Congress Quietly Ends Federal Medical Marijuana Prohibition

[CountAllVotes]

Buried in the 1,600 pages of Congress' new spending plan is a quiet little passage that radically alters the way America treats medical marijuana.

The provision ends the federal prohibition on medical marijuana and bans federal agents from policing its users or raiding dispensaries in any state or district where it is legal.

The spending plan, and the medical pot provision within it, became law on Friday (which was YESTERDAY, December 25, 2015), with President Obama's signature.

Read more here: http://wokerepublic.com/congress-quietly-ends-federal-medical-marijuana-prohibition/

***************

There ya'll go -- some real good news for a change!!!

and a huge THANK YOU for the Christmas present from our President, Barack Obama!

[wendylaroux]

1. BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!!

Thank you for your signature PBO!!

[rhett o rick]

2. This is great news but how does Obama get credit? Up until recently raiding medical marijuana

dispensaries was a top priority of his administration, even in states where it was already legal.

[CountAllVotes]

3. The man hath changed his mind

Seems to me!

Happy New Year 2016 to all all the sick folks out there that know the value of this medicine that are sick & tired of the War of Drugs, the War on the Sick and being treated like criminals for no good reason at all, card or no card!

[rhett o rick]

4. Show me something that says he has changed his mind. Who gets credit here? HRC has made it

clear she thinks the issue should be studied more.

[CountAllVotes]

7. Who cares what she thinks?

In the words of Rhett Butler, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!". And that goes for me and millions of other Americans!

[questionseverything]

9. sadly i think the point is...the repub congress did this

why in the heck would dems let repubs be the ones to win on this issue?

[Warren DeMontague]

10. Because unfortunately we have a few authoritarian types in our party.

Witness debbie wasserman schultz's track record on this issue.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. On most issues.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Indeed.

[passiveporcupine]

11. Who gets the credit?

For this one, the public does. We've been speaking up for some time now and slowly changing minds with our voices and our votes.

Intelligent politicians will go with the flow. Not so much authoritarians, like Clinton.

[Warren DeMontague]

12. I think there is a tremendous amt of institutional inertia on the drug war.

I believe that after CO and WA legalized for recreational use, the drug warriors were demanding wholesale and immediate action, probably something to the tune of mass arrests and widespread incarceration of millions of pot users.

Obama, i believe, stood up to them and kept the door open to let legalization proceed.

I do not have a shitload of faith that HRC would have behaved accordingly, had she been head of the executive branch at the time.

Fortunately, its a little too late now. Horse has left the barn.

[rhett o rick]

18. Obama's people were busting marijuana dispenseries right and left up until about a

year ago. Sending people to prison for 20 years. And in California where medical marijuana use was legal. One of the most important powers of the president is the power to pick and chose where to put his enforcement priorities. He has chosen up until a year ago to very aggressively raid and prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries in states where it was legal.

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Like i said, I think there is a tremendous amount of institutional inertia.

And people who have built their entire careers on the anti-pot gravy train.

Not to mention disasters like US atty. Melinda Haag who made it a personal crusade.

My opinion is that Obama, particularly after reelection and the voters of 2 states making their views known electorally, has been able to move the ball both institutionally and culturally on the drug war, more than any president in my lifetime.

That does not mean he has been perfect, or immune to criticism. But i believe he has made some progress.

It is worth noting that there was always a discrepancy between raids in CA and raids in, say, CO- arguably because CO had a much tighter and well-constructed regulatory framework for MMJ, whereas until recently CA was totally ad hoc.

Im certainly not interested in defending the track record of raids, mind you. And I think it should be legal, regulated, and taxed for consenting adult use, and the prisoners of the stupid drug war should be pardoned en masse. Full stop.

But i still hold the opinion that Obama has been better on this than a list of alternatives would have been. JMO.

[rhett o rick]

20. I hear what you are saying, but I think this is one area where he could have easily

told the "institutions" to back off and concentrate their resources elsewhere.

[Gregorian]

5. With all of the help we get from R's, it probably takes lawyers years to make any decisions.

It's a huge system, and the other side is actively tearing it down before, during, and after we finish building it.

So tons of time has to go by while he tries to outmaneuver his opponent on things like this, and closing bases. Or so I would hope that's what he does.

I can't wait to see the look on a friend's face when I see him next. He was one of the last dispensary busts, and he had cash, and he had a gun. The guy is the friendliest, kindest person I think I've ever met. They also beat the rap. It was their case that began turning this around. They went through hell. So hopefully this will cascade down. Hell, there is no hopefully, even if we get a shit in office, because as we can all plainly see, the world is changing. Reality is becoming real again.

[CountAllVotes]

8. +1,000 !!!

Well said! Very well said!

YES WE CAN & YES WE DID!!!

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Yep. Part of what has turned it around, they just cant get juries to cooperate, at least out west.

Not anymore.

People on the east coast seem to still embrace more of a "get tough on teh drugs" mentality.

[Gregorian]

29. Very interesting...

Thanks for that perspective. Scalia does it, why can't we?

[safeinOhio]

6. I know some folks in Federal Prison

on federal laws, not state laws.

Let my people go.

[mountain grammy]

14. Agree.. and a felony conviction takes away the right to vote

in many states.. this needs to be fixed!

[SCVDem]

15. Will this be like gay marriage?

It may be legal but then you get fired for doing it.

[elmac]

27. States and localities that voted for it

and are run by repugs are still making it hard on the growers and dispensaries, usually using the fed prohibition as an excuse. I wonder what their excuse will be now?

[cui bono]

17. So... in CA where medical marijuana is legal, if CA says I can grow at my house

no one can take my house away from me for doing that now, right?

.

[SunSeeker]

21. K & R

[Uncle Joe]

23. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, CountAllVotes.

[libodem]

24. Damn Right!

That's the other thing I'm talkin' about!

[6chars]

25. So it remains a schedule 1 controlled substance

considered highly dangerous with no medical use, and therefore can still get a person sent to federal prison as a felon. the hypocrisy is amazing.

[RKP5637]

26. SOME SANITY AT LAST! THANKS!

[sadoldgirl]

28. I think that all this is showing

is the change in the country's perception. It will come in
the same way as the "gay" marriage issue: State by state.
Once it reaches about 30 states, it will become obvious
that this issue has been decided by the people. Then the
recreational permission will follow.

I don't think that the POTUS has anything to do with it,
at all. The budget bill had to be signed, which was the most
important issue for him.

[Gregorian]

30. Coauthored by a republican. This spans parties.

[tazkcmo]

31. Yay!

Thank Dog! Pot is the only thing that makes my pains bearable. I've been given some very powerful narcotics that would knock me out. No way I could function and I don't want to become addicted. Pot doesn't really do away with the pain but it makes my mind able to ignore it and I'm able to work. This is great news!

[CountAllVotes]

34. A distraction that help a lot!

Glad to know this helps you!

That is what MMJ is all about, helping those suffering and wow, there sure are plenty of people out there that suffer horribly and there seems to be not much help.

[Jesus Malverde]

32. the tide is strong...

One day we'll live free and no longer in fear. Fear of losing jobs, fear of being raided, your dogs shot, your children kidnapped by the state. Your land stolen, and maybe even your life lost. Fear no more, the times are a changing.

Jesus

[Jesus Malverde]

33. BTW

this isn't a present from President Obama. This is from the people.