Pubdate: Thu, 5 Feb 2009
Source: AlterNet (US Web)
Copyright: 2009 Independent Media Institute
Website: http://www.alternet.org/
Author: Paul Armentano, NORML
Note: Paul Armentano is the senior policy analyst for the NORML
Foundation in Washington, DC.
Graphic: http://www.mapinc.org/images/poll-2009-raids.gif
Referenced: The Washington Times article
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09.n129.a08.html
Alert: Please Keep the Pressure Up http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0393.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

OBAMA IS AGAINST POT RAIDS, THE PUBLIC IS AGAINST POT RAIDS, AND YET
.. THE DRUG COPS' RAIDS CONTINUE

What gives? Let's see Obama be the one who personally rains on the
DEA's eight-year parade that has crushed the lives of thousands.

Okay, try and stay with me if you can.

While campaigning for the US presidency, Barack Obama pledged not to
"use Justice Department resources to try and circumvent state
(medical marijuana) laws."

Nearly three-quarters of the American public agrees with this
position. According to a new national poll of 1,053 likely voters by
Zogby International and commissioned by the NORML Foundation,
seventy-two percent of voters say that President Obama should "stop
federal raids against medical marijuana providers in the 13 states
where medical marijuana has become legal."

But since President Obama took office two weeks ago, the US Drug
Enforcement Administration has undertaken at least seven separate
raids of state-authorized medical marijuana providers in California
and Colorado. Most recently, on Wednesday DEA officials - acting
without the cooperation of state or local law enforcement agencies -
served federal search warrants on at least four Los Angeles based
medical marijuana collectives. Agents seized medicine, cash,
financial records, and computers, but did not make any arrests.

Still with me? Good, because things are about to get even more confusing.

Today, in a front page article in The Washington Times White House
spokesperson Nick Shapiro said, "The president believes that federal
resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he
continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the
federal government, he expects them to review their policies with
that in mind."

Huh?

Okay, maybe I missed something but last time I checked Barack Obama
is, in fact, the 44th President of the United States - which means he
has the authority to tell both the US Department of Justice and DEA
Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart: "No more raids. Period!"
(NORML podcaster Russ Belville has already drafted Obama the
requisite memo here.
http://stash.norml.org/dea-continues-pot-raids-obama-opposes/ )

Or, if Obama doesn't want to be the one who personally rains on the
DEA's eight-year parade, then he can demand his newly sworn in U.S.
Attorney General Eric Holder to tell Ms. Leonhart and the DEA: "When
President Obama says 'no more raids,' he means no more raids! Any
more 'smash and grabs' in California - or any other state that's
legalized the medical use of cannabis - and you're all out of your
jobs. Got it?"

Of course, given the likelihood that President Obama won't be making
such demands of his new Attorney General any time soon, why don't you?

Click here ( http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=12591396
) and tell US Attorney General Eric Holder to uphold the will of the
President and the public. It's time for the DEA to stop circumventing
state medical marijuana laws. It's time for the raids to come to an end.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake


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