Senator Patrick Leahy Organizes Federal Conference on Marijuana Policy
Despite America’s changing view on marijuana, opening a mature dialogue with Federal authorities has been difficult. Discussions individual rights, patient care/quality of life, tax revenue, and the failed Waron Drugs are long overdue. Thefederal conversation may finally be set to get underway on September 10th as the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on marijuana policy.
Committee Chairman, Patrick Leahy (D-VT) helped to organize the conference and announced last December that he intended to have the hearing sometime in 2013. Attorney General, Eric Holder, one of the ring leaders in executing the failed White House approach has been invited to the hearing. Should he be there, this could be quite the spectacle as the Obama administration has deflected questions on marijuana policy whenever previously asked. Perhaps having high profile senators from the committee will force actual answers.
Eric Holder recently claimed he wanted an opportunity to clarify the administration’s stance on marijuana law. He will likely be granted as much time as he would like at the hearing should he choose to be chatty in the issue. Mr. Holder may face some difficult questions as many have demanded for a long time. Senator Leahy is focused on reconciling the conflicts between state and federal marijuana policy. He recently said:
“It is important, especially at a time of budget constraints, to
determine whether it is the best use of federal resources to prosecute
the personal or medicinal use of marijuana in states that have made
such consumption legal. I believe that these state laws should be
respected. At a minimum, there should be guidance about enforcement
from the federal government.”
It is unclear if the meeting will produce results. However, the administration appears to be on the defensive when it comes to marijuana policy. States are passing their own laws, unwilling to simply wait in limbo as federal authorities do nothing. Recently, the California Democratic Party had asked President Obama to lay off the raids and to start considering a policy Americans actually want. While the discussion is not over, activists deserve a considerable amount of credit. The evidence is overwhelming and yet there have not been the serious discussions on marijuana that are needed. Many would have given up, but persistence may be to thank for the upcoming Senate Judiciary meeting.
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