The Government's Marijuana Problem

[RainDog]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2011/12/12/the-government-marijuana-problem/IkzFO6LBsHa6ss8BoWnsJO/story.html

EVEN IF I wanted to get marijuana, I wouldn’t know where to start looking. That predicament should not be true for the terminally ill. But the legal limbo regarding medical marijuana has left many state governments deciding between promoting patient care and exposing people to prosecution. Finally, the states are pushing back.

Decisions about marijuana’s medical benefits are made by the Justice Department’s Drug Enforcement Agency; decisions about whether to prosecute those who violate federal law against marijuana use reside with local US attorneys’ offices; decisions about whether there can be more medical studies are made by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, whose name gives you a sense of its priorities.

...even in the states that allow medical marijuana, federal authorities keep bringing cases against medical marijuana distributors, their clients, and the landlords that lease to them. Some may deserve it and just be fronts for recreational use. But because federal and state laws overlap, the only assurance the Justice Department can give to state supporters of medical marijuana is a promise that prosecutions against caregivers or patients are a low priority. That sentiment was reiterated by Attorney General Eric Holder just last week.

Assurances are not legally binding. This leaves governors in a terrible quandary about how, and whether, to proceed with laws allowing the distribution of marijuana for medical use. In Rhode Island, before Governor Lincoln Chafee ever enforced a law allowing distribution by “compassion centers,’’ he received a letter from the state’s US attorney to “ensure that there is no confusion.’’ With a passing reference to Holder’s priorities, the letter warns that Justice will vigorously enforce laws against the manufacture, distribution, and possession of marijuana “even if such activities are permitted under state law.’’

As the writer of this editorial notes, the federal government lags behind the science, the desire of the American population and compassion.

It's time for the DEA to reschedule cannabis, as four governors have recently requested, and as five democrats and one Republican have attempted to do via HR 2306 - a bill whose progress is stalled by one Republican representative from Texas.

A recent Senate subcommittee report noted that the war on drugs is a failure; the primary beneficiaries of current policies and actions are military contractors and drug lords.

It's time for marijuana to be handled by the FDA and medical professsionals, not the D.E.A or the N.I.D.A.

[SixthSense]

1. if you want to know where to find it

just ask your kids

depending on where you are it may be more available than beer

[RainDog]

8. Lester Grinspoon

talked about when his son was going through chemo (for leukemia.) At that time, mmj wasn't even part of the national conversation but others had mentioned it was useful - but he didn't want to break the law.

He was a prof. studying schizophrenia and had undertaken a study of marijuana b/c he was concerned about students using it. Because of his studies, and his son's experience, he became an ardent supporter of legalization.

Anyway, his wife went to her son's school and got some marijuana for him. Before he went into the doctor's office for chemo, he got high. Instead of puking his guts out, he wanted to eat on the way home... for the first time ever.

The doctors told them not to sit in the car but to bring the marijuana into the office so they could see and note the positive effect it had for this kid undergoing chemo.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Big K&R

I think we would have seen mj regulated like that long ago if it weren't for big pharma's cash in Congressional pockets. I think there might be enough support on the right as well as the left to tackle this issue if only we could keep the pharma lobby out of it.

[Scuba]

6. Don't forget the liquor lobby. nt

[Hestia]

3. This is why you get rid of the people who were with the previous administration(s)

Another point Obama bricked on.

[RainDog]

7. The DEA or NIDA, etc.

cannot even talk honestly about this issue because the job demands they lie in order to perpetuate lies. The same with the "Drug Czar."

Of course, the DEA can choose to reschedule - but Leonhart doesn't seem to be especially interested in reality when it comes to this subject.

[shanti]

14. Exactly

You can be damn sure that when *ush came in, he dumped everyone from Clinton's admin. That's usually done right away, but O has not done that.

[RainDog]

21. Bush didn't go after cannabis as harshly as Clinton did

He did have his asshole moments, like the political theater that was the take down of Tommy Chong for selling bongs (Chong, btw, was the only person with no arrest record to serve time.)

The reality is that Democrats have been just as willing to prosecute people for cannabis as Republicans.

So, criticism of Obama for maintaining Bush holdovers doesn't seem particularly relevant in this case since Democrats don't have the greatest record on this issue either.

[WheelWalker]

4. In the immortal words of The Firesign Theater,

"You really are a problem, sir. I suppose we'll have to put you up."

[RainDog]

5. It seems that the DEA is addicted to bad policy

Because if anyone looks at this issue rationally, the only reason for the DEA to continue to keep cannabis as a Schedule I drug is to protect their power - a power that is not earned for this particular substance.

[AngryAmish]

9. Legalizing pot would cost people jobs

Fewer DEA agents, cops, prison guards etc. All government employees. Do you think they would want this?

[RainDog]

10. It will create other jobs

across a spectrum and in all 50 states.

but, you're right - not the kind of jobs that imprison people for using a substance that has known medicinal qualities and is also less harmful than alcohol or tobacco - two substances that aren't regulated by the DEA at all.

Seems like those two are able to create jobs for a lot of people, as well.

however, it's important to recognize that those who profit most from the war on drugs are PRIVATE military contractors, not govt. employees.

[AngryAmish]

16. Horsehit

Way more government employees depend on this stupid drug war than private military contractors. Tens of thousand DEA, Customs, Postal Inspectors, FBI etc. on the Federal level alone. Then think about a quarter of the cops, prison guards, county jailers, court personnel, lawyers etc.

It is just another way for the government to sponge off the people.

[RainDog]

17. in terms of pure payout

military contractors make the most money, but the govt. spreads it around, for sure.

the majority of all arrests are for non-violent drug possession of small amounts, so, yes, people are making a living off of harming people who are doing no harm.

and the majority of those targeted for arrest (NYC's stop and frisk policy - "just in case" someone is doing something wrong) are African-Americans and Latinos.

[RainDog]

11. night kick n/t

[Mimosa]

12. Thanks for an excellent article, RainDog.

The criminalisation of American citizens for non-violent drug experimentation hasn't helped anybody. Moneies wasted on the war on drugs could be better used to help substance abusers.

[RainDog]

13. I thought it was a very good op-ed

glad I could share.

if you or others are interested in this topic, there are a lot of links to good articles and information in the drug policy forum.

[malthaussen]

15. Riddle me this...

If marijuana is okay for medical use, why would it not be okay for recreational use?

-- Mal

[RainDog]

18. I think that argument stems from the fact that alcohol and cigarettes are legal

there are plenty of things useful for medicine that we wouldn't recommend for recreational use.

but in terms of harm to people and society - cannabis is safer than either of those two legal substances - and the arbitrary nature of "illegal" becomes glaringly obvious when we consider this reality.

marijuana was associated with minorities and then with the counterculture - and, imo, this is the entire reason it remains illegal.

[SomethingFishy]

19. In the meantime if you don't know where to find weed

try this site:
http://www.webehigh.com/

Tells you where to get weed legally or illegally in most major cities in the world. We used this site when traveling Europe and it was quite helpful

It also tells you the laws in each city and country...

[RainDog]

20. I looked up my city

on a scale of 1-5 for ease/acceptance, it rates a 4.

"fairly trivial to find all varieties....Police tend to only look for the big people in the game, not messing with small tokers, mostly because there are too many people smoking it. However, if you give them a reason to arrest you they will, so dont flaunt anything...The people throughout the town...seem to be very accepting of smoking, since so many people do it...It is rare to find someone who is anti-green... they simply wont touch the stuff...Most people are cool with it and there are a lot of heavy dank smokers throughout town..."

among adults I know, most people are pretty casual about cannabis, even if they don't currently use themselves b/c so many have smoked in the past. I don't exactly know what a "heavy dank smoker" is, but I can guess and would imagine it has to do with the folks I see with rasta dreads. just guessing tho. when you get outside of the city and into the suburbs, that probably changes somewhat - those areas tend to vote more conservatively, too - but no one thinks of the suburbs when they think about what would best describe my burg.

[bhikkhu]

22. I'd agree its time to consider rescheduling it

...though in the meantime, its hard to put too much blame anywhere in the mess of enforcement and conflicting laws.

I'd like to see congressmen and senators running on support for legalization. Congress needs to fix the mess, basically, but we need to elect people who at least have some intention of dealing with it.

[RainDog]

23. I think the DEA needs to do a little soul searching

or, more to the point, needs to accept the OVERWHELMING evidence that cannabis has medical value.

We have people who have been in the Federal marijuana program for more than 30 years who have shown medical benefit.

We have people who have been in state marijuana programs for more 15 years who have shown medical benefit (including one the DEA basically killed by refusing to allow him to use mmj to keep down his chemo and HIV meds while under arrest.)

We have research going back to the 1970s that shows tumor-suppressing qualities of cannabis.

Research shows, for one type of breast cancer, cannabis relieves all of the pain from this chemo (cannabis is particularly useful for people undergoing chemo because the drugs used to fight cancer can kill the patient, not just the cancer.)

Research shows cannabis relieves symptoms of MS and may halt progression of the disease - AND - cannabis, whole-plant cannabis, not a synthetic, has shown to be the best medicine for MS and is legal in Canada and Great Britain for MS patients.

We know cannabis helps glaucoma patients retain their sight.

We know cannabis helps epileptics control their seizures and maintain a normal life.

IOW, there is NO justification for the DEA's scheduling of cannabis as something with no medical value.

It's true that Congress approved the prohibition of cannabis and can undo it - and they should. However, the DEA can take immediate action to correct their scheduling of cannabis, as the governors have requested.

This could and should be done immediately.