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Following the raid on Oaksterdam University earlier this week, in which federal agents from the IRS and DEA seized bank accounts, plants, computers and records from the industry training center, founder and Prop 19 sponsor Richard Lee announced today that he will be leaving the business.
The government has yet to release the justification for this raid, but the damage is already done. The unbearable legal and financial burdens have forced Lee to step down, silencing an important voice in the movement; and the total lack of transparency will likely cast a chill over others in the medical marijuana industry as well.
It’s important to note that these raids – which candidate Obama repeatedly opposed – do not only intimidate. They also crush businesses and investors operating in a perfectly legal state and local environment, and sever a patient’s safe access to medicine – either driving them into the black market, forcing them to tolerate the dangerous and uncomfortable side-effects of pharmaceutical drugs, or leaving them to suffer.
These actions make it difficult for states to continue to pass medical marijuana laws. Some governors are blocking important medical marijuana reforms out of fear of federal retribution, and the window of opportunity for this state-by-state approach may be closing.
But simply rescheduling marijuana, which currently stands as a Schedule I drug alongside heroin and ecstasy, would allow doctors in any state to prescribe medical marijuana to patients. Governors from VT, RI and WA have already signaled their support for rescheduling to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart.
However, President Obama can reschedule medical marijuana right now with an executive order – no congressional approval needed. On his own, President Obama could end the war on patients in this country, save untold law enforcement resources, and maybe even convince young voters, a few of his erstwhile 2008 supporters, that he might not be totally awful on marijuana.
Both President Obama and AG Holder have deeply confused the public, local governments, and law enforcement on their stance on medical marijuana – claiming to let states self regulate while allowing these disastrous federal raids to continue. It’s time for President Obama to take real action if he wants the trust and support of the marijuana reform community.
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With one, unseen, hand, Obama unleashes federal agencies against the legal medical marijuana industry. On the other, highly visible, hand, he signs the rescheduling order. Humanitarian in Chief. Whaddaya think? Clever staging?
About the same time as this raid was happening, just across town some nutjob was killing 8 people at another school. Apparently, when word came over their radios about this, the local police “participating” with the feds wanted to respond to the real crime – the feds wouldn’t let them leave. Priorities!
I signed the petition even thought I’m sure it’s a waste of time. Obama doesn’t give a rat’s ass what I or any other Leftard thinks or wants.
My question is this:
Is the “marijuana reform community” prepared to actually withhold support for Obama — i.e., not vote for him — or is this just reverse kabuki?
And at the same time, a rather helpful source of CA state and/or local tax revenue has been stopped.
Sacramento was collecting some nice tax revenues from the various pot shops around town, and now that’s a revenue stream no longer available.
This whole thing STINKS for many reasons.
The suppression of these businesses is pretty outrageous, esp when the vast majority of citizens want pot to be legal and/or were certainly fine with the Medical MJ stores, which provided a revenue stream for very cash-strapped state and local govt’s.
o-Are you in ?
NO
Considering Obama got a ton of help from youth volunteers and voters in ’08 – who polls show overwhelmingly support marijuana reform – I think he can count on missing them at the polls this year if he keeps this up.
Clever staging indeed. He keeps his hand in the till at Big Pharma while he suckers everyone else into thinking he’s on the marijuana reform community side.
Great post, Brian.
thanks ghost.
Not to press but that is a passive outcome you mention. I am asking whether the leaders of the marijuana reform community will pro-actively reject Obama and, if so, what will it take before that happens? I mean, this isn’t anything new.
Since he admitted he used Marijuana and COCAINE the younger set thought it was a slam dunk what o would sdo.
He slammed them alright, we’ll have to see if they exhibit the Battered Spouse syndrome come voting time.
Trayvon was murdered during a 10 day Marijuana suspension , like o really cares.
Oh, yes I hope that’s where this is going. That’s where I intend to go at the moment if things continue this way, at least.
Although I wouldn’t really consider myself a ‘leader’ – but I know who/what you mean.
I’m sure Obama will rush to liberalize these draconian laws against marijuana. Big Pharma will continue to fund him, the DEA will applaud his display of common sense, and the prison industrial complex will encourage his action with increased campaign contributions. Oh right, this isn’t the 1st of April, is it?
Richard came closer to full legalization than anyone else. 46% is amazingly close. After the election the California Movement fragmented, the big donors abandoned Richard, and the fragmented movement has now failed to gather enough signatures to put anything on this years ballot. They threw away momentum, funding, and the endorsement of the California Medical Association with the in -fighting.
So Richard gets kicked in the teeth by the movement and the Feds for his effort.
Anybody wanna play “Reeform” now?
Barack Obama has defrauded all progressive voters with his bait and switch tactics on this issue.
If you wouldn’t sit on a jury and vote to imprison a medical marijuana patient, then you have no business voting for Barack Obama. Because it is the exact same thing.
We should all keep this in mind when election day comes around.
Who can blame Richard Lee for being tired.
This contest will go on until our side wins.
Check out this latest excellence in Colorado ..
I intend to go to this meeting and ask the Mayor (and whatever police person is there) about Occupy and Mary Jane, if given the opportunity. If anyone else wants to go and coordinate, please let me know. If anyone has a succinct question or two to ask, please let me know since I haven’t figured out yet what I intend to ask, though I have some ideas :)
Until the Fed’s MJ laws are changed I don’t think at the state level there can be MJ medical programs, clinics or related businesses, or state licensing, regulation (i.e., short of parroting the Feds), or any MJ revenue stream enjoyed by state or local gov’t. Any of that constructs a case which the Feds can’t ignore at this time.
For now the most MJ tolerant stance any state can take may be to decriminalize or legalize MJ just at the state level, and leave it at that. That means a state would have no sanction of its own, but also the state would neither support nor oppose nor participate in any action the Feds decide to pursue.
I’m not suggesting voting against any of the state ballot initiatives which are in the mill. On the contrary, a plurality in favor of these sets the stage for more liberalization going forward, and will contribute to a tipping point ultimately encouraging reform at the Fed level.
Like others here have stated – Fuck this fucking Adminsitration to fucking Hell.
I will not vote for this creepy guy with his creepy Eric Holder. his creeps at the DEA. His creeps at DOJ.
Fuck him and Michelle and their sweet little ‘organic garden” created during the same time period when Obama made his many Monsanto appointments.
Fuck him. And like other “conservatives” who have denied marijuana to those who need it, I hope someday he needs medical marijuana and finds out he is stuck with some for-crap Big Pharma product!
The ways in which President Obama has “defrauded the progressive voter” is now very long… civil rights, not pressing the rule of law (banks, BP, etc.), medical marijuana, the environment (see drilling and fracking), tax cuts for the rich, pushing for social security and medicare cuts, pushing to charter/private schools, increased war spending, and further deregulation or decreased funding for regulatory agencies as just some of the examples. Our countries future…four more years of the same. The Democratic party wouldn’t let a “peoples candidate” run. So, unless large numbers of people vote third party, or “none of the above”, these headlines will continue to be commonplace.
The Obama administration has J. Edgar Holder. It’s “Reefer Madness” all over again, except this time it is orchestrated by BIG PHARMA and BIG LIQUOR controlling the demon puppets. It is not just the Rethugs who deny science or compassion. We need better Democrats. Why is Feinstein running unopposed? She needs to go so we can replace her with a true progressive and with someone younger, although Obama is evidence that even youth is not an answer. I, by the way, am 75 years old — more evidence that youth is a better percentage risk but not the whole story.
“The government has yet to release the justification for this raid . . .”
The justification is the same as always: Legalized drugs jeopardize the jobs and income stream of a police force that is little more than a parasite on the citizenry. Just like the US military, the US police force needs a perpetual enemy even if they have to invent one.
Lying Dems like Obama are why America can’t have nice things. He just can’t say no to his Corporate owners.
Thank you Brian.
This was not on my evening news. Gee, I wonder why.
Boy, match this up with states privatizing the prison industry and negotiating contracts with a guarenteed percentage of the prison always full (so the companies are guaranteed a profit) and you get this state/police conflict of interest to throw people in prison (it’s a “growth” industry in the US!).
Ugly, ugly, ugly.
Obama had a beer summit with the cops about perceived insensitivity to a certain minority. He smoked, and may still, cigarettes for a long time. Obama really is ” Joe 40 “, if you will, and needs only a cowboy hat and gun to complete the ensemble. Maybe a shaft of Kansas straw between his lips or would that be over the top? Maybe some Hootie playin’ in the background as he mounts the horse in front of the grocery store and his handlers put the quarters in. This would be a great general election commercial but he still doesn’t get my vote.