FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
JULY 21, 2010
Following Recent Raids, Medical Marijuana Advocacy Groups Call on Pres. Obama to Withdraw Nomination of Michele Leonhart to be DEA Administrator
Obamaâs DEA Head Must Follow Stated Medical Marijuana Policy, End Obstruction of Marijuana Research, and Base Marijuana Rescheduling on Science Rather Than Ideology
CONTACT: Steve Fox: 202-905-2042 or [email protected]; or Mike Meno: 202-905-2030 or [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. â Today, a coalition of organizations supportive of medical marijuana patients and providers (see list of organizations below) is calling on President Obama to withdraw his nomination of Michele Leonhart to serve as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Ms. Leonhart, who is currently the DEAâs acting-administrator, has not demonstrated that she is capable of leading the agency in a thoughtful manner at a time when 14 states have enacted medical marijuana laws and science is increasingly confirming the therapeutic benefits of the substance.
           Under Leonhart's leadership, the DEA has staged medical marijuana raids in apparent disregard of Attorney General Eric Holder's directive to respect state medical marijuana laws. Most recently, DEA agents flouted a pioneering Mendocino County (CA) ordinance to regulate medical marijuana cultivation by raiding the very first grower to register with the sheriff. Joy Greenfield, 69, had paid more than $1,000 for a permit to cultivate 99 plants in a collective garden that had been inspected and approved by the local sheriff.
           Informed that Ms. Greenfield had the support of the sheriff, the DEA agent in charge responded by saying, âI donât care what the sheriff says.â The DEA's conduct is inconsistent with an October 2009 Department of Justice memo directing officials not to arrest individuals âwhose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.â
           Ms. Leonhart has also demonstrated that she is unable to be objective in carrying out the duties of the administrator as it relates to medical marijuana research. In January 2009, she refused to issue a license to the University of Massachusetts to cultivate marijuana for FDA-approved research, despite a DEA administrative law judgeâs ruling that it would be âin the public interestâ to issue the license. This single act has blocked privately funded medical marijuana research in this country. The next DEA administrator will likely influence the outcome of a marijuana-rescheduling petition currently before the agency. It is critical that an administrator with an open mind toward science and research is at the helm.
           âWith Leonhartâs nomination pending, one would expect her to be more â not less â respectful of the Department of Justice and the rights of individuals in medical marijuana states,â said Steve Fox, director of government relations at the Marijuana Policy Project. âSuch behavior is an ominous sign for the future of the DEA under her leadership. Moreover, she has continually demonstrated her desire to block privately funded medical marijuana research in this country. The Obama administration has reversed many Bush administration policies over the past 18 months. It is time to transform the culture at the DEA by either withdrawing Leonhartâs nomination or directing her to change her attitude toward medical marijuana.â
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The following organizations are calling on President Obama to withdraw the nomination of Ms. Leonhart if she does not end the attacks on individuals acting in compliance with state medical marijuana laws and commit to making decisions related to medical marijuana based on science, not a personal anti-marijuana bias:
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California NORML
Drug Policy Alliance (DPA)
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)
Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP)
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With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.
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Dear friends, Last week I presented 10 Rules for Dealing with Police at the NAACP National Conference. The panel hosted by NAACP's Criminal Justice Program was focused on youth and the criminal justice system. The 200-member audience was mostly high school and college-aged, and I couldnât have hoped for a better reception. The video got an enthusiastic round of applause. More importantly, everyone stayed for the Q&A, which went beyond the allotted hour. Before the screening, I asked if anyone had received any kind of know-your-rights training. Only a handful raised their hands. But afterward, their new knowledge inspired sophisticated questions covering Miranda rights, PATRIOT Act, videotaping police and more. Needless to say, Iâm proud to see 10 Rules resonating with NAACP and communities of color in the way we hoped it would. Weâve long anticipated that our success would depend on the ability to meet the needs of diverse audiences. Weâre excited to see the film earning praise from the NAACP, libertarians and police departments alike. Sincerely, Steve
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