Push Back on the Federal Attack
October 8th, 2011Posted by Don Duncan
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a major new crackdown on medical cannabis patients, providers, growers, and property owners on Friday. US Attorneys told reporters at a press conference in Sacramento that every medical cannabis patients’ cooperative and collective in California is illegal and must close within forty five days – even if they are obeying state law. The DOJ also dusted off a Bush-era tactic by expanding their crackdown to property owners who rent to medical cannabis providers and growers. The DOJ has already started sending letters threatening to prosecute property owners and confiscate their real estate using federal civil asset forfeiture laws.
The Obama Administration’s about face on medical cannabis in California should be a wakeup call for medical cannabis patients and providers in every state. The new crackdown represents the most visible evidence yet of a national medical cannabis backlash. Banks are closing accounts, the Internal Revenue Service is squeezing providers, and state access programs are on hold. And of course, the Drug Enforcement Administration continues to raid medical cannabis dispensing centers and gardens.
Opponents are reacting to the expansion of safe access in sixteen states and the District of Columbia, and to moves by state and local governments to implement medical cannabis laws with meaningful regulations. Federal law enforcement and other opponents know they must move now, or risk having medical cannabis permanently entrenched in local and state law. If patients and advocates fail to check the federal escalation in California, we can expect to see these same tactics in every state where medical cannabis is legal.
Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is calling on medical cannabis patients and advocates to redouble their commitment to the grassroots campaign for safe access. We need to make our voice heard at City Hall, in our state legislatures, and in the District offices of federal lawmakers right now. Elected officials need to know they cannot sweep safe access away, and they also need to know there is a safe political space for supporting medical cannabis. ASA provides a free Advocates Training Center to hone skills in direct advocacy, community organizing, media relations, and more.
ASA also calls on the nascent medical cannabis industry, and the industries that support it, to marshal their substantial financial resources to support the patients’ movement for medical cannabis. Lawyers, consultants, bankers, real estate professionals, merchant service providers, business equipment dealers, and others are needed in the campaign for safe access right now.
The solution to this newest challenge is political. If we rise to the occasion, we can push back this federal attack on medical cannabis and swing the pendulum back in our direction. But to do it, we need the time and resources of our constituency. ASA urges everyone who cares about medical cannabis to join the fight today.
Are you an ASA member? Join today!
October 8th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
The Department of Justice needs to properly represent the majority opinion of people whose wallets fill out their paychecks… DOJ, screw you too, marijuana is a natural cure and you know it. Stop pushing aside your morals and instilling fear for your fake cause and pointless agenda… dragged out to lock innocent people up for the ridiculously lucrative profit, from street stops to the PO bonds and fees. Millions probably billions stolen from people who usually cant afford it, and then your hateful cycle is shed onto others without an ounce of remorse or way of escape…while we all turn a blind eye. I hope it doesn’t take too long for the US to take Europe’s advice and start reforming drug policies to adhere to mass opinion and right of true representation. millions upon thousands locked in a cycle for everyone else to “experience” a part of their youth doesn’t cut it anymore… and they’re criminals? i see victims.
October 8th, 2011 at 2:05 pm
One way to push back against this attack is to take this matter to the streets. Occupy Wall Street has spread across the country & planet, which includes every major city in California, including your capital city. Our issues include this one because certain powerful Wall Street profiteers depend on keeping marijuana illegal and some profit from efforts to enforce anti-marijuana laws.
Unfortunately, not enough advocates for legalizing marijuana under any circumstances, including medical, were present, or called attention to our issues during the Occupy Wall Street General Assembly meeting that resulted in the OWS GA Declarations to explain occupiers reasons for the occupation.
In the Declaration of Intent the only medical demand was for greater access to affordable, generic medicine. No mention of drug choice, as in, access to medical marijuana. Had more people representing medical marijuana patients unable to join the occupation been there in their place maybe access to medical marijuana would have been on the Declaration of Intent.
This is a golden opportunity to really get noticed and to call attention to Wall Street profiteers that bribe political parties, politicians, and others to keep patients dependent on dangerous chemical drugs by keeping marijuana illegal, even as a medicinal plant. Please don’t pass it up. Please, go Occupy California, Wall Street, or a city near you in other states.
October 8th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Could this about face be happening to help him appease the right, raise some campaign contributions and hold onto some of the conserative voters before Nov 2012?
Then after he wins a second term he goes about dismantling the schedule One classification since any political impact is meaningless.
I can’t seem to think of any rational explanation for someone who is as much of an intellectual as he is would have any other compelling reason other than political. And, since we all know there in no one in Washington who is not a whore to re-election it may be true.
October 9th, 2011 at 12:48 am
[...] Read More… [...]
October 10th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
The Feds may have other interests, too.
Readers of interest may want to consider the enormous energy usage of marijuana indoor grows reported in Kym Kemp’s Redheaded Blackbelt blog today. Is marijuana really bigger than Starbucks and Viagra?
Kym’s surprising article is at Redheaded Blackbelt: Holy Smokes!
http://kymkemp.com/2011/10/10/holy-smokes/
January 4th, 2012 at 4:47 am
[...] coalition of organizations will hold a peaceful protest against the Obama Administration’s latest escalation in the attack on medical cannabis in Sacramento on Monday, November 7. Patients and advocates from [...]
February 24th, 2012 at 10:34 am
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February 22nd, 2013 at 11:03 am
[...] http://safeaccessnow.org/blog/?p=1952 [...]