The recent decision by the Veterans Admin. to change the policy that barred VA Dr.s from prescribing pain killers if they knew the patient was smoking Medical Marijuana goes a long way to validate MMJ.
DENVER — The Department of Veterans Affairs will formally allow patients treated at its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal, a policy clarification that veterans have sought for several years. http://www.nytimes.com/...
This could be the first time the Feds have acknowledged that Marijuana may have some medicinal value since the Bush 1 days of Federally Grown and dispensed marijuana. While many still believe the promise from Holder that the DEA would not bother those within State Laws, most have learned better. On July 21 a few organizations made it known they weren't happy.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 21, 2010
Following Recent Raids, Medical Marijuana Advocacy Groups Call on President Obama to Withdraw Nomination of Michele Leonhart to be DEA Administrator
Obama’s DEA Head Must Follow Stated Medical Marijuana Policy, End Obstruction of Marijuana Research, and Base Marijuana Rescheduling on Science Rather than Ideology
Michele Leonhart has been the one in charge during all the recent blatant and in-your-face raids of Dispensaries and Licensed Medical Grows. Appointed by Bush, she has been exactly the type of holdover many of us dreaded. Why should anyone be allowed to lead the jack-booted DEA over the orders of the Pres. and the vote of the People ? Now that Vets are going to be able to be a part of their States MMJ programs without losing the VA healthcare, will we be watching the DEA and Leonhart start putting more of our homecoming Vets and their Doctors in Prison?
California Norml,Drug Policy Alliance, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Marijuana Policy Project, NORML, and Students for Sensible Drug Policy along with many more supporters are firmly against Leonharts appointment. With Ca. set to vote for Legalization for all Adults in Nov. I would think that Pres. Obama and AG Holder would be better off with someone more in tune to the future. Just the plain thugginess of the DEA raids has forced issue even being on the Ballot in many ways. Californians would of be more than happy for a while if the authorities had just allowed what the voter chose to happen, the growing and sue of medical marijuana. That isn't what happen, both before and after the Obama admin.. Ever since 215 passed the Moral Brigades made up of Cops, Mayors, City Counsels, DAs, local, State, and Fed. have all gone out of their way to still lock up and punish way to many for just following the law. The most recent example of the DEAs abuse of power is the case of Medical Provider Joy Greenfield.
"the DEA has staged medical marijuana raids in apparent disregard of Attorney General Eric Holder's directive to respect state medical marijuana laws." As an example, the statement cites a recent raid on Mendocino County, California, grower Joy Greenfield, who "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." When told that Greenfield had approval from local law enforcement, the DEA agent in charge of the raid reportedly replied, "I don't care what the sheriff says." NORML et al. argue that "the DEA's conduct is inconsistent with an October 2009 Department of Justice memo directing officials not to arrest individuals 'whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.'" Who Is to Blame for the DEA's Medical Marijuana Raids?
It has been said many times that the only way Pot kills someone is if your shot being busted for it. There is too much truth to that statement as the people in Vegas found out.
From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Cole, 21, was unarmed when he was killed by a single rifle round fired by Detective Bryan Yant, who a week before the raid swore under oath that Cole had a "lengthy criminal history of narcotics sales, trafficking and possession charges" in Houston and Los Angeles.
But Cole’s record in his native California was limited to a conviction for misdemeanor unlawful taking of a vehicle. He probably never even visited Houston.
Investigators might have confused him with another Trevon Cole — one with a different middle name who is seven years older, at least three inches shorter and 100 pounds lighter, records show. That Trevon Cole has several marijuana-related arrests in Houston, all misdemeanors.
The errors in the affidavit will raise questions about Yant’s credibility next month when he tells a coroner’s inquest jury why he shot Cole, an attorney representing the dead man’s family said.
"It’s not like it’s some inaccurate e-mail he (Yant) wrote," Andre Lagomarsino said of the affidavit. "It’s a sworn statement he’s signing off on in front of a judge. He’s swearing that everything is truthful and accurate." http://www.lvrj.com/...
Nevadans are already planning to put Legalization on the Ballot in 2012 and is it any wonder ? Cole died because he sold the cops less than 2oz. over 4 buys. A real major threat huh ?
Sadly, most if not all those Democratic candidates here in Ca. have come out against Prop.19 including Jerry Brown, Barbara Boxer, and DiFi too. Even the State Party took a neutral stance. With this issue we could drive those voters who voted for change with Obama back to the polls. If we don't do something to excite the younger crowd or at the least, back their play with this issue we may just lose more seats