ASA Launches Medical Marijuana Week in Response to 3 Years of Obama’s Broken Promises
February 12th, 2012Posted by Mike Liszewski
UPDATE: Click here for today’s detailed action alert.
When President Obama was elected in 2008, the medical marijuana community was optimistic that the worst days of federal harassment were finally in the past. After all, he had once said, “I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users. It’s not a good use of our resources.” This caused patients and those who provide them with safe access to their medicine to be hopeful that the 200-plus medical 
marijuana dispensary raids under President Bush would be resigned to being a terrible memory, a dark chapter in America’s past never to be repeated. Hopeful, indeed.
For a brief time, it seemed that Obama’s campaign promises would be followed through upon, with the issuing Holder Memo, which seemed to announce a federal ceasefire in the war on patients. Ultimately, the campaign pledges and Holder Memo turned out to be broken promises, with over 170 SWAT-style raids resulting in at least 61 federal indictments, causing great distress to patients seeking safe access to their medicine. After little more than 3 years in office, Obama is not only on track to surpass two terms worth of Bush raids in just half the time, his Department of Justice has initiated a vicious attack on state sovereignty, designed to destroy the means of safe access patients have come to rely on. Americans for Safe Access is calling on patients, their loved ones, and all concerned citizens to voice their unwillingness to accept Obama’s massive assault against safe access by taking part in Medical Marijuana Week.
Things would be bad enough if the Obama DOJ had merely doubled Bush’s rate of raids, but instead, US Attorneys have escalated hostilities against safe access to include threats to public officials and landlords. Officials in at least ten states have no doubt experienced a chilling effect on their sovereignty after received threatening letters, such as the City Councils for Chico and Eureka California. This past week, Governor Markell of Delaware announced the suspension of the state’s recently passed medical marijuana program. Even the US Attorney for Colorado, John Walsh, once considered relatively amicable towards medical marijuana has sent similar threat letters, boldly proclaiming them as “not a bluff.” Americans for Safe Access has filed a 10th Amendment lawsuit against the DOJ for their coercive tactics that have derailed medical marijuana legislation in several states. In a separate federal legal action, ASA has recently filed a brief in its petition against the arbitrary and capricious refusal by the government to reclassify marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act.
Now is the time to tell the White House that enough is enough. Americans for Safe Access is launching Medical Marijuana Week with an action alert to call the White House and demand that Obama end using federal resources to undermine state laws, and stop putting politics before science by acting immediately to reclassify marijuana as medicine. Remind President Obama about his campaign broken campaign promises, because if patients, their loved ones, and concerned citizens do not tell Obama that his medical marijuana policy must change, it will never improve. After calling the White House today, please continue to join ASA’s Medical Marijuana Week actions, culminating in several local rallies on Thursday February 16, 2012, and keep the pressure on Obama until his policy promotes safe access.
ASA’s Medical Marijuana Week: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=7061
Action Alert to Call the White House: http://americansforsafeaccess.org/article.php?id=7065
February 13th, 2012 at 7:25 am
[...] ASA Launches Medical Marijuana Week in Response to 3 Years of Obama’s Broken Promises: [...]
February 13th, 2012 at 9:14 am
KEEP YOUR PROMISE
February 13th, 2012 at 9:23 am
While I agree that the federal government should leave medical marijuana patients alone I don’t blame President Obama. We need to remember that federal prosecutors are supposed to be independent of White House pressure. He cannot just order them not to enforce federal law. Bush fired eight Republican appointed federal prosecutors for not pursuing politically charged cases. Most of the cases had to do with “election fraud” where in the opinion of the prosecutors there was none. You can learn some more bout this here: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1597085,00.html
Republican president or Democratic president we want our federal prosecutors to enforce our laws. The only way to stop these raids is to harass your congresspersons and senators to change law. If you want to something truly constructive call your congressperson and demand hearings on HR 1983
February 13th, 2012 at 9:56 am
About Obama and the DoJ, they serve at his pleasure as we were reminded time and again during the Bush administration.
If the DoJ does it the President approves it.
February 13th, 2012 at 9:59 am
i totally agree with the fight for re-classification of medical marijuana…but after obama’s stellar first term…do you really think america will give him a second term? i dont, thats why i would vote for RON PAUL! legalize it
February 13th, 2012 at 10:35 am
[...] From Americans for Safe Access [...]
February 13th, 2012 at 10:48 am
[...] Today is the start of Medical Marijuana Week, and Americans for Safe Access has created a week of action for you to participate in to save safe access. Today’s target is Obama. Despite his indication to take a more reasonable approach to medical cannabis, President Obama and his Administration have become more aggressive towards our community. In addition to raids, the Obama Administration has launched a variety of new tactics including patient privacy violations, seizing and shutting down of medical cannabis related bank accounts, manipulation of the tax code, threats to government officials and landlords, and interfering with medical cannabis patients’ Right to Bear Arms. To read more about Obama’s mistreatment of our community, click here. [...]
February 13th, 2012 at 10:57 am
Please Google Jeffrey Kennedy & Medical Cannabis, There you can read or view of my victory and using the Medical Necessity Defense, I may have won my battle, Now Its time to win the war !!!!!!!!!!!!
February 13th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
[...] Despite his indication to take a more reasonable approach to medical cannabis, President Obama and his Administration have become more aggressive towards our community. In addition to raids, the Obama Administration has launched a variety of new tactics including patient privacy violations, seizing and shutting down of medical cannabis related bank accounts, manipulation of the tax code, threats to government officials and landlords, and interfering with medical cannabis patients’ Right to Bear Arms. To read more about Obama’s mistreatment of our community, click here. [...]
February 13th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
No question that this attack is coordinated and orchestrated, none whatsoever. DOJ, IRS, ATF and others working in concert. So, there are two possibilities as to why this is happening, and it could be one or both:
1) This is in response to intel that the GOP plans to use dramatized Medical Marijuana abuses as a wedge issue, after all, they are the party of fear and loathing, it is their stock in trade. So, Obama has clamped down, and it is preemptive move.
2) Big Pharma is hot and heavy on marijuana research. They will develop analogues to the real thing, patent them, and price them outrageously. They are concerned that a flourishing dispensary system would allow patients to get the real thing for a reasonable price. Why should a patient pay 100 dollars a pill, when a five dollar cookie will work as well or better? Also, Big Pharma may have the fix in with SCOTUS on the healthcare bill, and this is the price Obama must pay to protect that.
If it’s #1, it should return to sanity after the election. If it’s #2, it will only get worse, Big Pharma is eminently powerful, they will put profits over human lives and suffering every time. BTW, there are, at last count, 51 federally licensed facilities growing marijuana for “research.”
February 13th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
yes im glad i called today & i not only called to leave a message for obamma – but i called eric holder as well. If youre in south/ca visit the los angeles patients & care group in 7213 santamonica blvd in west hollywood . You can call obamma with thier phone and they have a script already for to use plus in thier you get a gift for doing youre duty & great staff as well as great medcine .
February 13th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
I would like to see some action take place in Florida. With the elderly moving here every day,and the fact that it is only a treatment option is widely overlooked. The option to choose medical services are an option that should be available to anyone regardless on where they live.
February 15th, 2012 at 8:57 pm
Legalize Marijuana grown in the US !
Lets take the profit out of the Weed that is coming across the border . We have lost the war on drugs .
We are paying millions for DEA Agents . There mission is not to stop it ! Only to profit from it.
I feel that the money that is confiscated in funds that are trying to get back to the drug cartels in Mexico is being used to promote further funding that goes to our agents .
Why would the DEA want to stop this cash cow ?
Stop this madness
February 17th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Almost everything Obama has tried to do for the good of the country gets stopped by the opposition. How many republicans do you know in favor of hemp or medical marijuana?
April 4th, 2012 at 8:49 am
Obama has flipped his so call rhetoric three times & I WAS a supporter. Now, look at the lives ruined in Calif & Colorado who just had to close 25 dispensaries. Who does Obamma work for? The Mexican Cartels? Big Pharma? or Phillip Morris who are all waiting in the wing for $$$$$. Richard Lee at Oaksterdam paid more in State & Federal taxes than Bill Gates!!!!!!!!!!! Who does Obama represent?
April 4th, 2012 at 8:50 am
Excuse the typos!
May 3rd, 2012 at 1:33 pm
[...] February, advocacy group Americans for Safe Access said: “After little more than 3 years in office, Obama is not only on track to surpass two terms worth [...]
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:33 pm
[...] February, advocacy group Americans for Safe Access said: “After little more than 3 years in office, Obama is not only on track to surpass two terms worth [...]
May 5th, 2012 at 9:38 am
[...] February, advocacy group Americans for Safe Access said: “After little more than 3 years in office, Obama is not only on track to surpass two terms worth [...]
May 18th, 2012 at 9:32 am
[...] At the time, this created a political dilemma for President Obama, who was seen as being in a position where he could not support gay marriage without risking much of his political clout in key swing states in the Midwest. But, on Wednesday, the President announced that he supported same sex marriage, ending any potential dilemma. Now the only dilemma is, should he actually support it or just say it to get votes, then go back on his word, just like he did with medical marijuana (Before the election, and after). [...]
August 5th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
[...] February, advocacy group Americans for Safe Access said: “After little more than 3 years in office, Obama is not only on track to surpass two terms worth [...]