Pot politics: Obama feds reverse Bush crackdown

In a major victory for advocates of medical marijuana, the Obama administration today issues new guidelines that will end Bush-era federal attempts to override state marijuana laws.

Under the new rules to be released today, federal drug agents and prosecutors will be instructed not to pursue pot-smoking patients or their sanctioned suppliers in the 14 states, including California, that allow medical marijuana.

With marijuana sales still the largest source of income for violent Mexican drug cartels, prosecutors will be reminded to go after people abusing state laws or using medical marijuana as a cover for other crimes.

But two Justice Department officials told the AP that with limited resources, it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who are suffering from cancer and using medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law.

Last fall, when the economy was collapsing and Washington was looking for ways to salvage the nation's economy, there was a boomlet of talk about legalizing pot to tap into a vast underground economy whose producers and customers are not now paying taxes. Stephen Easton, an economist at the Fraser Institute, estimated that a tax on marijuana sales, if patterned on the same model as cigarette sales, could bring in $40 billion to $100 billion in new tax revenue.

Now that's reefer madness. Hmm. Maybe if that deficit gets any bigger...

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Comments

[owlafaye]

This will be considered one of the most wonderful moments of the 21st Century. We can now release a large number of prisoners in our nation's prison system, the prison population will drop dramatically and the savings and new income will contribute greatly to the further expansion of the economy. Marijuana must become legal and controlled by taxes/regulation initiatives. We can now focus our energies on solving the problems with drugs of a more heinous nature. A brillant move by the Obama administration.

[DP]

We need full legalization of all drugs, lets quit beeting around the bush, lets tax and regulate these drugs. We can generate so much tax revenue it is rediculous not to.

Also you get rid of the violent black market with legalization. And save money on the un-needed un-desirable drug war. If they legalized heroin tomorrow doesn't mean that people that don't do it now will start to use it. '

Besides i know more people than i can count that has died from "legal prescription drugs" that these big pharma companies are making billions of dollar off of us, and killing our youth, and causing medical problems with there so called medicines. I think if we are going to continue the war on drugs we should change our course of direction towards the major pharma companies.

Grow up American politicians you are at least 20 years behind the population and don't do anything else we want anyways.

I SUPPORT FULL LEGALIZATION OF ALL DRUGS

[RFWoodstock]

Valid medicinal value, it’s a victimless crime, the War on Drugs WAY too costly, too many arrests for simple possession, tax it and use the money to pay for health insurance and to reduce the deficit…Need I say more?

Woodstock Universe supports legalization of Marijuana for a number of reasons. Check them out and vote in our poll "Should marijuana be legalized?" at http://woodstockuniverse.com

Current poll results: 96% for legalization and 4% opposed…add your vote. Poll runs through October.

Peace, love, music, one world,
RFWoodstock

[Concerned_Parent]

Freedom-loving Americans support an approach allowing individuals to grow a little marijuana for personal use. It will put the illegal drug dealers out of business in a year. Limit the size of the growing area or the number of plants, and put a small user-fee on it to cover administrative costs, something like a fishing license.

One possibility:$100 per year for a permit to cultivate a dozen plants.
It's a win-win.

[Turned off]

Why did the LAT remove comments from a medical marijuana article about 1-2 weeks ago. The article about LA law enforcement deciding to go after dispensaries. The comments option and comments posted [critical of the decision] disappeared. Agenda discredits publications and makes for pointless reading in a time when newspapers need to stay relevant

[Christine Beatty]

Too bad Steve Cooley has decided to ignore this unprecedented wave of sanity from Washington and decided to pursue medical marijuana clinics here in LA. As an LA resident and a taxpayer, I am OUTRAGED at Cooley for wasting our money like this when there is so much real crime in this town. The next time he comes up for election I will think very carefully about who will fight real crime and who's grabbing the easy headlines. Move to Orange Country, Steve, they will love your politics down there. Go and waste their tax dollars and squander their police resources.

[Uncle Bernie]

This will make the Times staff happy.

[Fredster]

To see just how many local marijuana dispensaries and doctors there are in your area, do a quick search on www.weedneedz.com - you'll be surprised!

[malcolm kyle]

By criminalizing easily grown or produced plants and substances, the barriers to enter the market are enhanced, and costs are inflated. Consequently, even with the most draconian enforcement ensuring only the most hardened criminals are willing to enter the market , the temptation of massive profits made possible by inflated prices will ensure an endless stream of criminals willing to supply an endless demand. Further, this market is overseen by an impractical, inefficient, and absurdly expensive regulator, - law enforcement. The resources of which have been diverted from fighting real crimes such as theft, rape, and murder, which are far more socially malevolent than drug possession.

[Anneliese Curtis Place]

In a major victory for advocates of medical marijuana, the Obama administration today issues new guidelines that will end Bush-era federal attempts to override state marijuana laws. I would like to quote your writing in my documentory.
Anneliese Curtis Place
The Queen of Nightlife