Your Request Is Being Processed... Eric Holder To Prosecute Distribution, Possession If Prop. 19 Passes

[+JohnQHempseed]

SAN FRANCISCO — Attorney General Eric Holder says the federal government will enforce its marijuana laws in California even if voters next month make the state the first in the nation to legalize the drug.

 

The Justice Department strongly opposes California's Proposition 19 and remains firmly committed to enforcing the federal Controlled Substances Act in all states, Holder wrote in a letter to former chiefs of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter, dated Wednesday.

 

"We will vigorously enforce the CSA against those individuals and organizations that possess, manufacture or distribute marijuana for recreational use, even if such activities are permitted under state law," Holder wrote.

 

The attorney general also said that legalizing recreational marijuana in California would be a "significant impediment" to the government's joint efforts with state and local law enforcement to target drug traffickers, who often distribute marijuana alongside cocaine and other drugs.

 

He said the ballot measure's passage would "significantly undermine" efforts to keep California communities safe.

 

The ex-DEA chiefs sent a letter to Holder in August calling on the Obama administration to sue California if Proposition 19 passes. They said legalizing pot presented the same threat to federal authority as Arizona's recent immigration law that spurred a federal lawsuit.

 

If California voters approve the ballot measure, the state would become the first to legalize and regulate recreational pot use. Adults could possess up to one ounce of the drug and grow small gardens on private property. Local governments would decide whether to allow and tax sales of the drug.

 

The state has clashed with federal authorities over marijuana since 1996, when voters approved a first-of-its-kind ballot measure that allowed people to grow and use pot for medical purposes. Thirteen other states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana.

 

Under federal law, marijuana is still strictly illegal. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the federal government has the right to enforce its ban regardless of state law.

 

 

[David1946]

Just watched a story on CNN about the legalization effort in California. US AG Holder has stated he has issued a letter to all DEA heads in California and throughout the US to "Vigorously enforce federal drug laws if California votes to legalize marijuana".

 

Our government criticizes other countries for their human rights violation yet our government mistreats millions of our own here at home.

 

Thirty six million people live in California and they were just told your votes don't count and even if you vote it legal we're going to make your lives a living hell.

 

Now I know not everyone in Cali smokes cannabis but for the feds to telegraph what they're going to do is freaking outrageous and borders on voter intimidation, a violation of human rights.

 

Where is his (Holder) passion in solving the illegal prescription drug industry in this country oh yeah, I forgot.

 

Big pharma owns a lot of Washington politicians and you don't bite the hand that works your strings.

[+JohnQHempseed]

This is going to get a lot of talk. I agree, this is voter intimidation and fear mongering. I just posted an article about State vs Fed called Constitution for Dummies...The state will fight this when prop 19 wins, or at least I hope they do. I was seriously expecting the Feds to take a hand off approach, one of their 3 options. In leu of that sue the state the 3rd and least desirable option has now been handed down. Can't wait to see how Obama will respond. He needs every fricking person in the country to email their disgust at this expansion of the war on drugs.

[greenbuddha]

A lot of smoke and BS.

 

AND this attempt at INTIMIDATION of the voters could VERY easily back fire on the Feds. PO enough people with threats and MANY of them will make SURE that they make it to the polls on November 2nd.

 

The Feds don't have the time, men or money to bust all those that will be growing in their little 5X5 plots that Prop 19 allows as an area to grow your own in.

 

AND I WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA in 2012.

 

We might as well have those people back in power that at least do not lie to us about how they will CHANGE THINGS and when they don't they throw it in our face.

 

And I will ACTIVELY campaign against him with both donations and my time.

[+JohnQHempseed]

With ya on that, he has bold faced mis lead the voters in 08. What a crock, we were fleeced into believing that real change on this serious national issue would come. Instead it appears more draconian than ever, may be a bunch of smoke and mirrors but most Americans do not take well to threats, might have well tossed down the gauntlet.

[Kingdiamond]

I now really get why the hippies rebelled against the government back in the 60s and 70s this country is being imprisoned by the beliefs of old outdated politicians views and we have zero civil liberties at least it feels that way .

[+RevThad]

I now really get why the hippies rebeled against the goverment back in the 60s and 70s this country is being imprisoned by the beliefs of old outdated politicians views and we have zero cival liberties at least it feels that way .

The sad part is a lot of those hippies are now the folks in elected positions of our government... absolute power and all that jazz.

[MORE COWBELL]

it will be a civil war-potheads are non-violent -we are ez targets :^(

[+Silverblue]

Just watched a story on CNN about the legalization effort in California. US AG Holder has stated he has issued a letter to all DEA heads in California and throughout the US to "Vigorously enforce federal drug laws if California votes to legalize marijuana".

 

Our government criticizes other countries for their human rights violation yet our government mistreats millions of our own here at home.

 

Thirty six million people live in California and they were just told your votes don't count and even if you vote it legal we're going to make your lives a living hell.

 

Now I know not everyone in Cali smokes cannabis but for the feds to telegraph what they're going to do is freaking outrageous and borders on voter intimidation, a violation of human rights.

 

Where is his (Holder) passion in solving the illegal prescription drug industry in this country oh yeah, I forgot.

 

Big pharma owns a lot of Washington politicians and you don't bite the hand that works your strings.

 

Well said.

 

Sb

[ants]

Just watched a story on CNN about the legalization effort in California. US AG Holder has stated he has issued a letter to all DEA heads in California and throughout the US to "Vigorously enforce federal drug laws buy e cig

if California votes to legalize marijuana".

 

Our government criticizes other countries for their human rights violation yet our government mistreats millions of our own here at home.

 

Thirty six million people live in California and they were buy electronic cigarette just told your votes don't count and even if you vote it legal we're going to make your lives a living hell.

 

Now I know not everyone in Cali smokes cannabis but for the feds to telegraph what they're going to do is freaking outrageous and borders on voter intimidation, a violation of human rights.

 

Where is his (Holder) passion in solving the buy e cigarette

illegal prescription drug industry in this country oh yeah, I forgot.

 

Big pharma owns a lot of Washington politicians and you don't bite the hand that works your strings.

 

 

 

you said mean?