personality like cocaine or heroin and it will influence you to commit more crimes down the line.
If anyone needs to take a couple hits and chill out, it is Eric Holder.
Remember the last memo he sent out? The one where he connects newly arrested people testing positive for marijuana as an example of why it shouldn’t be legal??? As if the idea that mentally ill people find stress relief from using marijuana is too far out there, even though that is all people keep telling him? He is one of the goons still trying to find ways of getting you into a jail cell. He simply cannot challenge popular laws voted in by the people, especially not while fighting a real problem for America: Voter suppression laws. Those are some of the bigger fish that need to get a’frying. If the vote wasn’t so positive for legal marijuana, Eric and Obama would probably be going the suit route. But now that people actually voted heavily for it, you just try to nullify tens of thousands of votes on the winning side—no matter how you try you’ll never win another election. The protests would never stop. They realized that by fighting it so overtly, they would just speed up legalization.
So…after DECADES of the “War on Marajuana”, the Governement is now taking the same direction it did with alchohol!!?? SICK!!! A man/woman cannot even grow a natural plant within their own property, for personal use, without being arrested!!!
The public will now have to have some type of legal piece of paper to authorize them that they can purchase the marajuana from a marajuana grower rather than grow it themselves!!?? Really? This is ALL about control my friends….CONTROL and TAX MONEY! PUKE!!!
Excellent point about the Medina Lake water situation. Very sad to hear about that as well.
There is a guardian in the leaf…
Well at least they are willing to have a go with this, a laboratory experiment if you will,a test run(like what has been done in Amsterdam)They have stated their priorities witch seem fairly reasonable.I expect that if anything unusual happens that the media will be all over it,like flies on cow dung, to create a scandal)I voted for Obama-in 08 and for this purpose i am glad that i did. I don’t know what Mccain would have done differently if anything,but 55 percent or so of the votes reflect the majority that represents a Democracy,so at least their recognizing this by laying out the ground work and abiding in their own way. Its a start in the right direction.
@claygooding,
Spot on. It’s very interesting that none of the eight measures of enforcement dares mention asset forfeitures for drug posessions, the principal tool of violence and crimes against humanity worlwide by the C.S.Act and the main source of profit motivation among all executive U.S. agencies. Had asset forfeitures applied to rapists and murderers, would those girls in Castro’s Cleveland house-prison been neglected by law enforcement for 10 years? Unfortunately applying asset forfetures to a commodity, in this case the most lucrative cash crop in the world, cannabis, sets up our government as THE principal cartel of the world. Not enough profit in seized property or cash? Need to plant meth on an innocent bystander to press the blame for DOJ-sanctioned drug trafficking? No problem. Who has the key to the evidence room?
Why can’t marijuana be legalized for all states. Other states want freedom too.
@ Steve R. You are absolutely right! Where are all those heroin addicts,they warned us about?
Steve R. says “And, if you’re still worried about that gateway nonsense, in the first place, if that were true, then why aren’t there tens of millions of heroin addicts running around? Secondly, marijuana is NOT the first drug narcotics addicts ever, Beer is!”
Just how I called it, Cannabis is also used to help people Exit harder drugs. I have seen it all, people coming off crack, heroin, meth and cocaine,and the most wide spread drug is, as you said Steve, Alcohol! Remember, Grandma know’s.
Think about how cannabis has co-evolved with humans, like the dog. Think of how useful and beneficial it is to us, as medicine, fiber, fuel, and how no one has died from overdose because it’s physically impossible.
Then think how badly screwed up things are in America and how certain elected officials and invisible money powers made cannabis illegal, and worse still, the penalties are as bad as real, violent or destructive crimes, yet IT’S NOT A CRIME AT ALL.
Philosopher Spinoza had come up with the concept of “let the punishment fit the crime” which was novel at the time but is now almost common-sense.
Remember finally learning in college, what they don’t teach in public schools? More accurate history (versus happy horse sh*t endings) and critical thinking (learning to think for yourself instead of believing everything you’re told), and that there may be a need to question whether “we,” and the decisions our elected officials, make us either the “good guys” or the “bad guys.”
As the reference above mentions Orwell’s 1984, what kind of country allows elitist assholes to make up rules for everyone else, that are arbitrary and harmful?
And so how can you tell a good country from a bad country?
Examples:
BAD = instigate wars or attack and occupy others without provocation or any evidence.
BAD = any state that examines a commodity and its value and specifically makes it illegal with ridiculously harsh penalties…and puts it into a bullsh*t scheduling system.
Until the states put an end to this stupid sh*t and finally the incompetent feds running the broken government, grin and bear the posturing of confused and defensive prohibitionists, “yeah we’ll let you have this, but we’re watching you…yeah you!”
These are signs of a bad and failed country
I have decided to create a White House Petition at the “We the People” site over the hemp water conservation issue and the drying Lakes in Texas. Here are the links:
http://wh.gov/l4NzG
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/legalize-industrial-hemp-and-zone-it-arid-lands-replace-corn-cellulose-ethanol-conserve-water-now/BqrH7D1p
The urgency of this issue is greater than the response time for the white house even if we get enough signatures. However, we cannot as a nation place enough emphasis on the hypocrisy of nature we are playing out in south Texas. If we don’t reduce water consumption by %25 starting today, wells will run dry in one generation from Texas to Kansas, and perhaps throughout the Ogallala acquifer. And the hemp amendment is pending in the Senate. Let’s get the word out and force the White House’s hand!
As someone with a current case in the Federal Court System, I can attest that this is an utter waste of paper. They will “interpret” the rules however they want and the martyrdom will continue. THE ONLY WAY TO CHANGE IS TO CHANGE THE LAW! Don’t fall for this crap.
Azna Dowra. I wrote that last message when I was out. My view has since changed.
I have my doubts as to the staying power of this decision, but it IS a victory nonetheless.
I strongly support full legalization, and it baffles me that anyone can stare down the effects of all substances from Alcohol to Meth, and consider Marijuana anything but tame.
Legalization is the only way to save our youth from resorting to marketed as safe K2, Spice, MDMA, or for God’s sake bath salts just so they don’t have the fear of years in jail for smoking some weed.
DO not expect this posture of the administration to last very long. Pressure from cops and other vested interests will have the A.G. retreating in a hurry. There’s no such thing as a spine in this crowd of hacks. Remember–watch what they do, not what they say. Keep pressure on–re-double protests and petitions! And let’s make sure we keep our eye on the objective–home-grown must be as legal as home-brewed beer; and ALL past cannabis offenses, as relics of the Jim Crow era, must be pardoned with blanket pardons or acts of legal amnesty, to circumvent future job discrimination and other after-the-fact punishments for what never should have been a crime to begin with!
It shouldn’t be complex, nor cost anything. People do want to commit to healthy alternatives to smoking anything, imagine the “pot” symbol on one of the Blu or Fin e-cigs? Either for medical or recreational, you know the details on alcohol, apply them to pot!
As for cocaine, I’ve been held at gunpoint for someone wanting cocaine – sorry cocaine people, that stuff is too dangerous – and it can be turned into crack. Don’t give me the “gateway” arguement.
@snapu23: Ain’t that the truth! Seriously, the only reason decriminalization and/or medical marijuana are being favored by politicians/legislators is because legalization has such overwhelming majority support at this point, and is even gaining a lesser but still significant majority support in southern states as well. I think it’s another extinction burst of the prohibitionists and their purchased politicians, that they vainly hope that if they give us decriminalization and medical marijuana they can pass on legalization–or they can say “okay, well, it’s legal for medicinal use, so we’re not being ogres denying sick people their medicine, and it’s decriminalized so no one gets a felony for it. What more do you hoi polloi want? We can’t compromise any further, do you have any idea how much money we’re getting from Drug War profiteers?”
Either that, or their hoping that if they legalize medical marijuana they can re-demonize marijuana for legalization by pretending that at that point it’s just “criminal” stoners trying to protect their “dangerous” habit. Basically another angle on “Reefer Madness”, once they eliminate the medical part. It won’t work, of course, but they’re losing so badly and so inevitably now they’ll try anything.
enddrugtesting.blogspot.com
As stated in other post above, ill believe this malarkey when I see the raids stop on farms and dispensaries…..
……this county had a HUGE raid on a pot growing subdivision THE DAY that Holder announced this.
…..and they likey had pre-arranged plans for this raid….
I don’t think they’ll stop raiding farms and dispensaries just because of holders announcement…….
id be surprised if all the brainwashed DA’s in this country even listen to him on simple possesion…
the FACT is that the locals are HIDING behind federal LAW, even THOUGH they HATE every little other thing ABOUT FEDERAL LAW!!!!
amazing, but not……tea baggers aren’t too bright!!
they treat prohibition like a cash cow that they would be poor without….
……when the eradication teams come to raid your farm….
they’ll likely NOT arrest you, but chop everything down and refer your case to the DA for consideration(a fine)
BUT they like to steal anything they can carry which is valuable(generators, expensive pumps ect….ripe plants!!!
they are no different from gangs who would home invade!!! seriously!
What he said was no enforcement NOW but we (or the next admin) can turn on a dime and swoop down on the industry. We need law change, rescheduling and legal protection. Whenever the government says “don’t worry, we won’t enforce the unfair law in question; lets just leave it on the books”-run.
I just want safe access to my pain medications
I need to use it for my Fibromyalgia.
Marijuana needs to be taken out of the drug category altogether. All states should legalize marijuana . It is not man made, it is nature. No man/woman should have the right to take away our freedoms, especially when it comes from nature, not man.
It (Cannabis) stimulates the central nervous system so it would always be considered as a drug. Like sugar or caffeine or coco or nicotine. But do take it off the dangerous drug list. It has killed no one in it’s natural state. It could cause death by over use while driving a motor vehicle due to the sedative process of THC. But government needs to drop the stigma and remove the propaganda that’s been pushed on Americans for all these imprisoning years. The United States government needs to stop policing the people and the world. And get back to their/it’s job of protecting the people of these United States. I get more carcinogens from one camp fire than all the carcinogens I’ve received from my use of Cannabis throughout these last 40 years. So carcinogenic poisoning is not an issue. We as adult must always protect the innocent. Keep it out of children’s reach like prescription drugs, which by the way have killed 100’s of thousands!
Tomorrow is the day, September 10th. I hope there are some good questions about cannabis being clearly answered, and not have it being being avoided by deflecting it as an illegal substance and constantly repeating it with: “how it would threaten and affect the children with the wrong message”. That has always been the prohibitionist “wild card”.
The only thing that can get things done is money and votes. Most of us have voting rights, some have money. If ya have some money to spare – contribute to Normal or a like organization and/or email this message to your elected officials and stand firm. Also send to like minded friends and family:
I can no longer support elected officials or organizations that support current prohibition laws. I have decided not to vote for any politician that does not publicly support the removal of all penalties for the private possession and endorse responsible use of marijuana by adults, including cultivation for personal use, and casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts.
20 million arrested is 20 million reasons why.
The problem is the law – not the plant.
Yes, yes, and yes! Bob
http://blog.norml.org/2013/08/29/breaking-eric-holder-announces-department-of-justice-to-allow-marijuana-legalization-to-go-into-effect/comment-page-4/#comment-200664
Like, if you agree.
I so agree with you Bob. This is very important to many people. I will not vote for any of them who are against the legalization of marijuana either.
I’ll do you one better than that. I introduce the discussion topic of cannabis at every opportunity and with everyone I meet.
I can get a good impression of a person’s intellectual development and critical thinking ability simply by listening very carefully to their perspective on cannabis.
The ones who sound like they are children in direct observation of a police officer standing in a classroom and want approval from Mrs. Teacher…they are still children, mentally and psychologically.
Avoid these sorts. They are no longer just well-meaning but poorly informed people, they are usually weird, usually religious (extra weird), and usually not worth talking to, which you find out after meeting too many of these sorts. Social engineering and propaganda full of lies and corrupt federal law for 40+ years seems to add more dysfunction and friction to society.
Prohibition hype is conducive for societies desirous of a half-deluded citizenry who live in black/white, good/evil realities. It helps people become accustomed to the easy and comfortable habit of believing things they’re told (outright lies) by people wearing costumes and badges, service commercials that want a never-ending war (on drugs), lying politicians, and so on.
I say don’t just vote for the other candidate, don’t even talk to prohibition supporters. It’s not worth it. They don’t even live in the real world, they live in a mental Disneyland where government acts like “daddy and mommy” and if you don’t obey, it’s property seizure and prison, and this is perfectly “normal.”
Well added Tim! Thanks for the candor. Such literal brilliance has been needed for far to long. Kudos to you.
A HEMP Flag flew over Wash. DC on the 4ih of July…It is now going to various States to fly..
You can now grow low THC Hemp in Vemont for a 25$ registration…
If we were illegal , they would be falling all over us to give us anything and everything. But, because we are not wanting to break the law, we are penalized. But, illegals who break our laws are rewarded , just like they were today with driver license.
I think it is disgusting that now that pot is becoming legal in some of our states, the very same people who have been throwing people in prison for smoking pot are now so concerned about how much money can they get for us to have the freedom to smoke it. This country is a joke, we have bullies with badges, politicians who are for the most part worse than the mafia, people working 24/7 making up stupid laws to get more of our money, and the list goes on and on. My son is now facing possible prison for pot, at least it will be many years of probation, and he has a better soul than most people I know. This world is a shit-hole, with a bunch of shit-heads running it. I would never consider being a part of our governing system, what a laugh. They don’t care about people, they care about control and money. Pot never hurt a person I know, but I’ve seen a lot of destruction due to drinking. Oklahoma is a bible-thumping, closet hiding, judgmental state. Our judges are corrupt, my county, Lincoln, is well known for having some of the worst cops in the state, they lie and break the laws and its just hid. I only know 2 police in my town who do their job but yet they have a heart. Most of them act like your beneath them. Someday, I hope legal marijuana will be in Oklahoma, but it is sad that we will have to pay the politicians for that right. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I hope all, or most, because there are a few that aren’t evil, will be coming back here to see how it feels to be on the receiving end of their BULLSHIT!