President barack obama
Jimmy Kimmell Pressures Obama on Marijuana Reform
The pressure on the Commander in Chief to consider a new approach toward marijuana reform seems to be increasing. Recently, both the president and vice president have faced criticism from Latin American countries who have grown weary of the Cartel, and United States failed war on drugs. Participants in online chats have tried to engage President Obama as well, although the topic was simply dismissed both times. Finally, last week in an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Barack Obama attempted to clarify (though many are still confused) his position on medical marijuana. Barney Frank D-Mass) also put the president in an uncomfortable situation by taking him to task about Obama’s 2009 statements on medical cannabis at a lavish political fundraiser.
As the American 24/7 news cycle further degenerates into a collection of stories that do not engage any real impact issues, Americans have already grown to expect comedians to ask the tough questions. Although political humor is not for everyone, John Stewart and Steven Colbert, would probably be more likely to ask tougher questions of our candidates. However in Colbert’s case, the questions are not straight forward as viewers must see past his faux right wing character to deduce what he is really saying.
Jimmy Kimmel now joins the list of comics asking the tough questions. At the White House Correspondent’s dinner, the late night comic served as the event’s host and was more than willing to grill the president on marijuana. Kimmel balanced the conversation with both humor and serious points. He said “What is with the marijuana crackdown? Seriously, what is the concern? We will deplete the nation’s Funyun supply? Pot smokers vote too. Sometimes a week after the election, but they vote.” Kimmel then turned to the celebrity filled crowd and posed a question to them. He asked them to raise their hands if they did not ever use marijuana. With few hands being raised Kimmel effectively made his point and said “Marijuana is something that real people care about.”
Wherever the president seems to goes he is going to face tough questions on medical marijuana. While being “tough on drugs” may be part of his re-election strategy, is it truly working if these types of questions dog the president? The discussion is not relegated to medical marijuana states or even America as a whole. As always this president has captivated the world, and fair or not, his actions are constantly scrutinized.
Some of the venom toward the president is not fair. It is important for us to avoid being single issue voters, if possible, and the president has some landmark accomplishments such as catching Osama Bin Laden and lifting the federal ban on stem cell research. However, struggling patients may not have the luxury of engaging in the typical political discussions. Patients need relief now and may not have the time to wait for a second term or for a re-election strategy to play itself out.
Medical Marijuana Industry News April 27, 2012
President Obama Finally Addresses Medical Marijuana…
While it may not have been exactly what patients and activists were hoping for, the constant pressure from voters and media outlets may have finally forced the president into speaking about a topic he has tried so vigorously to avoid. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, President Obama may be shifting the blame on to Congress, somewhat. He told the popular culture magazine that “What I specifically said was that we were not going to prioritize prosecutions of persons who are using medical marijuana. I never made a commitment that somehow we were going to give carte blanche to large-scale producers and operators of marijuana – and the reason is, because it’s against federal law. I can’t nullify congressional law.” He then went on to say “I can’t ask the Justice Department to say, ‘Ignore completely a federal law that’s on the books. What I can say is, use your prosecutorial discretion and properly prioritize your resources to go after things that are really doing folks damage.’ As a consequence, there haven’t been prosecutions of users of marijuana for medical purposes.” Even if the president does not agree with over 70% of Americans who agree with medical marijuana, it is a step in the right direction that he is finally addressing the issue and articulating his position, even if some consider it a policy shift. The President seems to have placed the issue in Congress and said there will be no legalization “anytime soon”. If Congress were to pass a law requiring his signature, it would prove to be an interesting situation. If he wins re-election maybe we will get the chance to see how it plays out.
Click here for a link to the Rolling Stone Interview
Marijuana Found in Mendocino Prosecutor’s Home…
An unfortunate trend seems to be making itself known. Another high profile public prosecutor has been caught defying marijuana laws. Recently, a prosecutor in North Bergen New Jersey was found to be aiding a highly lucrative marijuana smuggling ring. Now, we have another public official who has been caught with marijuana in his home. Deputy District Attorney Sergio Fuentes, The Mendocino prosecutor was supposedly found to have approximately 150 plants in his home, according to the County Sheriff’s Capt. Kurt Smallcomb. Since we are now seeing this occur often it may be time for authorities to re think their marijuana laws. If they cannot abide by them perhaps they should amend them, unless authorities find black markets too profitable to amend the law.
Click here for more on this story
Marijuana Vending Machine Tested in Santa Ana…
Perhaps replacing your red box movie dispenser could be an automated marijuana machine that is not bound to hours of operation. This story is quite surprising considering marijuana’s delicate legal situation. However, in Santa Ana a marijuana dispensary machine is being tested. The machine is called Autospense. There are high tech safety measures included such as a prescription card reader and finger print recognition. However critics will likely jump all over this concept. How would a community feel about a beer vending machine? That too may alarm residents. It is understandable that the community may not be in love with this, but it is interesting to take note of technology. The company responsible for creating the machine is known as Dispense Labs. They will not be filling the machine with marijuana. Dispense Labs clearly have done a great job from a technological standpoint and maybe a machine like this would be best used at a dispensary, such as ticket kiosks located inside the airport to provide quicker service.
Click here for more on this story
Global Marijuana March To Be Held Next Week…
Known by several different names including Million Marijuana March and World Cannabis Day, the Global Marijuana March occurs on the first Saturday of May every year. There have been 738 cities and 64 countries that have signed up for the event since its inception in 1999. This year is expected to have a large turnout as marijuana has gained significant traction over the course of the previous year.
Click here for more on this and to see about the Global Marijuana March Event in your area
Barney Frank Confronts President Obama on Medical Marijuana Flip Flop
This time of year is very uplifting for medical marijuana patients and activists. It is a time where the community comes together and patients can share their stories with others. Of course there is a lot of fun at 420 events but hopefully not lost during the weekend was Rep. Barney Frank’s (D-Mass ) comments on the Obama Administration’s handling of medical marijuana.
Known for their expert coverage of American politics, Politico ran a story describing Barney Frank’s recent quotes regarding the white house and medical marijuana. Over the weekend Politico caught up with Mr. Frank and the representative said “I’m very disappointed…They look more like the Bush administration than the Clinton administration.” Barney Frank has been a long time advocate of marijuana reform and has co-sponsored bills with Ron Paul to amend cannabis prohibition.
Additionally, Opposing Views reported that both President Obama and Rep. Frank attended a lavish fundraiser across from Norml’s offices at the St. Regis Hotel. The fundraiser cost about $35,800 to attend with mostly rich liberals (Obama’s supposed base) filling the room. Reports indicate that Barney Frank challenged the president on his handling of the recent medical marijuana raids. The president then claimed that they were only going after dispensaries on a case by case basis and was unaware of what the DOJ was doing. Rep. Frank did not agree with this assertion and furthered challenged Obama on his supposed “hands off” policy. The president frustratingly said that the 2009 policy was still in place, to the best of his knowledge. The statement is strange because it seems to either indicate the president is not being truthful about his marijuana policy, or that he has no control over the federal authorities conducting the raids. Neither scenario will likely be acceptable to the American public. Representative Barney Frank has vowed to send President Obama press clippings covering the raids in case he missed the stories.
Progressives may be weary. Obama has also disenfranchised them on other issues like immigration reform, which was a staple of his 2008 election campaign. Perhaps he thinks he needs to be “tough on crime” for the election and then after the possibility of losing office disappears he will backtrack to his 2008 sentiments. At least this is what many are hoping. However, the president is gradually losing support from the medical marijuana community, which includes much of the president’s progressive base. There are surprising supporters of marijuana letting themselves be known all the time and, as Barney Frank said “Obama now lags Pat Robertson in a sensible approach to marijuana.” A dubious distinction that likely does not sit well with progressives and maybe even Barack Obama himself. Frustration may be building in the American public with both President and the likely GOP candidate Mitt Romney (nobody even seems to want to be his running mate), a third party option like Gary Johnson may seem more appealing with each day.
The idea of Obama shifting his policy once to get re-elected, then again to match his true feelings may be politics as usual. Unfortunately for a man who ran his 2008 campaign on change and avoiding politics as usual must be held to a higher standard. It is true that progressives may feel their choices are limited but Barack Obama provided so much hope for so many. The president now seems concerned with his legacy and this is not to say he has not accomplished some great things in his presidency, but does he want his legacy to simply be “better than the last guy, better than anything the GOP offered up in 2012”?
Stunning Reversal in New Jersey as Montclair Dispensary is Granted Permission to Grow Marijuana
Activists are preparing for the annual celebration of marijuana tomorrow and throughout the weekend. Several legal developments this week may make for an even more upbeat 420 weekend than normal. Marijuana.net already reported on such stories as President Obama facing pressure from the international community to legalize marijuana. Additionally, Colorado lawmakers demonstrated huge support for Amendment 64, which if passed by residents in November would legalize marijuana under state law.
What is even better news is that one negative story covered earlier this week may have quickly turned into a positive. Marijuana.net highlighted the exhausting delays patients have had to deal with in New Jersey and the corruption associated with a Bergen prosecutor Over two years ago lawmakers approved the legal use of medical marijuana, but state officials have seemingly thrown every bureaucratic obstacle in its way. This may all have changed as Greenleaf Compassion Center of Montclair has been given the green light to start growing medical marijuana immediately.
It is unclear if all red tape will finally be cut and even Green Leaf Compassion Center’s CEO Joe Stevens is approaching the situation cautiously. He said “My opinion hasn’t really changed. It’s great, and it’s a show of good faith on the department’s side, but what it comes down to is the patients. They still don’t have access and they don’t know when they will have access. It’s still meaningless to me, to be growing marijuana for patients who don’t have access.” Stevens is seeking stronger assurances from Governor Steve Christie that the medical marijuana program will not be weighed down with additional delays. The CEO does not want to grow the medicine only to have it sit around and lose its usefulness.
The news shows that persistence can ultimately achieve victory, especially when fighting for compassion and relief. There has been a great deal of pressure put on Governor Christie and New Jersey legislators lately. Joe Stevens issued a harsh letter to the Governor citing what appears to be intentional delays and the fact that his group has spent over $160,000 in trying to open Green Leaf Compassion Center. Others have also come forward and have even filed lawsuits against the New Jersey government. Perhaps wanting to avoid court cases that would not paint a flattering picture of our elected officials and their agenda to prevent the people of New Jersey from finding relief.
Outside of U.S. Comfort Zone President Obama Forced to Discuss Failed War on Drugs
Over the weekend President Obama attended the 6th Summit of the Americas in Columbia. Most of the media focus will be on the secret service prostitute scandal and Cuba’s exclusion from the event. However, medical marijuana patients were treated to at least a glimmer of hope from the weekend summit.
President Obama has sidestepped discussions on marijuana several times over the past several months. In two separate online votes, the White House has encouraged participants to submit topics they wanted the president to discuss. Marijuana reform dominated the votes, but was sidestepped by the White House. This comes at a time where patients are genuinely concerned about the administration’s handling of medical marijuana and feel that President Obama is not keeping his promise to uphold state law.
Unfortunately for the president, he was unable to maneuver out of a drug policy discussion at the Summit of the Americas. Momentum for marijuana legalization seems to be growing significantly. Many Latin American countries have voiced their opposition to the American War on Drugs recently. Vice President Joe Biden also was pressured on marijuana policy last month in his visit to Central America. As the violence has escalated out of control in the region, especially in Mexico, many former and current world leaders including former Mexico president Vicente Fox, have called for a change of course.
At the summit, President Obama maintained his current position that legalization is not the answer to combat drug cartel violence. Instead he feels we need smarter laws, better law enforcement structure and stronger economies. These general statements may not sit well with U.S. patients and residents of Latin America although President Obama did indicate that he was willing to hold a debate on the issue. He did acknowledge that the war on drugs has not been successful over the past 40 years.
While the United States Federal government seems reluctant to enact any changes to its approach on marijuana policy, other countries seem more than willing to do so. The United States now trails many other countries in education, crime rates, and stem cell research. Is America willing to take a backseat on yet another global issue?
Romney Victories and Oaksterdam Raid May Motivate Marijuana Activists
This week did not provide medical marijuana patients with the news they were hoping for. Mitt Romney picked up precious delegates in the Republican primaries and has all but assured his position in general election. Unfortunately for patients, this means that the two main candidates campaigning for president of the United States do not seem willing to discuss sensible marijuana reform. Advocates and patients were also disappointed to learn that the iconic Oaksterdam University was raided by federal agents.
Marijuana advocates have always had to assume a glass half full position and as always, there were some developments to rise out of the ashes of disheartening news. On Tuesday Mitt Romney won the primaries in Wisconsin, Washington D.C. and Maryland. The victories separate him from the rest of the pack and has produced an almost insurmountable lead for the former Massachusetts Governor. Unless a political catastrophe occurs for team Romney, his lead in the delegate count (658 to Santorum’s 281), 1,144 needed in total) should be enough to secure the nomination. The election is now likely to shift from Republican infighting to the inevitable battle between President Barack Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney.
Unfortunately for medical marijuana patients these are two candidates who do not appear ready to address the issue of reform with the American public. President Obama has sidestepped the issue several times over the past few months and Mitt Romney has repeatedly made it clear that he does not support medical marijuana. The good news is that another major political figure has reignited the issue of medical marijuana. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson appeared on “The Colbert Report” earlier this week and was more than willing to engage in many social issues such as gay marriage and marijuana legalization. Johnson may not have a particularly great chance at capturing the presidency, but he may offer a third party option that can generate more excitement than we have seen in recent years. Any exposure the former New Mexico governor gets could put pressure on both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney to explain why they are not supportive of compassionate relief.
Another blow to the medical marijuana community came in the form of a federal raid of Oaksterdam. Federal authorities have not disclosed the exact reasons as to why they raided the university. Reports do indicate that the IRS was involved, so the potential for profiting or tax issues could have caused the raid. The university was set up to try and help legitimize marijuana and to promote education and safety. There is still hope for a future University as supporters have vowed to reopen “The Princeton of Pot.” Supporters also suggested the federal government would be better off allocating resources toward the horrific shooting on the Oikos University campus.
The medical marijuana community has endured much more than a raid and presidential candidates ignoring them. Many are forced to illegally acquire medicine and deal with the risk of being arrested if they seek relief. The resiliency that the community has shown for decades is not easily shaken and will certainly not be deterred by stubborn political candidates or a building being closed. Education is more than lectures in a brick and mortar building, and it cannot be suppressed.
Colorado Residents Will get to Vote on Legalizing Marijuana in November
The 2012 election already was gearing up to be a historic election between the GOP and President Barack Obama. We also cannot lose sight of the house and senate races which will bombard our televisions. Besides its 9 electoral votes being up for grabs, Colorado figures to be a focal point this November as they were finally able to collect enough signatures to get the legalization effort on the ballot.
There has been a push (lead by the group Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol) in Colorado to collect enough signatures and get the marijuana legalization initiative on the ballot. Initially, almost double the required 86,105 signatures were submitted. State officials rejected many of the signatures on the basis that they were invalid. The initiative fell just short by about 2,400 signatures but over 12,000 were submitted just before the deadline. Yesterday, the Colorado Secretary of State’s office announced that enough signatures were collected and that the initiative will be placed on the ballots for voters to decide. Colorado voters had a similar opportunity in 2006 to legalize marijuana but chose not to. California also rejected similar measures in 2010, but advocates are hopeful that the current initiative is a better plan and polls show much more support around the country for legalization.
Colorado will not be the only state where recreational marijuana could be legalized. Through the efforts of New Approach Washington and their high profile team of U.S. attorneys, Judges, and law enforcement members, enough signatures were collected to place the issue on the ballots. The Washington plan calls for a system of regulation similar to alcohol. Other states may be poised to make serious changes to marijuana laws as well. Michigan and Missouri are among several other states where ballot initiatives are underway to legalize cannabis. There are also 17 other states with pending legislation to legalize medical marijuana and likely a few more on the way.
Calendar year 2012 already has the ingredients to make even more history than a normal presidential election year. This truly may be the year where we have one or more states that have totally legalized marijuana. While this may not provide any additional protection from the federal government, raids are harder to conduct when marijuana is permitted and available throughout a state and not just in easily identifiable store fronts. The federal government may be forced to consider reclassification earlier than they would like, unless they plan on storming the back yards of residents.
Whitened House again Flooded with Marijuana Questions in Online Q & A Session
Because the 2012 election inches closer the candidates is going to be confronted with many tough questions. While Leader Obama and the staff attempt to present him as tech savvy, they might live to regret the process. For that second amount of time in nearly as many several weeks, the Whitened House finds itself in the awkward position of squirming over questions about marijuana reform, an problem they clearly appear to become uncomfortable with. Merely a couple of years back, Leader Obama and current Attorney General Eric Holder appeared to inform advocates precisely what they desired to hear. Although Eric Holder claims the administration hasn’t transformed course, the current federal raids don’t appear to stay in step using the 2009 claims.
In November, the Whitened House mentioned they would react to any problems that received enough online votes. They stored their word but didn’t engage the problem completely that received probably the most votes, marijuana reform. They just responded by saying they’d no aim of legalizing marijuana and wouldn’t elaborate further. Following a president’s condition from the union speech a week ago, Team Obama was wishing to speak online with potential voters about issues presented within the speech. Regrettably for that Whitened House, Youtube is confirming that 18 from the 20 most widely used questions pertained to marijuana policy. The leader was likely to a minimum of discuss the problem, however neither Obama nor google’s other staff introduced the issue up. Many advocates were clearly disappointed and requested themselves why the leader retains supposed “open” Q &lifier A periods but doesn’t even provide a discuss charge problem.
Certainly one of individuals frustrated advocates is Stephen Downing, a board person in the audience Police Force Against Prohibition (LEAP). Mr. Downing taken care of immediately Leader Obama’s online session by saying “From my 20 experience I have started to see our country’s drug guidelines like a failure along with a complete waste of criminal justice assets.” Also, he added “It’s worse than silly that YouTube and Google would waste time from the leader as well as the United states citizens talking about such things as night time snacks and playing tennis when there’s an infinitely more pressing question point of interest of those who required time to sign up in voting on distribution.” The Previous LAPD Deputy Chief also reported financial and issues of safety too by saying “Most People in america now support legalizing marijuana to p-fund cartels and gangs, lower incarceration and arrest rates and save scarce public assets, all while producing new much-needed tax revenue.”
Even while the folks from the U . s . States are trying to find marijuana reform, people are being overlooked in groups. Polls show that more than 75% of the nation supports marijuana use for medical patients. Although marijuana.internet makes this situation before, we’re still baffled that political figures still run from the political problem with your a powerful consensus. It almost appears to become a knee jerk reaction because political figures happen to be familiar with running out of this conversation for many years. Other hot button issues divide the nation however with medicinal marijuana 3 from 4 people share exactly the same opinion. Advocates have become fed up with their questions being sidestepped. What’s the reason for posting online subjects when they will just finish in a web-based abyss?