BLOG
Obama Won't Say Why He Opposes Marijuana Legalization
The overwhelming popularity of marijuana questions on the president's website has repeatedly forced him to address the issue, yet his answers are utterly lacking in substance. From Change.gov in December:President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana.And at today's event:"No, I don't think that is a good strategy to grow our economy."As lame as these responses are, you can bet he'd never have said anything at all if marijuana questions hadnât repeatedly pulled the most votes on his website. There's a subtle and revealing undertone to all of this insofar as Obama has publicly declined to actually challenge the merits of our argument in any way. For all of the stereotypical anti-pot talking points at his disposal, Obama chooses to take the softer path of pushing the matter aside as best he can and moving on. Is that because he can't refute our arguments, he doesn't want to, or both? I'm operating under the assumption that 1) Obama privately agrees with us, but remains concerned about the political consequences of associating himself with that viewpoint, and 2) Obama has enough respect for the potency of our movement that he doesn't want to piss us off any more than he has to.As frustrating as all of this is, we'd be foolish to miss the significance of our success at strong-arming the reform argument into a high profile discussion of the economy. It's not everyday that a sitting president is forced to comment on the legalization of marijuana. The fact that this even happened means we're doing something right.
Help wanted
Large fortune 500 co. in NY seeking janitorial service personnel. Drug test, and background check required, maybe. Some experience a plus, must read/write some English Corporate jet
Obama Insults Online Community for Supporting Marijuana Legalization
At his Online Town Hall meeting this morning, President Obama joked about the overwhelming popularity of marijuana legalization questions on his online forum. Well, Mr. President, if you "don't know what this says about the online audience," allow me to clue you in. We're more than just some nicknames on a computer screen. We're Americans and we have the same right as anyone else to be heard and to be treated with respect.As nearly a million among us are arrested each year for marijuana, it should come as no surprise to you that we've come together to ask why. The reason you find us in every category of your site is because the harms of the war on drugs reach into every facet of American life. Drug prohibition destroys all it touches and there is scarcely a problem we face as a nation that couldnât be made more manageable by ending this great war that continues to stigmatize and divide us.You can trivialize and dismiss our argument, but you cannot silence our movement. You make us more powerful with every public forum you hold.Update: This quote from Jack Cole at LEAP pretty much sums it up:"Despite the president's flippant comments today, the grievous harms of marijuana prohibition are no laughing matter. Certainly, the 800,000 people arrested last year on marijuana charges find nothing funny about it, nor do the millions of Americans struggling in this sluggish economy. It would be an enormous economic stimulus if we stopped wasting so much money arresting and locking people up for nonviolent drug offenses and instead brought in new tax revenue from legal sales, just as we did when we ended alcohol prohibition 75 years ago during the Great Depression."
Uh-Oh! Medical Marijuana Raid in San Francisco
Very unsettling:Federal drug agents raided a medical marijuana facility in San Francisco Wednesday night.The raid occurred at Emmalyn's California Cannabis Clinic at 1597 Howard Street. DEA spokeswoman Casey McEnry told CBS 5 the documents regarding the raid are sealed, so the DEA was not able to give many details."The documents relating to today's enforcement operation remain under court seal. Based on our investigation we believe there are not only violations of federal law, but state law as well." [CBS]By claiming the case involves violations of state law, DEA is able to maintain the appearance of abiding by the attorney general's pledge to respect state medical marijuana laws. We're left to wonder if that will now become their blanket justification, to be invoked each time they elect to move in on an established medical marijuana provider. No one was arrested in today's raid, so we'll likely be waiting a while to find out what the hell happened.The skeptical interpretation is that nothing's changed, that the feds will simply be more careful with the wording they use to describe future enforcement efforts that target medical providers. A worst-case scenario would the adoption of a policy in which the full force of federal law is brought down upon any medical marijuana provider who is accused of even a minor violation of state law. Defendants facing only federal charges would have no means to contest the grounds on which they were targeted to begin with. The practical value of Obama's purported policy shift would be negligible.However, even if that's DEA's gameplan (which wouldnât surprise me at all), I doubt it could withstand scrutiny. The salient question of why DEA is usurping the responsibilities of state law-enforcement won't escape notice and press coverage of these events grows increasingly competent as the issue continues to boil. Obama's position on medical marijuana owes a great deal to pure political pressure resulting from the deep unpopularity of the raids themselves. The public simply hates this and won't be satisfied with a fictitious shell-game solution that merely reframes what DEA is actually doing.
Yet Another Chance to Ask Obama About Marijuana Laws
So far, Obama's favorite thing about being president is getting to read all the marijuana-related questions on his website. If it weren't, then he'd surely have stopped inviting us to submit questions, right? He loves you. Each and every one of you.That's why WhiteHouse.gov is now accepting your questions on the economy. It's broken down into several categories, but multiple sections are utterly dominated by marijuana reform questions. Apparently, Americans' #1 economic concern is that marijuana is illegal. As we've done several times now, let's make damn sure the new administration sees the potency of our movement by keeping drug policy reform questions in top position. The site also encourages you to vote against questions you're less interested in, so feel free to do that too.The point isn't that marijuana laws are necessarily the top economic issue right now, but rather that the drug war went over budget a long, long time ago. It's one bad program that needs to go immediately if we're serious about making responsible decisions in tough times. Filling our prisons with non-violent drug offenders was bad enough when we still had the money to do it. Those days are behind us and no excuses remain for the political culture that has long championed the grand fiasco that now festers before our eyes.At this moment of grave economic uncertainty, the obligation of our leaders to justify their programs and expenditures has never been greater. Unless or until Obama can come forward and confidently defend every damn dollar that is poured into the war on drugs, these questions will continue to dominate every public forum he holds.
Marijuana Legalization Bill Introduced in Massachusetts
Paul Armentano at NORML has the details. From the comments, you'd think the thing had already passed. That's probably a bit much, but I don't fault folks for being excited right now. Marijuana policy reform is gaining momentum in a way we've never seen. It will still take time, but the first step is understanding that our goals are achieveable. For too long, we've been told that "it's never gonna happen."Â Suddenly, the discussion is erupting into the mainstream everywhere you look.
If You Hate Gun Control, You Can Thank the Drug War for Causing it
Escalating drug war violence in Mexico has brought recent attention to the fact that the cartels are often armed with American guns. The border is really a two-way street, with drugs moving north while cash and weaponry travel south. Here's Mexican President Felipe Calderon claiming that over 90% of the cartels' firepower comes from the U.S.U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has proposed re-implementing the assault weapons ban and discussions are under way about what else can be done to curb the flow of American weaponry across our southern border. Naturally, opponents of gun control are concerned. The popular right-wing blog NewsBusters has a post criticizing media coverage of the issue, arguing that recent statements regarding the role of U.S. weapons in facilitating Mexican drug war violence have been widely exaggerated. The conclusion caught my eye:Gun control doesn't work to stop crime. Just look at places that have very strict gun regulation. Like ... Mexico.Just replace "gun control/regulation" with "drug prohibition" and you've solved the riddle of why conditions in Mexico continue to deteriorate. Of course, while the NewsBusters site is overflowing with gun rights advocacy, discussion of drug policy is nowhere to be found, save for an occasional jab at the pro-pot liberal media. It never ceases to amaze me that some people actually believe enjoying guns is a personal choice, but enjoying marijuana is not.So let me spell it out: the drug war is a huge reason the new administration is looking at the gun issue. Drug prohibition has created a bloodbath in Mexico that is now spilling across our southern border. The problem is getting worse because our strategy of fighting it out with the cartels just causes more crime and violence. Marijuana prohibition alone plays a staggering role in funding the drug war violence that may soon result in new domestic gun control measures, yet NewsBusters has repeatedly criticized the discussion of reforming marijuana laws. The bottom line is that if you oppose gun control while simultaneously supporting a prohibitionist drug policy that increases gun violence and prompts calls for regulation, you're shooting yourself in the foot.
More DEA Nonsense
On March 22nd, two men plead guilty to kidnapping and other related charges for holding another dealer hostage while demanding a $300,000 debt be paid.
The Fine Line Between Drug Raids and Armed Robberies
It seems Philadelphia's drug cops have adopted a nasty habit of raiding corner stores accused of selling paraphernalia, then smashing security cameras and just straight-up stealing cash and merchandise. The accused officers are denying everything, of course, but the Philadelphia Daily News found multiple former informants who acknowledge being paid with cigarettes. Hmm, I wonder where those came from.It's truly remarkable how often the soldiers in the war on drugs can be found committing worse crimes than the people they're investigating.
Sentencing Postponed in Charlie Lynch's Medical Marijuana Trial
This is a potentially big development:U.S. District Court Judge George H. Wu asked prosecutors for a written response from the Justice Department about its position on medical marijuana prosecutions in light of recent comments from Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr.Holder said last week that the Justice Department under President Obama had no plans to prosecute dispensary owners who operated within their state's law.Wu said he did not believe that any change in policy would affect the conviction of Charles Lynch, 47. But the judge said he wanted to consider any new information about the policy before imposing sentence. [Los Angeles Times]Even as the new administration moves towards ending federal interference with state medical marijuana laws, Lynch's prosecution remains a national controversy and a harsh reminder that the war on medical marijuana continues to claim casualties. Attorney General Holder has only one logical choice here: tell Judge Wu to send Charlie Lynch home. It's the only option that would be morally and politically consistent with the administration's decision to respect state medical marijuana laws. Holder has been handed an opportunity to intervene and if he lets this man go to prison, he makes a mockery of everything he's said about medical marijuana policy.This is yet another important test that will tell us a great deal about the new administration's commitment to cleaning up the mess created by a decade-long war against medical marijuana. Thus far, Obama's approach has been encouraging and I'm optimistic that justice will be done in the Lynch trial as well. It should be abundantly clear at this point that the best way to avoid bad publicity with regards to medical marijuana policy is to support patients and providers.
17th gangland assisination may have been due to police press assault
Feeling the heat from their complete failure to make even one arrest in the spate of gangland killings the police have been using their trained mouth pieces to make all kinds of allegations and to pre
Drug Legalization Cited During Jon Stewart/Jim Cramer Interview, Then Edited Out
With the help of our intern, Stacia Cosner of SSDP fame, we put together this short video last week:
PATRICK LEE DIED FOR OUR SINS
Patrick Lee took an acid trip in September of 2005, and never came back. He didn't just go crazy, he died at the hands of the police. Way back in the 1960's, and even today in some lucky locatio
Obama to Reconsider Federal Blockade Against Medical Marijuana Research
Wow, it's almost hard to keep up. Here's yet another potentially major breakthrough on the medical marijuana front:Days before President Bush left office in January, his administration fired a parting shot at Professor Lyle Craker's eight-year quest to cultivate marijuana for medical research by abruptly denying him a federal license despite a nearly two-year old Drug Enforcement Administration law judge's recommendation that he receive one.But the new administration led by President Obama, who has publicly backed the use of marijuana for medical purposes to stave off pain, might reverse the decision and keep Craker's license application from going up in smoke.A source familiar with the case said the White House will likely demand that the decision be reviewed."Basically they want to do an autopsy of what occurred and have it go through a proper review," the source said. [National Journal]Anonymous sources can be misleading, so I called Aaron Houston at MPP, who told me the story is true and graciously did not request anonymity. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the administration's review ultimately results in reversal of the research blockade, but the fact that they're looking into it is a very positive indication. It should prove difficult to examine this issue without seeing it for what it is: a prolonged and transparently dishonest effort to obstruct medical marijuana research by preventing researchers from producing marijuana and denying them access to existing sources.Given yesterday's reaffirmation of Obama's pledge to respect state medical marijuana laws, it seems that a positive pattern has emerged here. The new administration is re-evaluating the issue from multiple angles and finding that medical marijuana has been mishandled at the federal level in more than one way. It's tremendously encouraging to see the executive branch taking interest in corrupt political obstructionism at the DEA. I'd encourage them to expand the inquiry beyond just medical marijuana.
Attorney General Holder Says Feds Will Respect State Medical Marijuana Laws
At a press conference yesterday:U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. said Wednesday that the Justice Department has no plans to prosecute pot dispensaries that are operating legally under state laws in California and a dozen other states -- a development that medical marijuana advocates and civil libertarians hailed as a sweeping change in federal drug policy. [Los Angeles Times]This should remove doubt once and for all about the direction the new administration is heading with regards to medical marijuana. There's been some confusion about this, but Holder himself has been consistent in maintaining that medical marijuana providers operating legally under state law will be left alone.The biggest remaining question is what will become of unresolved criminal cases initiated during the Bush administration. Charlie Lynch, whose recent federal conviction has become a national controversy, will be sentenced next week. Lynch and others like him are lingering casualties in a war that's been called off at the highest levels of government. The president and attorney general are on the right track, but the job isnât done until the innocent victims of the war on medical marijuana are set free.
DEA Mexico Chief Reyes Lists Reasons To End Marijuana Prohibition
From an article published on
Former Drug Czar Doesn't Care if you Grow Marijuana
From our friends at SSDP, here's video of former drug czar Barry McCaffrey sounding strangely agnostic about the marijuana debate:It's really a remarkable statement from a guy who presided over a massive escalation of the war on drugs. He says now that he's "not in public life" he doesn't care anymore. So I guess as drug czar he was just doing his job? Unbelievable.
Behind Bars in the Land of the Free
The Cato Institute is hosting an online debate/discussion on incarceration, featuring posts from experts with diverse perspectives on the issue. I haven't had time to dig into it yet, but Pete Guither has posted some interesting excerpts and reactions.
The Debate Over Medical Marijuana Should Have Ended a Decade Ago
NORML's Paul Armentano has a piece at reason marking the 10th anniversary of the government-funded Institute of Medicine report, which proved beyond any doubt that marijuana is medicine. The debate should have ended right then, but our opponents adopted a desperate strategy of claiming that the report said something other than what it clearly said.Fortunately, the American people took matters into their own hands we've made tremendous progress over the past decade towards increasing patient access and changing the tone of the debate. Our opponents have almost entirely conceded marijuana's medicinal value and now resort to the pathetic fallback position of saying that smoking is bad and patients should take THC pills instead.We've been proven right morally, scientifically and even politically. But it's still amazing to think that only a few short years ago our opponents were still claiming that marijuana wasn't medicine. Now that everyone knows those people were dead wrong, it's worth considering how phenomenally irresponsible it really was to withhold the truth about a medicine that could have helped people. Paul makes an important point that after years of legal medical access in several states, anyone can plainly see that opponents of medical marijuana weren't just wrong about science. They were wrong about every single bad thing they said would happen if medical marijuana became legal. Many of those people are still considered experts on drug policy. They shouldnât be.