Feds Issue New Marijuana Policy
 

The Associated Press

Published: October 18, 2009

WASHINGTON - Federal drug agents won't pursue pot-smoking patients or their sanctioned suppliers in states that allow medical marijuana, under new legal guidelines to be issued today by the Obama administration.

Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law.

The guidelines to be issued by the department do, however, make it clear that agents will go after people whose marijuana distribution goes beyond what is permitted under state law or use medical marijuana as a cover for other crimes, the officials said.

The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.

Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

California is unique among those for the widespread presence of dispensaries - businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services. Colorado also has several dispensaries, and Rhode Island and New Mexico are in the process of licensing providers, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that promotes the decriminalization of marijuana use.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice.

A three-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states, and also to top officials at the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.

The memo, the officials said, emphasizes that prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing which cases to pursue, and says it is not a good use of federal manpower to prosecute those who are without a doubt in compliance with state law.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the legal guidance before it is issued.

"This is a major step forward," said Bruce Mirken, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This change in policy moves the federal government dramatically toward respecting scientific and practical reality."

At the same time, the officials said, the government will still prosecute those who use medical marijuana as a cover for other illegal activity. The memo particularly warns that some suspects may hide old-fashioned drug dealing or other crimes behind a medical marijuana business.

In particular, the memo urges prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases which involve violence, the illegal use of firearms, selling pot to minors, money laundering or involvement in other crimes.

And while the policy memo describes a change in priorities away from prosecuting medical marijuana cases, it does not rule out the possibility that the federal government could still prosecute someone whose activities are allowed under state law.

The memo, officials said, is designed to give a sense of prosecutorial priorities to U.S. attorneys in the states that allow medical marijuana. It notes that pot sales in the United States are the largest source of money for violent Mexican drug cartels, but adds that federal law enforcement agencies have limited resources.

Medical marijuana advocates have been anxious to see exactly how the administration would implement candidate Barack Obama's repeated promises to change the policy in situations in which state laws allow the use of medical marijuana.

Soon after Obama took office, DEA agents raided four dispensaries in Los Angeles, prompting confusion about the government's plans.

Actual Article
The comments are pretty interesting.

Nice to see things slowly moving in the right direction.

just reinforces the fact that pot will NEVER be legalized in the US anytime soon

Was funny seeing my local news cover this today. They show clips of kids getting high, smoking bongs, smoking joints, smoking out of what looks like crack pipes, you can practically see needles sticking out of their arms..

And the story is about medical marijuana.

Why didnt they show chemotherapy patients? Doctors in lab coats? Patients with machines keeping them alive? Barfing cancer patients desperate for something to calm them and give them some relief? Guess good old stock footage of illegal drug use is "good enough" for local news huh.

Yikes!!! Amazing how the media can't be objective on hot topics like this. Saying one thing while showing another definitely sends the wrong message and the conservatives see better than they hear. The stereotype for mj users doesn't fit reality. I think until they legalize it, the media will still equate users with addicts. What they should do is compare drunk people with folks who are high. That is a much better comparison of how benign mj use is.

Change you can believe in!

Stock footage should just be banned. :)

Every time msnbc does a story on the economy, they run a reel of women shopping for clothes, always the same one for maybe a decade now. Watch for the black lady in the red hat handing over her credit card, then the close up of the credit card swipe.

Same with any airline story, they run the stock reel of airline shit. Watch for one scene where they zoom in on a ladies white sneakers. She's wearing jeans and her legs are crossed. This is from a million years ago when the big story on airlines was the cramped seating.

I notice weird shit.

That's the only thing done so far that can be considered close to "change". If only Ron Paul had Obama's campaign committee.

nice! in celebration, i am off to visit my dealer. errr, i mean dispensary!!1

That's nice. Maybe soon adults will even be able to stay out after 2:am

Yep we'll know in a few years if weed is the real gateway to harder drugs.

Thats been the crutch of every 420 debate.

As a activist I am beginning to think Eric Holder is all talk and no action.

He said the same thing as soon as Obama came into office and to prove he had no power the feds began raiding and kicking in more doors than before, and whats he do>? Nothing.

Ill believe it when the raids stop, until then, he said this before and nothing changed.

Baby steps but at least in the right direction.

Can't wait to hear Rush and Glenn bash Obama for this

Keep weed illegal! It's funner this way.

That's how people in Lame Diego roll..:1orglaugh

Styx has an apropos song for this occasion: "LIGHT UP!"

Ev-er-y-bo-d-ee!

Rush will just be pissed that it wasn't for Oxycontin :)

Is Obama giving some rightful power back to the state?

I heard about this today! I wonder if this will do anything for us Canadians? :) Loosen up You 'Mericans and let us smoke da pot!

Think Canada. :)

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

Good move. It is good for scientific research and practical.

drugs are bad, only losers get high

I like you :thumbsup

I do expect you to say with a straight face and zero lies that you take none of the following:

Vitamins in pill or liquid form, aspirin, antibiotics, pain killers, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, natural stimulants, sugar in its refined form including refined by bee's, any plants with additional properties, chocolate, street drugs, man made medications, nor super concentrations of given food items such as fish oil or garlic juice in capsule form.

I'll smoke to that!

no, i only eat wind fallen fruit, nuts, and veggies.

Nah, he probably just pointed out the obvious... that resources/money/time was being wasted going after people. Maybe next they will turn off funding for the witch hunt of legitimate adult companies.

Its a step in the right direction in the way of less persecution but not anything concrete in the way of getting the stuff legalized.

its a good step, they're still trying to get rid of a lot of dispensary's here, and put in zoning... not near schools, religious organizations etc.. but at least they can't come after you anymore

I'm gonna open a crack dispensary

Not going to happen in Texas.

Not that long ago, you could get life in prison for possession of a few joints.

thats fucking retarded!

I am currently in Denver here and it's legal! Actually the fine for up to an oz. is $1.00 that you can mail in or pay online.

And if I am in Los Angeles, L.A.P.D. doesn't really give a shit, as long as your not killing or raping anyone.

Notice the medical marijuana states are almost predominantly Democratic states?

It was also illegal to sell sex toys and by law a business could have only up to 5 on the premises. Fortunately for Fleshlight, they recently remanded that ancient law, so maybe there is hope.

Right now in Florida though, even if you get caught with small amount in your car, you can get fined plus get a year of probation with random pee tests. A friend of mine lived to tell and said he had to pay to pee each time.

I just saw a job posting on a news forum for a pot critic for a denver newspaper.... yay colorado ;)

More pot for us

13 States and counting! Nice!