DEA Defies The Obama Administration

DEA Defies The Obama Administration; Second Day In Office
By Betty Nuggs Northern California Cannabis Clubs Published January 23, 2009


The DEA continues to defy Obama's claim to end all funding distributed toward performing raids on medical marijuana facilities. In defiance, the DEA performed three senseless raids on medical marijuana dispensaries that led to no arrests, but only an organized legal form of robbery.

January 22nd the DEA raided Holistic Solutions in South Lake Tahoe. This was the first Federal raid to occur since President Obama took office. However, no arrests were made only cash, medical marijuana, and paperwork were confiscated. Successful medical marijuana dispensary owners are already paying state taxes up to $300,000, which doesn't even include federal taxes that are double that number. Not only is arresting medical marijuana dispensary owners not progressive, but how about double taxing honest taxpaying business owners by robbing their facility of money and product through legalized thuggery progressive? The only progress made through an action like that, is fear. Government funding should be used to fight terrorism against our country, not incite within. Our country is ready for a change and we fully supported and elected the individual who promotes that change.

Please exercise that same power and let your voice be heard by calling the White House. As provided by Americans for Safe Access, if you are speechless about these events, please feel free to use this dialogue below when calling the White House.

President Obama's position on medical marijuana is no secret. This is the single most important action you have been asked to take this year. We need President Obama's support. Once you've made this phone call, please forward this message to friends and family. Then visit www.whitehouse.gov/contact to copy and paste the above message.



Call The White House Today!

White House Comment Line: (202) 456-1111

"Hi, my name is _____________. Today, the Drug Enforcement Agency raided a medical cannabis dispensary in Tahoe, California. The dispensary was raided by DEA despite numerous statements by President Obama saying he would end federal interference with state medical cannabis laws. I'm very concerned about outgoing DEA officials undermining these state laws and aggressively threatening innocent Americans. I'm also concerned about DEA taking action that is an affront to President Obama's position. I am pleading with President Obama to issue an immediate suspension of all federal funds used to investigate, intimidate, arrest, or prosecute individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their state laws. We are being threatened by our own DEA. Please help us."



Useful Links:
We have provided the following links for reference:

http://www.examiner.com/a-1413681~Feds_raid_Peninsula_s_only_marijuana_club.html

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2008/nov/06/will_obama_end_the_medical_marij

Obama on med pot
This is from November of last year:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/11/25/479649.aspx

"My attitude is if the science and the doctors suggest that the best palliative care and the way to relieve pain and suffering is medical marijuana then that's something I'm open to because there's no difference between that and morphine when it comes to just giving people relief from pain,” Obama said. “But I want to do it under strict guidelines. I want it prescribed in the same way that other painkillers or palliative drugs are prescribed.”

Morphine, of course, is Schedule 2, which means the doctors have to file each prescription with the DEA, who are on the lookout for doctors that prescribe "too much." This is considerably more restrictive than, for example, the med pot regime they have in California.

So, reading between the lines a little bit, it would seem that the president-elect wants to move marijuana from Sched 1 (no medical use) to Sched 2 (yes, medical use, but really, really closely watched, and only if you really, really, need it). Schedule 2 means the doc has to file each prescription with the DEA. If this happens, what happens to the marijuana dispensaries in California?

Well, one answer is that they would have to close their doors, because there is no longer a justification for them. Those people who really need the pot can go through the "strict guidelines" and get it the precise measured doses that they need rather than the free-for-all you have in California. The new Michigan initiative, which as I understand it would allow patients to grow their own, would seem to be out as well. All these local initiatives will be replaced by the Schedule 2.

All of this is consistent with the "Dear Friend" note you got from Obama for America, and I'd consider that a real possibility.

Since the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, the federal government has had the task of regulating prescription drugs. As it ought to; having a patchwork quilt, each state drawing up its own rules is very cumbersome for a matter as complicated as this.