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Press Release: House Appropriations Committee Seeks Clarification on Medical Marijuana Policy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEÂ Â Â
JUNE 9, 2009Â Â Â
House Appropriations Committee Seeks Clarification on Medical Marijuana Policy
Amendment Seeks Explanation in Light of Attorney General Holder's Recent Statements
CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 202-215-4205 or 415-585-6404
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In light of recent statements by Attorney General Eric Holder indicating that the Obama administration would not pursue prosecutions of individuals involved in medical marijuana activities sanctioned by state law, the House Appropriations Committee has added language seeking clarification of the new policy to the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill.
    The language, sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.), states, "There have been conflicting public reports about the Department's enforcement of medical marijuana policies. Within 60 days of enactment, the Department shall provide to the Committee clarification of the Department's policy regarding enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources against individuals involved in medical marijuana activities."
    In past years, Hinchey and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) have sponsored an amendment aimed at ending Drug Enforcement Administration raids on state-legal medical marijuana patients and providers. But in recent months, Attorney General Eric Holder has disavowed any intent to pursue such attacks. Last week, Holder told KOB-TV in Albuquerque, "For those organizations that are doing so sanctioned by state law and do it in a way that is consistent with state law, and given the limited resources that we have, that will not be an emphasis for this administration. ... Medicinal marijuana ... that is something for the states to decide."
    "We are glad to see the federal government finally moving toward sanity on medical marijuana," said Marijuana Policy Project director of government relations Aaron Houston. "No one battling serious illness and following their state's laws should live in fear of our federal government, and we look forward to clear assurances that suffering patients will be left alone."
    With more than 27,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.
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In The Trenches
ASA Sponsored Resolution Calls for Federal Change
Dear ASA Supporter,
California Senator Mark Leno (D-SF) introduced Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 14 yesterday. This ASA-sponsored resolution calls on the President and US Congress to end medical cannabis raids in California and to "create a comprehensive federal medical marijuana policy that ensures safe and legal access to any patient that would benefit from it." If adopted, SJR 14 will be the first time a state legislature has officially called for a change in federal medical cannabis policies.
Please help ASA get SJR 14 adopted by making a special contribution of $100 today.
The President and US Attorney General Eric Holder have talked about a new federal policy concerning medical cannabis, but there is still a lot of work to do in defining what that policy will be. SJR 14 supports ASA's National Policy Agenda and is part of our strategic campaign to shape a more reasonable and compassionate federal policy - one that ensures safe and legal access for all patients nationwide.
The resolution calls on the President and the US Congress to (1) end federal raids, intimidation, and interference with state medical cannabis laws; (2) adopt policies and laws to encourage advanced clinical research trials into the therapeutic use of cannabis; (3) provide for an affirmative defense to medical cannabis charges in federal court; and (4) to create comprehensive federal medical cannabis policy that ensures safe and legal access for patients.
SJR 14 is an opportunity for the California legislature to influence the development of the new federal policy, defend the state's right to choose and regulate medical cannabis, and to defend the compassionate will of the voters. But, we only have a short time to get this resolution through committees and floor votes in the State Senate and Assembly.
Please support ASA by donating today so that we can get SJR 14 adopted right away!
Thank you for your help,
Rebecca Saltzman
Chief of Staff
Americans for Safe Access
P.S. For more information on SJR 14, visit www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/SJR14
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Holder Renews Pledge to Respect Medical Marijuana Laws
In case anyone forgot, the new administration promises to be nicer about medical marijuana:
Notwithstanding a couple of questionable raids that have taken place since Holder took office, it's good to hear him keep repeating this. The more he says it, the more scrutiny he'll be subjected to if DEA continues to push its luck. Personally, I'm not expecting the complete elimination of federal interference with state medical marijuana laws, but I think it will become clear over time that the situation has improved.
Still, Holder and Obama shouldn't get a pass on this ridiculous "limited resources" excuse for respecting state medical marijuana laws. The issue enjoys tremendous public support and there's no reason the new administration canât come right out and acknowledge that the Bush policy was just cruel. Pretending it's about money is disgusting and wrong. Note to reporters: next time someone in the administration tries to portray the new medical marijuana policy as a matter of conserving law enforcement resources, ask whether they'd continue the raids if their budget was bigger.
Furthermore, the feds are still trying to put Charlie Lynch in prison for operating a perfectly legal dispensary in California. His sentencing will take place this Thursday, assuming it doesnât get postponed yet again. Click here to email the Dept. of Justice and tell them to let Charlie go.
If these guys are sick of answering questions about marijuana policy, freeing Charlie Lynch is by far their best move.
ALBUQUERQUE â The nationâs top cop said Friday that marijuana dispensaries participating in New Mexicoâs fledgling medical marijuana program shouldnât fear Drug Enforcement Agency raids, a staple of the Bush administration.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking in Albuquerque during a meeting focused on border issues, including drug trafficking, said his department is focused "on large traffickers," not on growers who have a stateâs imprimatur to dispense marijuana for medical reasons.
"For those organizations that are doing so sanctioned by state law, and doing it in a way that is consistent with state law, and given the limited resources that we have, that will not be an emphasis for this administration," Holder said. [New Mexico Independent]
Notwithstanding a couple of questionable raids that have taken place since Holder took office, it's good to hear him keep repeating this. The more he says it, the more scrutiny he'll be subjected to if DEA continues to push its luck. Personally, I'm not expecting the complete elimination of federal interference with state medical marijuana laws, but I think it will become clear over time that the situation has improved.
Still, Holder and Obama shouldn't get a pass on this ridiculous "limited resources" excuse for respecting state medical marijuana laws. The issue enjoys tremendous public support and there's no reason the new administration canât come right out and acknowledge that the Bush policy was just cruel. Pretending it's about money is disgusting and wrong. Note to reporters: next time someone in the administration tries to portray the new medical marijuana policy as a matter of conserving law enforcement resources, ask whether they'd continue the raids if their budget was bigger.
Furthermore, the feds are still trying to put Charlie Lynch in prison for operating a perfectly legal dispensary in California. His sentencing will take place this Thursday, assuming it doesnât get postponed yet again. Click here to email the Dept. of Justice and tell them to let Charlie go.
If these guys are sick of answering questions about marijuana policy, freeing Charlie Lynch is by far their best move.
Blog
Drug War Robots Are Not the Answer
Time Magazine reports on the proliferation of flying drones that spy on drug smugglers from the sky. I'm sure our brave drug war soldiers love sending in remote control robots to do their dirty work, but Time takes things way too far by surmising that these creepy drones might become a game-changing force in the war on drugs:
This is backwards logic. The fact that the drug war consistently and colossally fails to reduce the drug supply is not an argument for spending millions on gigantic flying drones. We should have learned the opposite lesson by now.
Seriously, stop building futuristic drug war machines. We've taken things way, way too far already.
Indeed, with drones playing an increasing role in U.S. military operations â some 7,000 are in use today, up from just around 100 in the year 2000 â it only stands to reason that drug drones will soon join America's growing stealth arsenal. That's especially true at a time when many in Congress are questioning the cost-effectiveness of a drug war (which has poured more than $5 billion in U.S. aid to Colombia alone this decade) that intercepts tons of narcotics each year but rarely seems to put appreciable dents in eradicating crops like coca, the raw material of cocaine, or reducing the flow of marijuana, coke, heroin and methamphetamine into the U.S.
This is backwards logic. The fact that the drug war consistently and colossally fails to reduce the drug supply is not an argument for spending millions on gigantic flying drones. We should have learned the opposite lesson by now.
Seriously, stop building futuristic drug war machines. We've taken things way, way too far already.
Blog
Bad Cops Caught on Camera
Dear Men and Women of Law Enforcement,
There are video cameras everywhere these days. In people's pockets, on trees and lampposts. On your squad car and in front of local businesses. So maybe you should think twice before beating people up for no reason and filing false charges.
Event
Learning from Crystal Methamphetamine
The Community Response to Crystal Methamphetamine Study and the Chemical Dependency Institute (Beth Israel Medical Center) are pleased to announce the presentation of findings from a recently complete
In The Trenches
Drug Truth Network 06/08/09
The Unvarnished Truth From the Drug Truth Network
Century of Lies for 06/07/09, 29:00 Eugene Oscapella, director of Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy + Jet Baker song "Free Eddy Lepp", Winston Francis with "Don't Bother", Claudia Rubin from UK's RELEASE drug program, Jesse Stout of Rhode Island MMJ effort & parental warning from Doctor Joel Hochman, director National Foundation for the Treatment of Pain
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2445
TRANSCRIPT: 06/08/09 PM
Cultural Baggage for 06/03/09, 29:00 US Prison Sentences await Marc Emery - Canada's Prince of Pot, Reverend Eddy Lepp and cannabis dispensary owner Charles Lynch, comments from Ed Rosenthal the guru of ganja
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2444
TRANSCRIPT: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2444#comments
4:20 Drug War NEWS, 6/8 to 6/14/09 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin - Sun - Charles Lynch, medical marijuana dispensary owner faces 5 years in prison Sat - Jet Baker song extract: "Free Eddy Lepp" & Winston Francis' "If we end prohibition" warning Fri - Dr. Joel Hochman, Executive Director of the National Foundation for the Treatment of Pain issues warnings to youth and to parents about the dangers of drugs Thu - Mason Tvert, director of SAFER regarding dangers of alcohol and cannabis Wed - Jesse Stout of Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition Tue - Claudia Rubin of UK drug reform group RELEASE Mon - Marc Emery, Canada's Prince of Pot faces extradition to US for selling cannabis seeds
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