Mark your calendars folks; because it is not every day that I commend President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder in the same blog posting.
The Obama administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws, under new policy guidelines to be sent to federal prosecutors Monday.
Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state laws.
The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes.
Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
California is unique among those for the widespread presence of dispensaries — businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services. Colorado also has several dispensaries, and Rhode Island and New Mexico are in the process of licensing providers, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that promotes the decriminalization of marijuana use.
via AP Newsbreak: New medical marijuana policy issued – Yahoo! Finance.
Now I am not going to sit here and act like some vindictive idiot and say, “Oh, they just embraced federalism, because it was convenient!” I have always said that I would praise Obama when I felt like it was due and I would criticize him, when I felt it was due too.
Now Obama might be an idiot when it comes to his fiscal policy and domestic policy; but it comes to this one, he gets my approval. I have always felt that the Government’s so-called “War on Drugs” was a huge freaking joke and quite frankly, has not stopped totally drug usage in this Country. So, while I might poo-poo the President on some things. This is not one of them. Put an “A+” on his paper, a gold star on his rather pointed head and send him home with a hot fudge sundae; as he has done well here.
Better yet, give me the hot fudge sundae as the President is trying to watch his weigh. 😉 😛 😀
Others: New York Times, Michelle Malkin, Left Coast Rebel, Hit & Run, Alan Colmes’ Liberaland, The Corner on National …, Hot Air, The Impolitic, Donklephant, GayPatriot, Althouse Via Memeorandum
I am impressed! I’m happy to see that people from both sides of the isle are having a serious dialogue about and the social and political implications marijuana and the “war on drugs.” Bravo! Patrick, you too deserve a hot fudge sundae.