Still not as progressive as he could be, the Obama DOJ sent a letter to Washington State Governor Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) regarding the pending implementation of a state plan to help medical marijuana patients.......
"The prosecution of individuals and organizations involved in the trade of any illegal drugs and the disruption of drug trafficking organizations is a core priority of the Department," they replied. "This core priority includes prosecution of business enterprises that unlawfully market and sell marijuana."
The letter continued: "This [bill] would authorize conduct contrary to federal law and thus, would undermine the federal government's efforts to regulate the possession, manufacturing, and trafficking of controlled substances. Accordingly, the Department could consider civil and criminal legal remedies regarding those who set up marijuana growing facilities and dispensaries as they will be doing so in violation of federal law. Others who knowingly facilitate the actions of the licensees, including property owners, landlords, and financiers should also know that their conduct violates federal law. In addition, state employees who conducted activities mandated by the Washington legislative proposals would not be immune from liability under the CSA."
Entire letter here in pdf.
The CSA is the Controlled Substances Act a glorified memo that has placed marijuana as a "Schedule 1 Drug" with "no possibility of medical value".
In citing this, specifically, the Obama administration is falling back on a republican contrivance. Gleefully it would appear.
And they are having the impact they intend:
Gov. Gregoire said Friday that due to the department's response, she would not sign the medical marijuana bil
Nice shootin' Tex.
Way to ditch the will of the People.
For over 40 years the People have been and still are trying to fix this ridiculous situation called marijuana prohibition and even the most "progressive" president EVER is viciously enforcing this fucked up republican-created law.
I never expected Obama to do anything to improve the situation but this is totally contradictory to his admin's initial "we aren't prosecuting medical marijuana laws" schtick.
As a general matter, pursuit of these priorities should not focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana. For example, prosecution of individuals with cancer or other serious illnesses who use marijuana as part of a recommended treatment regimen consistent with applicable state law, or those caregivers in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state law who provide such individuals with marijuana, is unlikely to be an efficient use of limited federal resources.
So what we see now is the Obama Administration using its power to squash the implementation of a new medical marijuana law by threatening the state's employees with criminal prosecution for following the will of their people.
That's not very progressive.