(Phoenix NewTimes) Federal agents may bust anyone participating in a “large” pot-growing operation, despite Arizona’s voter-approved medical marijuana law, says Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke in a letter to the state.
In a recent letter to Will Humble, the director of the state Department of Health Services, Burke reiterates that the feds will look the other way when truly sick people use marijuana — but that the patients’ suppliers might be inviting trouble.
Burke compounds the schizophrenic stance by stating that federal law “may be vigorously enforced against those individuals and entities who operate large marijuana production facilities. Individuals and organizations — including property owners, landlords and financiers” face legal problems including seizure of their property and other assets.
Problem is, Burke gives no definition of “large.”
From coast (Washington) to coast (Rhode Island), President Obama’s US Attorneys are sending out these threatening letters to squash all attempts at providing safe regulated access to cannabis for medically qualified individuals under state law. The DEA has conducted raids in California, Washington, Nevada, Montana, and Michigan. The IRS is investigating the largest, most successful, best run medical cannabis dispensaries in California
(Is anyone still convinced that Mr. Obama is a friend to medical cannabis? Are there still some “just you wait ’til second term!” true believers out there?)
President Obama said he would not waste scarce federal resources going after sick people and their caregivers.
Obama’s Justice Department said it would not target providers in “clear and unambiguous compliance” with state law.
Raids in Spokane might be slip through that “unambiguous” loophole, as Washington’s law does not specifically authorize dispensaries. Threatening letters to Oakland regarding “megagrow” facilities might address the fact that authorization for such facilities isn’t “clear” under California law.
However, Mr. Obama reveals the true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal cannabis distribution industry. By sending threat letters to Rhode Island and Arizona, states that have created clear and unambiguous laws for medical cannabis providers to follow, it is obvious that Mr. Obama isn’t opposed to medical cannabis, per se, but terribly opposed to medical cannabusiness.
Politicians (and Mr. Obama is the consummate politician) realize the argument over medical marijuana is over. Polls have consistently shown for over a decade now that there is at least 2-to-1 support for medical marijuana across the country and 3-to-1 support on the coasts. Mr. Obama made a point in his campaign to refer to his mother’s battle with cancer and the dysfunctional US health care system. So he must reiterate that the feds are looking the other way in the cases of sick grandmas smoking a doob to relieve nausea from chemo.
But where would Sasha and Malia’s grandma get that cannabis? From a well-run, safe, secure, adults-only facility that verifies medical cards and IDs, provides a gamut of strain and preparation choices that are inspected and tested, and complies with state law? No, that’s exactly the kind of places Mr. Obama’s US Attorneys are threatening to prosecute.
Instead, grandma has to troll Craigslist, alt-weeklies, or visit activist meetings, hope she can find a kind grower, hope that he grows a strain that works for her, and hope this guy will provide clean safe medicine reliably and consistently. She has to hope the guy doesn’t offer “an ounce a month for $300″ deal that she has to take because she has no other choice. She has to hope she has a way to get to this guy’s house because she’s not too sure she should let him know where she lives. If she needs a tincture or edible preparation she has to know how to make that for herself if she can’t find a grower who can.
Is this the change grandma can believe in?
The opposition to “large” cannabusiness is understandable if you can put aside your compassion for grandma and think like a prohibitionist who believes marijuana is a deadly dangerous Schedule I drug that leads to cocaine, meth, heroin, and the end of Western Civilization. If “large” cannabiz establishes itself, people will become accustomed to safe, secure, well-run businesses that deliver consistent, reliable, tested cannabis products. They’ll appreciate the way these places revitalize sagging economies, provide jobs, and contribute taxes to budget-starved localities. They’ll realize all the scaremongering by the government about what would happen if marijuana was legal, even for sick people, was hysterical propaganda. They’ll begin to wonder why we don’t just legalize cannabis for everyone, create more jobs, raise more revenue, and use these established businesses as the distribution points. Most concerning for a politician, these cannabusinesses will form PACs and start delivering support and financing to pro-legalization candidates in primary elections.
You just know Barack Obama and the $19.5 million in campaign cash from the health care industry he raised in 2008 can’t have that!
Contact your elected representatives and urge them to 'Stop Arresting Marijuana Smokers'. 
I Myself do not smoke it,nor do I Grow……….or no of anyone off hand that do,there fore i believe I could be a valuable asset,as I see myself in a sense as *Non-Biased*,I have very strong opinions on this matters & similar matter’s.I am middle aged held a steady job for well over 15 years straight (the one job,I rarely missed a day of work because,at the time I was healthy & even back then the jobs did not pay the greatest/if you wanted more benefits you had to consent to it(Wisely I did,it saved my life ,I was towards the end of my employment diagnosed with idiopathic Chronic Pancreatitis) I know longer could have a ocassional BEER or rarer *no pun intended*a slab of Prime rib.I was is NON STOP pain for 24 hours,7 days a weekand in today’s climate of the DAMN DEA going after physicians for upholding there hippocratic oaths.It is easier to just NOT accept chronic Pain Patients,and the few you already have…either getting rid of then (or)pay out a few law suits than risk having the DEA take your license (and possibly sending them to prison)Google Dr.Graves Florida.So I am doomed to this meaningless existance of getting up every day(provided I was able to sleep)…to begin with,my physician use to give me the weekest Opioid on the market (since 1957),now I get nothing!!You heard correctly,I am on a dose of NON-controlled garbage,that(you will love this part)makes my family think I am (one of the living damned….a waste who does not work and is good for nothing)I guess this is what happens when you get your diploma,work your but off from daylight to twilight,obey all of the rules….do NOT break any law’s.Pay your taxes,your Social Security(which lets face it ,it is nothing but a pyramid scheme)Then along comes Pre. Obama promising to make laws on marijuana easier **APRILS FOOL JOKE**see now he has your vote and no longer care’s what you think.The States,,,,don’t you just love them???
[...] in American history. By my count his administration has also threatened doctors and states for medical marijuana policies, giving him a clean sweep. YES! WE! CAN! YES! WE! [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates that the administration’s about-face has little to do with patients’ use of medical [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] So what’s the impetus for the Obama administration’s sudden decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belvillespeculates: [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] memorandum issued by the Department of Justice: [T]he memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are “entirely consistent” with the Obama administration’s [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] most notably, the memorandum states that the recent flurry of intimidating US Attorney letters to state lawmakers are ‘entirely consistent’ with the Obama administration’s position. In [...]
[...] The scare letter tactic seems to be working. Rhode Island balked,Washington balked, now Arizona. Despite the fact that this medical marijuana has been federally illegal the whole time and New [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal cannabis [...]
[...] preference to play controversial tough ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates that a administration’s about-face has small to do with patients’ use of medical [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcasterRuss Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal cannabis [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates that the administration’s about-face has little to do with patients’ use of medical [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcasterRuss Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal cannabis [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal cannabis [...]
We havent had a real President since JFK and you see what they did to him for doing what he wanted and I believe he was trying to Make so many changes and had his own ideas, they Wacked him! So its no surprise that Obama like everyone before him has had great ideas but those ideas were shot down as soon as he walked into office! And thats that! We want a President to step up, well your asking him to risk his life to do so and I think they all know that too! Doesnt make it right just shows whats really going on in our government, its not our government its whom ever buys it at the moment!
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal [...]
[...] decision to play rhetorical hard ball? NORML Outreach Coordinator and podcaster Russ Belville speculates: “Mr. Obama’s … true intention is to stifle the development of any viable legal [...]
I will say it now and have been saying it for some time now. We need to pool our resources and go after the problem at the federal level. It’s all well and good to change state laws but until we have change in Washington we really won’t have change. Being a Congressman or woman or being a Senator should not be a career. The only way we well affect change is to get these people out of office. They could care less what you or I think. They are going to vote the party line or with corporations and specail interest. As far as I’m concerned we can do away with both major parties, form a political party that represents the people, or at least the 95% who don’t have all the money. One other thing that really eats me, how can Congress decide it’s ok for residents of DC to have medical marijuana but say to hell with the rest of us.
George Bush anyone??
[...] fours years of whining in the GC politics section. Yeah another 4 years of bullshit like this Obama’s War on Cannabusiness continues with US Attorney medical marijuana threat letters | The… And you think it helped him out big time? I know this is just one poll, but it says otherwise. [...]
Alright how could someone say obama is ok because he is just saying what his “bosses” (aka the medical company’s) say, when his real bosses are supposed to be the American people. When our president takes orders from bank ceo’s there clearly is strong corruption. He got elected by telling everyone what they wanted to hear, and by having huge amounts of campaign money that he clearly did not earn from being a corrupt Illinois senator,. It is clear with his push on his medicare and things related that he is tied into agreements with big business medicine or hospital company’s, This may mean that whenever you get a cold you get a free $3000 hospital visit (free as in your taxes pay for it), but this visit could often be stopped by use of marijuana (since i started smoking i haven’t had more then minor sickness), and therefore marijuana causes major threat on the major incomes of doctors, pharmaceutical people, etc. I do believe everyone should be entitled to free medical care, but not if it is just a system to get greedy people like doctors and obama richer, It should happen when America is thriving and we have lots of extra money. But no lets buy explosives and guns and shoot people for their oil instead (sarcasm)
Don’t blame the puppet. Blame the system. Blame those born before us.
Even if Obama gave a shit about pot legalization (all he cares about at this point is his family’s safety imo) his hands would essentially be tied by congress. WE are going to have to FIGHT if we want our right to freedom back. We should have been born with that right, but it had been taken before we even came into this world.
Get mad. Write letters. You might be doing more than that soon. Don’t be afraid.
This isn’t a war on drugs, it is on US. Our spouse. Our brothers/sisters. Our friends. WE are the majority, and they don’t care to listen even now.
We need to realize this may take far more than we had originally thought. It may very well take force. There is a corrupt system that needs to be uprooted, and some of us are the ones on to it. To me that knowledge comes with a responsibility to expose this monster, by whichever means necessary.
We all need to quit thinking a politician like Obama is going to do it for us. I too was fooled at first. If he was on our side, they would have already pulled a JFK on him.
He works for them, he’s their little lap dog.
hahaha, congress clearly DOES NOT run the show. They weren’t even consulted on the new war in Libya. Obama is a teleprompter-reading frontman for the multinational mega banks who own the pharmaceutical companies and funded his campaign. To see some of you still defending this puppet is truly disgusting.
[...] said he would not waste scarce federal resources going after sick people and their caregivers. Obama’s War on Cannabusiness continues with US Attorney medical marijuana threat letters | The… [...]
You also gotta remember that Obama is just the face for the senate and congress who really run the show, who is in turn paid by big business like the medical industry. As a miracle herb, Marijuana would make most other drugs obsolete. This would put a lot of big business under water, they have enough money to fight back. So don’t be angry at brother Obama, he just delivered the message from his boss’.
This was my letter to the Obama through the white house web site contact form on 1/28/2011 after the youtube blow-off for all those ‘internet’ people and cannabis.
this was posted in a few places, i was pissed when I watched that video, still am now, today.
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* civil rights *
* war-on-drugs *
I regret to inform the president that he has lost my support,, completely
The DNC called me yesterday looking for a donation, I refused to donate to a party that refuses to act on behalf of the American people.
The war-on-drugs must be stopped as it was wrong to begin with.
I will donate to, work for and campaign for the candidate that ‘will act’ to reform the marijuana laws.
This issue has been front and center for many years as our prisons keep growing. Those prisons are half full of non-violent-drug-offenders.
Our farmers must be able to grow hemp for manufacturing.
I see this issue as JOB NUMBER ONE.
After this has been fixed, we will move on to other pressing issues. If we can NOT fix our problems at home, we have no right to go around the world forcing issues on other countries.
You MUST legalize hemp and cannabis to keep our states united.
I had faith in Obama until this week when he sidestepped the cannabis question with the WRONG answer…
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I think Obama might be a sociopath; my reasons for thinking this are not limited to the ones stated here.
The fact that his mom died of cancer and he used her death for one of his adds, yet does not do more to promote medical marijuana is disgusting. The fact that he said that he doesn’t “doesn’t want to use a whole ‘lotta’ political capital on that issue when we’re trying to get health care passed” is vile. I guess medical marijuana is not enough of a health issue. 40-50% of the country is blindly in love with him and would probably listen to calls for medical marijuana, yet it’s the same old politics as usual with this guy.