Medical Marijuana

Rhode Island lawmakers are trying desperately to come up with new rules governing the 3 medical marijuana compassion centers that are already supposed to be up and running. Federal threats derailed the first attempt earlier this year, and the feds don’t seem impressed with the attempts at new rules either.

In this case the threats are coming from U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha. His office issued a statement Wednesday again warning the state against “large-scale” cultivation and distribution. "As has been stated previously, and as I reiterated to the governor and legislative leaders during a recent meeting, the department has given guidance to U.S. attorneys that prosecuting genuinely ill persons who use marijuana for medical purposes in compliance with state laws would not be an effective use of limited federal resources," Neronha said.

"At the same time, the department’s guidance has also made clear that combating large-scale commercial cultivation and distribution of marijuana remains a priority. Anyone engaging in such activities is subject to a variety of potential federal criminal and civil remedies, including forfeiture of the real estate where such centers or associated activities are located."

In other words they won’t go after sick people, just the places where they get their medicine. How does this make any sense? It’s like telling people they are allowed to eat pizza all they want, but no businesses are allowed to make pizza and sell it. If you want pizza make your own.

So lawmakers in RI are in a useless struggle to put regulations and limits on medical marijuana, regulations and limits that will do nothing to keep the feds out of their state business.

It’s time to admit that the Obama Administration cares nothing about sick people. Unless of course those sick people are addicted to prescription drugs made by Obama campaign donors. Shame on you Mr. President. Never have there been more disappointed people in a President that started with such potential and turned out to be just another corporate lackey.

Source: http://tiverton.patch.com

Supporters of medical marijuana – especially in Colorado – know who CO Representative Jared Polis (D) is. He is a stalwart champion of medical marijuana rights and advocate of an end to marijuana prohibition.

In the video below he makes about as many good points as a person can in under 5 minutes. He eviscerates the “logic” behind prohibition and rightly highlights the way its enforcement distracts from real crime. The speech comes from the U.S. House floor last night in support of the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment which would de-fund federal attacks on legal medical marijuana providers.

We simply need more politicians like Jared Polis. But it’s up to you to vote. Don’t just go push a button or pull a lever for whoevers name you recognize. Actually know what they stand for. Do they support individual freedom? Do they support sick people being able to choose a non-toxic alternative to dangerous and addictive prescription drugs?

Hopefully Mr. Polis and those like him have nothing but success in their political careers, because without them there will be no one in government fighting for our rights. You can call us the 99% or whatever other term is popular, but we are human beings and we deserve dignity and respect and we deserve to be free to determine our own lives.

A federal prosecutor in Grand Rapids doesn’t think state medical cannabis laws should be used as a defense in federal cases and has filed a motion to keep defense attorneys from saying marijuana has medicinal value or alluding to state medical marijuana laws.

The feds also want to avoid “jury nullification,” in which jurors who disagree with the law might acquit the defendants. The possibility of this goes up if jurors are allowed to see the accused in a compassionate light.

But this is exactly why “jury nullification” needs known far and wide. The federal prosecutors want to stack the deck against defendants, saying they only go after big operators and leave medical marijuana patients alone.  That’s not really true, but even if it was, how many medical marijuana patients depend on dispensaries and collectives for their medication? If all the pharmacies in a city or town were shut down, many sick people would have to go without their medication, and that wouldn’t be allowed to stand.

It cannot be denied that federal law prohibits the growing and selling of marijuana (although the federal government grows marijuana at the University of Mississippi, you’re not allowed). So while it’s true that Michigan’s law has no effect on that, it is the duty of everyone to not enforce a law which they feel is unjust.

In the end, all we have to defend ourselves from tyranny is our conscience. Just because the federal government says things need to be a certain way doesn’t mean we must obey. If enough people take action against an unjust law, they can bring it down.

States have rights too, that is why they exist. If they couldn’t write their own laws based on the will of their citizens, why are there 50 states in the first place?

Source: http://www.mlive.com

The folks at The Montana Cannabis Industry Association are currently in a battle to repeal the restrictive medical marijuana rules enacted in their state in 2011, rules that ban the commercial sale of cannabis and place tougher restrictions on patients and doctors, and that have practically wiped out medical marijuana in Montana. The number of medical marijuana providers is down a whopping 91% since last year.

The MCIA is suing for a repeal of the law and say they have enough money to get the case to the state Supreme Court hearing later this month, but after that the money is gone. They say they need a better rate of fundraising to see the case through to the end and are urging those who would benefit the most from a restoration of medical marijuana rights to give what they can.

The MCIA says it has already spent about $150,000 on the lawsuit, and will need another $100,000.

The fact that the medical cannabis industry in Montana has been wiped out cannot be helping the fundraising situation as all those revenues are now going to the black market or into thin air. It’s an uphill battle to say the least.

And if things go south in Montana for medical marijuana advocates, the federal government will be able to use the resources focused there to intimidate another state into submission. If the battle is lost in Montana, someone else is going to feel the hammer as well.

As the numbers stand now, medical marijuana advocates have the momentum In terms of states passing and considering medicinal cannabis bills, but if even one state is forced to backtrack can we still call it “momentum?”

In the end can anyone really consider themselves free as long as those in even one state have had their rights stripped from them?

Source: http://www.greatfallstribune.com