The Obama administration deserves NO support during the upcoming elections. The DEA's crackdown on MMJ is the continuation of the policies pursued by every administration since Jimmy Carter's. The advance of the police state on the heels of the "war on drugs" and the "war on terror" has been the true motive of these officials. No politician will get my vote in the future without a clear enunciation of support for medical marijuana and patient rights. Period. I contributed to Obama's campaign but never again.

This is the Change we can Believe in? I'm not seeing any change for the better here we are making criminals out of the sick and handicapped. Look at the warnings on commercials for example anti depressants that increase the risk of suicide!  In a round about way it does take care of the illness but the outcome is unacceptable.  Drugs with side effects that in many cases are worse than the illness itself. Cannabis has none of these side effects and in many cases is much more effective in reducing the symptoms of the respective illness.   

That's all any of this has to do with, protecting corporate interests, namely, big pharma, and the alcohol industry. The pharmaceutical industry alone could lose at least half of its earnings within years of outright MMJ legalization. THATS how many ailments MMJ eases...

Oh, and Monsanto's stranglehold on the cotton industry would suffer greatly as well.

Drug prohibition was a worldwide agreement amongst nations. A conspiracy to control the masses, to take our voting rights, to steal our property, our children, our finances, to oppress our spiritual enlightenment, to shelter us, to divide us, TO SUPPRESS HUMANITY, AND TO KEEP THE CORPORATIONS RICH...

Marijuana could literally save America from ruin...

And to any Feds seeing what they can glean from this site. Leave your job, it is not more important than your fellow countrymen's liberty... 

The post said the Governor of Washington state is lighting up the fire for federal government to take a closer look at reclassifying marijuana . If he wants to light up the fire he should be joining that petition to reclassify marijuana  or file there own petition to reclassify marijuana as a state. This is what the Federal government been waiting for from medical marijuana states. The notices they sent out is informing the states that there breaking federal law is the federal governments way of telling those states that they are skipping a step by telling the Federal government that there state has looked at the 8 criteria questions for reclassifying  and determined that marijuana has accepted medical value within there state and placed it in another schedule. Which would put the Federal government in a position of what to do now that a state has petitioned them the options are reclassify it for all under controlled substance act or exempt that state from federal COS for marijuana. Once medical marijuana states start telling the Federal government that marijuana is medicine  by filing for reclassification , it is the way the law is designed,for states to determine what is medicine and tell the federal government  what they accept, that is why 2002 petition is still pending it was not looked at by a states agency that has the right to reclassify and 8 criteria applied to it and reclassified at state level ,and then filed petition to federal government  for thus change. Obama don't deserve a failing grade its the states for not filing!!!

This is exactly what we need. Public opinion has already shifted in favor of medical marijuana. The feds standing against this is going to make them look like the bad guys. Btw I know Obama didn't stand up to his position on pot, but this situation is not entirely his fault. The attorneys are the ones enforcing the laws WE haven't changed yet. He can't completely control them without changing laws. We are moving slowly toward decriminalization. Unfortunately politicians either have outdated arguments as their beliefs or are being the feds have them by the balls (btw politicians you're falling behind public opinion. this means you have your own opinion and not ours. take a look around. try and keep up). Regardless, public opinion has not shifted far enough to allow legalization. My personal belief is that due to the prolonged miseducation about marijuana, we still have a chunk of the older population that see it as a dire evil and are creating the largest roadblock to restoring order. Oddly enough this problem will take care of itself. (did I just say our problem was going to die off... I think I did. oops) 

Don't get twisted over this debate. It would be unnatural for people not to fear marijuana after what they have been taught. Give it some time. Logic is going to win out once the myths are fully dispelled.

The disease the U.S. is suffering from is the ascendancy of its military-industrial complex.  Keeping the drug war alive is just one of the symptoms.  Among the other symptoms are the fact that U.S. finances are precarious (to put it mildly), the growing legions of disabled and dead veterans, and the fact that we are stuck in a still-growing number of hopeless, pointless wars that are bleeding America white.  (After Libya, what?)

The Clintons and Obama are well-established agents of the M-I complex.  So is John McCain, who was recently in Libya on a sales mission, extolling the superiority of U.S. weapons, the saving power of JSOCs, etc.  The killing of Osama bin Laden is another sales opportunity: now the orders for stealth helicopters, real-time assassination-operation management systems, and retired JSOC mercenaries will pour in.  It's all about the money.  Follow the money and you will be enlightened.  Don't be misled by the small money involved in drugs or alcohol or crime.  Look at where the really big money goes, instead.  After all, it's your money (or, rather, your debt and your children's).  U.S. attorneys are not going after the rampant corruption of the M-I complex; instead they're prosecuting sick people and their caregivers.  What does that tell you about who's in control?

Our situation will not improve until the people of America decide that they don't like being the merchants of weapons and mercenary services, particularly when they pay *all* the bills in debt service and blood.   Hollywood, Burbank, and Madison Avenue are all complicit in keeping America from coming to any such realization, as is, of course, Wall Street and the Murdoch empire.  The truth about all this is everywhere being actively prevented from having any reforming effect.  Stupid distractions, outright lies and emotional/sensational appeals manipulate all of us every day, and we willingly drink this poisonous Kool-Aid.  (Indeed, societal and environmental poisons are some of America's most important products, and all such products are counted as part of our GDP.  We are very productively committing suicide, really.)

But the situation *will* change.  The only question is when, and how much of the America we love will still exist by that time.  (Not much, I reckon.  Looks like we'll have to start over, and with much less to work with.)  In the meantime, *exercise* your freedoms.  Your silence is the enemy of all of us, and of all our children.

Why does everyone fail to stress the MAIN POINT?  Deschedule not reschedule!

Cannabis SHOULD NOT BE ILLEGAL in any way shape or form.  It is NON TOXIC, you cannot die from it in any practical manner.

Saying it's not medicine when clearly it IS for millions, and IS safer then every single FDA approved drug on the market, is beyond untruthful.

Seriously why not talk about the AMA position that cannabis should be rescheduled and more research needs to be allowed (since the FDA shoots down any and all requests to show beneficial qualities to cannabis sativa).

Cannabis should be someone's first choice over alcohol, it's impossible to OD, won't make you get into fights with the people you love, won't give you a hangover, opens your mind to new points of view you have never considered before, and on and on.

People fear what they do not understand.  So let us put some science into this and figure out once and for all, are there any long term issues, does THC and/or CBD (cannabidiol) really kill some types of cancer tumors?

These are questions worth answering, but we can't even get past the same lies the drug czars have been spewing since Anslinger first said “There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.”.  Same garbage... new czar...

All these Governors need to GROW A PAIR and tell the Feds to "GO F#^% THEMSELVES"!!!!!! Maybe even start kicking US attorneys out of their states!!! And for God's sake, we need to get that Traitor OUT OF OFFICE IN 2012!!!!!!!!

Federal law exempts officers enforcing a state or local law on a controlled substance from having to register with US DEA to manufacture or distribute that controlled substance.  So there's no legal liability for gov't officials in this.  Otherwise police couldn't engage in sell-and-bust operations without risk of prosecution by the feds or having to register and make public the details of their operation in advance.  Just have local or state police grow and distribute medical marijuana and the federal problem goes away.  In fact, in state medical marijuana legislation 30+ years ago, stocks of marijuana in police custody were to be considered for supply if federal licensing of a mfr. was not forthcoming.

Officers enforcing a state or local law regarding a controlled substance are exempt from needing to register with DEA to manufacture or distribute that controlled substance.  Otherwise the police couldn't conduct sell-and-bust operations without the possibility of being prosecuted by the feds or having to register and make public in advance the operation.  So gov't officials have 0 liability in this.  Just have local or state police distribute med mj and the federal problem goes away.

State med mj legislation of 30+ yrs. ago even looked to stocks of marijuana in police custody for possible supply in case no federal licensure of a mfr. was forthcoming.

One can only wonder why these attorneys are going agents the original memo put out by AG Holder.  Are they jockeying for positions in the Big Pharma legal departments or other private sector corporate interests by following orders that aren't coming from headquarters.  I have yet to AG Holder come out publicly in support of these letters.  If the orders were coming from him, it should be noted in the letters from each assistant AG stating that this is the position of AG Holder.

Last but not least, there are far, far more terrible criminals that these AGs could be going after.  None have come up with a major bust of meth, cocaine, heroin or any other hard drugs.  And we are not that naive to think that the Mexican cartels aren't shipping huge amounts across our borders.  I seems that the AGs and their operatives are ignoring this and making cannabis the new public enemy number 1 now that Osama Bin Laden has been removed.

edited first sentence.

One can only wonder why these attorneys are going against the original memo put out by AG Holder.  Are they jockeying for positions in the Big Pharma legal departments or other private sector corporate interests by following orders that aren't coming from headquarters.  I have yet to AG Holder come out publicly in support of these letters.  If the orders were coming from him, it should be noted in the letters from each assistant AG stating that this is the position of AG Holder.

Last but not least, there are far, far more terrible criminals that these AGs could be going after.  None have come up with a major bust of meth, cocaine, heroin or any other hard drugs.  And we are not that naive to think that the Mexican cartels aren't shipping huge amounts across our borders.  I seems that the AGs and their operatives are ignoring this and making cannabis the new public enemy number 1 now that Osama Bin Laden has been removed.

One can only wonder why these attorneys are going against the original memo put out by AG Holder.  Are they jockeying for positions in the Big Pharma legal departments or other private sector corporate interests by following orders that aren't coming from headquarters.  I have yet to AG Holder come out publicly in support of these letters.  If the orders were coming from him, it should be noted in the letters from each assistant AG stating that this is the position of AG Holder.

Last but not least, there are far, far more terrible criminals that these AGs could be going after.  None have come up with a major bust of meth, cocaine, heroin or any other hard drugs.  And we are not that naive to think that the Mexican cartels aren't shipping huge amounts across our borders.  I seems that the AGs and their operatives are ignoring this and making cannabis the new public enemy number 1 now that Osama Bin Laden has been removed.

One can only wonder why these attorneys are are going against the original memo put out by AG Holder.

Our government views marijuana users and their supporters as terrorists, and we've seen what happens to them.  It's to the point that I hesitate to refer to it as "our" government, since "our" government would not do these things to the citizenry.  No, a more befitting term might be "The" government, an out of control, power mad institution that not only controls the population of the United States with threats, intimidation, and violence, but attempts to do this around the world.  Ask yourself, is this government really serving your interests, or do they seems to have an agenda of their own?  Do you feel that this government represents your interests and acts on your behalf?  Do you feel that this government makes decisions for you because they don't believe you are qualified to make these decisions on your own, that you are incompetent in these matters?

Americans have been expressing their dissatisfaction with this government for years.  It doesn't seem to make a difference between Democrats and Republicans because they both want to control our lives in a different way, but control our lives nonetheless.  Our representatives in government are not out to protect our freedoms, what few we have left, but rather to fulfill a prevalent agenda in our nation's capital that works against American Citizens, all while using our credit card.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy, the ONDCP, headed by Drug Czar, Gil Kerlikowske, announced that it’s new focus in the War on Drugs is going to be on prescription drugs, misuse and abuse. Presumably the illegal drug problem has either magically been fixed, or this move is a recognition that misuse and abuse of prescription drugs is a far greater problem than illegal drugs. A large part of this push will be in education , and not just education of the citizens, but of the Doctors too. The Obama Administration is going to seek legislation that will require medical professionals to go through special training to be able to prescribe addictive drugs like oxycontin, fentanyl and methodone. There are several other recommendations that require action. As for myself, I don’t know how these requirements will cut back on prescription drug abuse. Most Doctors are responsible people and those who do prescribe drugs with abandon can easily be weeded out. It’s the same old squeeze of the sausage. Squeeze the Doctors to prescribe less drugs and you push more people into the illegal drug market to get the drugs they need. The only way we will ever get a handle on this problem is to end criminal possession altogether. The idea that mere possession cries out for criminal sanctions is a fallacy.

Allowing Doctors to prescribe maintenance doses to addicts until the addicts can get into rehabilitation, and only involving law enforcement should the addict fail to attend rehabilitation, is the way to go. This approach eliminates the need for the addict to turn to the black market and enables the Doctor to monitor the addict. ’Firing’ the patient, forcing him into the black market, only helps to provide customers to the illegal drug trade, and is totally unethical.

The Government’s new focus on the prescription drug problem will entail certain requirements. These requirements will undoubtedly need an amendment to the 1970 Controlled Substances Act to be put in force. In this is an opportunity. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard people opposed to marijuana law reform say, “oh, legalizing marijuana would require amending the Controlled Substances Act. That’s too much trouble and can’t be done.” Now that the pro prohibition side wants a change, now, it’s no big deal! Marijuana law reform advocates should begin right now to prevail on those members of Congress who support ending marijuana prohibition and ask them to propose a counter amendment to the Controlled Substances Act when the Government moves for their new legislation. Prohibition as policy has not worked in almost 100 years of trying. Lets make the price of yet another try at making prohibition work the end of Federal marijuana prohibition. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Its high time for those states with medical marijuana laws to stand up for their medical marijuana users. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia say marijuana has medical use. Its time for those states to tell the DEA that marijuana does not belong in  federal schedule I. Schedule I is defined as having no medical use in the United States. Clearly it does. If the feds fail to reschedule they need to sue the U.S.government for failure to reschedule. Power to the people and to state rights. Its the states who determine medical use. The Supreme Court said so in Assisted Suicide case where the state sued the federal government. .

Oh We're Not Gonna Take It

No, We Ain't Gonna Take It

Oh We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore

We've Got The Right To Choose And There Ain't No Way We'll Lose It

This Is Our Life, This is Our Song

We'll Fight The Powers That Be Just

Don't Pick Our Destiny

Cause You Don't Know Us, You Don't Belong

Oh We're Not Gonna Take It

No, We Ain't Gonna Take It

Oh We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore 

Oh..........

Oh..........

We're Right/Yeah

We're Free/Yeah

We'll Fight/Yeah

You'll See/Yeah

Arnt these letters just threats to pull funding? What's going to happen, theyre going to get put in the federal pen? LOL. I believe a challenge would result in the federal Controlled Substances Act be substantially overhauled. Hurting and ostracizing drug users does not provide society with empirical good outside of the fact that the people that hate drug users want them to suffer. It certainly does not help drug users since it requires faith based beliefs and no government office can promote faith based beliefs.

I don't know what affects you and yours more than prohibition but I am sick to death of US kidnaps of Canadian air travellers by forcing planes down on us soil.This is in violation of international law and an abuse of Amerikan Justice.Obama is a proven hypocrite on drug issues and is following after a long line of hypocritical US Presidents.

   With that kind of talk, Obama locked up millions of votes. Maybe this lack of concern for medical cannabis businesses will help remove millions of votes. Right now I know that anyone who would select a Mad Dog like Michele Leonhart to head the DEA,is not in our corner.