A good step in the right direction:
The United States Conference of Mayors unanimously passed a historic, bipartisan resolution Monday calling on the Obama administration to stop interfering with state and local efforts to deal with the problems caused by marijuana prohibition.
“This resolution will amplify the voices of local officials and voters who are sick and tired of President Obama’s administration doing the exact opposite of what candidate Obama said he was going to do, which was respect state marijuana laws,” Tom Angell, spokesperson for drug reform advocacy group Marijuana Majority, told Raw Story in an email.
Marijuana is not really important to some people but it sure as hell is important to the US Federal Government. They do NOT want to let it go despite the majority of Americans that are asking or demanding progress on this stupidest of issues.
The resolution adds that the mayors wish marijuana were reclassified under the schedule of controlled substances, which would allow more medical research into drugs based on marijuana and permit more finely tailored laws regulating production and sales. It also calls for the Controlled Substances Act to be amended so as to allow “states and localities” the autonomy to “set their own marijuana policies without federal interference.”
They end by stating that many people have different ideas on this intergation into society - as that what proper regulation will accomplish - and feel that states and other localities should be able to set up their own guidelines, a popular idea that harkens back to the time when America was a democracy.
Short and sweet, a lot of things are going on right now that overshadow this quite easily, but this is still another good milestone in tearing down the unbelievable stupidity of marijuana prohibition and crafting progressive regulations in its place, and getting on to far more important things.
Not to worry, those of you who prefer an authoritarian presence in everything: marijuana regulation will keep the police involved, properly, as we have them enforcing tobacco and alcohol laws. But the rest of us will be freer than we are today.
And no, I don't think Obama is going to budge: toeing the line on 'mara-ju-wanna" is part of the president's job.
You no hold breath.