Most drug-policy-reform advocates know the name of Judge Francis Young and many can quote a line from his 1988 recommendation that the DEA remove marijuana from Schedule One: “Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.”
Few if any activists know the name of Judge James A. Washington. And whereas Judge Young’s recommendation was rejected by the DEA, Judge Washington’s decision in United States v. Robert Randall had an actual and significant impact.
via – Counterpunch “The Judge Who Ruled Marijuana is Medicine”
An excellent article by Fred Gardner that really showcases what happens when an honorable impartial judge is presented the comprehensive historical facts of marijuana prohibition. As mentioned in the article, it’s a shame the court decision by Judge Washington was not used in the Gonzales v. Raich Supreme Court case in 2005.
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thanks that was a good read