In a haze on pot policy

[bemildred]

Late last year, U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. affirmed the Obama administration's long-standing policy of taking a hands-off approach to states that had legalized medical marijuana, saying federal resources wouldn't be expended on enforcement actions as long as purveyors obeyed state law. On Tuesday, Los Angeles got a taste of the current interpretation of that policy — which is that our dispensaries are out of bounds.

Federal officials started their first major operation in L.A. by raiding dispensaries, filing court papers to seize properties rented to medical marijuana sellers and sending letters to property owners and operators of 67 dispensaries warning them to shut down within two weeks or face similar treatment. More such actions are promised.

Holder and his boss, President Obama, almost never discuss the politically poisonous topic of medical marijuana unless pressed, but in June, Holder was pressed. Under questioning from the House Judiciary Committee, he explained the reason for the recent crackdowns in California and the 16 other states that allow medicinal cannabis. Some operators, Holder said, have "come up with ways in which they are taking advantage of these state laws and going beyond that which the states have authorized."

But in California's case, how can he tell? The medical marijuana laws in this state are such a muddle that we're in a haze about who's in compliance and who isn't. That situation — which stems directly from a failure by both the Legislature and Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris to better define the law — has produced a fiasco in Los Angeles, where the City Council passed an ordinance to dramatically pare the number of medical marijuana dispensaries, abandoned it after a court decision indicated such limits were illegal, attempted to ban dispensaries entirely, and now must decide how to address a ballot measure to overturn the ban.

http://www.latimes.com/health/healthcare/la-ed-marijuana-raids-los-angeles-20120927,0,6237403.story

[Eleanors38]

1. If you are neutral or hands off the feds will wade in

And get all they can stand. Same with clinton. Its like a gangbang.

[bemildred]

2. Fear is all the drug cops have left, and they are losing that. nt

[99th_Monkey]

3. Wow. Just one more reason I'm glad I live in Oregon.

Not that I feel we're totally safe from such repression from the DEA/DoJ,
but people seem largely accepting and happy with the state's MM laws
as they are, including apparently the Feds, as we've had little or no such
raids, etc..

I wish California well in clarifying, modifying and amending their laws so
that people can amicably get on with their lives without triggering this
nonsensical counter-productive criminalization and repression of MM
programs by the Feds.

[xchrom]

4. du rec. Nt

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, bemildred.