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Mpp…obama: From First To Worst On Medical Marijuana


AKenewell

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During his run for the presidency, Barack Obama instilled hope in medical marijuana supporters by pledging to respect state laws on the matter. And for the first two years of his term, he was generally faithful to his promise. Yet suddenly, and with no logical explanation, over the past eight months he has become arguably the worst president in U.S. history regarding medical marijuana.

 

 

 

Presidents_Medical_Marijuana_MPP2-e1318344295534.png

 

 

1. In 1970, Nixon signed into law the Controlled Substances Act, which placed marijuana in Schedule I — the most restrictive of the five schedules, which declared that marijuana has no medical value whatsoever. Since then, all seven presidents have been content to keep marijuana in Schedule I, even going so far as to have (1) DEA bureaucrats overrule the DEA’s own administrative law judge on the matter, and (2) Health & Human Services reject scientific petitions for rescheduling.

2. In 1978, the Carter administration created the “compassionate IND” program, which allowed patients to apply to (what is now known as) HHS to legally receive monthly shipments of the federal government’s marijuana. Reagan left this program untouched for all eight years of his administration, but the first Bush closed the program to new applicants halfway through his term.

 

3. From 1969 to 1992, it was relatively easy for state governments and private institutions to investigate marijuana’s therapeutic uses: The mechanism was to get FDA approval for a research protocol, then obtain DEA permission to store and handle the marijuana, and then NIDA would provide the marijuana. After Clinton took office, his team created a new hurdle, requiring a separate HHS review of the scientific merit of an FDA-approved research protocol, which has essentially prevented all but a few research projects from moving forward over the last 18 years. Indeed, just last month, Obama’s HHS rejected an FDA-approved protocol that would have researched whether marijuana can reduce PTSD among combat veterans.

 

4. After California voters passed the first state medical marijuana law in November 1996, the Clinton administration threatened to take away the prescription-writing authority of physicians who recommend medical marijuana to patients. This bad policy was successfully blocked in federal court on First Amendment grounds.

 

5. In 1998, the Clinton administration filed a civil lawsuit to close down the premier Oakland dispensary at that time; this case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled 8-0 against that dispensary in 2001. Since then, the Bush and Obama administrations have routinely dragged dispensary owners into federal court. Most recently, on October 7, Obama’s four federal prosecutors in California announced a coordinated plan to shut down most dispensaries in the state.

 

6. Clinton’s drug czar actively spoke out against good ballot initiatives in 1996, 1998, and 2000. And Bush’s drug czar campaigned against ballot initiatives and state-level bills for all eight years of the Bush administration. Obama’s drug czar hasn’t lobbied or campaigned against medical marijuana reform measures (yet), but he has publicly opposed medical marijuana generally.

 

7. In 2000, Clinton signed into law a bill that made it harder for the federal government to seize property through civil lawsuits. Unfortunately, the federal government can still wreak havoc when it wants to, and the Bush and Obama administrations have both threatened some landlords (almost exclusively in California) with property forfeiture if they lease their properties to medical marijuana growers or dispensaries.

 

8. The IRS started going after medical marijuana businesses under the second Bush regime, and the IRS has continued doing so under Obama. In a fluke of how federal law is written, the IRS is arguing that businesses can actually deduct the cost of the marijuana that they’re selling, but businesses cannot deduct other costs (rent, salaries, insurance, supplies) that any other business would normally deduct. If this doesn’t change, almost all dispensaries will either go out of business or become tax evaders; either way, the federal government will be deprived of tax revenues.

 

9. This past spring, Obama’s U.S. attorneys in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington state issued letters to local and state government officials at carefully chosen times, for the purpose of killing medical marijuana reform measures or hampering implementation in each state.

 

10. Over the last couple of years, medical marijuana businesses have been having trouble finding banking institutions that are willing to accept their money. When members of Congress asked Obama’s Treasury Department for guidance, the Treasury Department said that each banking institution would have to determine its own tolerance for risk — without defining what might constitute a risky situation. And now, just in the past couple of weeks, the Obama administration has been scaring California banks into dropping all businesses that are involved with medical marijuana.

 

11. On September 21, Obama’s ATF issued an open letter saying that gun shops cannot sell guns to medical marijuana patients — or people who are known to be addicted to drugs other than alcohol or tobacco, ironically enough.

 

So those are the footnotes for the chart. Depressing, huh?

 

But there may be a way forward through this mess: Since Colorado, Maine, and New Mexico set up state-licensing systems for medical marijuana businesses in recent years, literally zero such businesses in these three states have been raided by the feds.

 

(All the raids we hear about — in California, Michigan, Montana, and Washington state — do not involve any state-licensed businesses. At best, some of the targeted businesses were licensed by local governments in California under a loosely worded provision of California state law.)

 

Technically, federal prosecutors can civilly or criminally target any marijuana businesses they want — in any state — until we change federal law. But, for the time being, the feds appear not to be targeting medical marijuana businesses with state licenses.

 

It’s worth noting that my organization has successfully enacted new laws that include state licensing in Arizona, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Vermont over the last two years. (And D.C. and New Jersey have licensing systems, too.)

 

So we may have a way forward. Unfortunately, the plan now assumes hostility from the former marijuana user in the White House who used to profess notions of hope, change, and compassion toward the less fortunate. Shame on him.

 

 

 

http://www.mpp.org/s...o-worst-on.html

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It seems apparent that MPP's view is dominated by dispensary interests. The multi-state dispensary explosion was caused by a purposeful misinterpretation of the Ogden memo by national marijuana groups, specifically MPP, ASA, and DPA. I really don't think any of us reading it directly would have thought that the Feds were giving the green light to dispensaries and commercial grows, especially when you factor in the continual stream of letters that has subsequently been delivered from US Attorneys to employees of states and municipalities that have thought about or chosen to license activities outside of the protections of their state law.

 

It really doesn't seem to me that Obama has gone back on any campaign promises, nor that the original Ogden memo was misleading in any way.

Thanks. Couldn't have said it better myself(literally).

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I would say MPP can take their state licensed dispensaries and stick em where the sun don't shine. It is my belief MMJ should be a cottage industry and the MPP doesn't seem to agree with that.

 

 

i think its funny how you guys cant see how horrible obammer is only gripe about mpp.....but you darn well your cottage door will get kicked in when obammer and his gestapo show up to put u in prison for following state law

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What do you think this part meant?

 

"On the other hand, prosecution of commercial enterprises that unlawfully market and sell marijuana for profit continues to be an enforcement priority of the Department."

 

And this:

 

"To be sure, claims of compliance with state or local law may mask operations inconsistent with the terms, conditions, or purposes of those laws, and federal law enforcement should not be deterred by such assertions when otherwise pursuing the Department's core enforcement priorities."

 

I don't like what it said, but it wasn't a green light for dispensaries in any way, and it did not say that they were leaving marijuana enforcement to the states. It was not misleading.

 

 

remember the time line...this memo came after oabmmers lies...."sell marijuana for profit continues to be" did you see that? its a non profit place...gets audited several times a year....it was all right in the show. they were raided as part of oabmmers war on mmj...the excuse given was that their size made it more likely they might break the state law.... they never did...take the blinders off.

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Lets just say Its a Obama thing.Why dont you just say you dont like people of color

 

lmao you must be the pride in joy in the drone army...drone on drone :skydive: where do you get your idea about colored people? because i dont support obammer? shows just how bad your boy really is. weak...real weak

Edited by GanjaWarrior
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lamo you must be the pride in joy in the drone army...drone on drone :skydive: where do you get your idea about colored people? because i dont support obammer? shows just how bad your boy really is. weak...real weak

It just gives that impression when you keep writing obammer instead of Obama.

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from what i know "bammer" was a term for crappy brick weed in the early 90s...among the black rappers i grew up listening to....so obamma became obammer.... do to his horrible stance on mmj his dishonesty, and his corp whore status :lolu: so once again the race card fails and your still supporting a dishonest turd who would rather see you in prison. but feel free to insinuate things about me... :skydive: Edited by GanjaWarrior
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A letter from a young lady to her grandfather!

> >

> >

> > John is 63 years old and owns his own business. He is a

> >

> > life-long Republican and sees his dream of retiring next

> >

> > year is now all but gone. With the stock

> market crashing and

> >

> > all the new taxes coming his way, John knows he will be

> >

> > working for a good number more years.

> >

> >

> >

> > John has a Granddaughter. Ashley is a recent college grad.

> >

> > She drives a late model car, wears all the

> latest fashions,

> >

> > and also likes going out and eating out a lot.

> >

> > Ashley campaigned hard for Obama, and after he

> won the election

> > she

> >

> > made sure her Grandfather (and all other Republican family

> >

> > members) received more than an earful on how the world is

> >

> > going to be a much better place now that Obama

> won the election.

> >

> >

> >

> > Ashley recently found herself short of cash and cannot pay

> >

> > her bills, again. As she has done many other times in the

> >

> > past, she e-mailed her Grandfather asking for

> some financial

> >

> > help. Here is his reply:

> >

> >

> >

> > "Sweetheart,

> >

> >

> >

> > I am replying to your request for more money. Ashley, you

> >

> > know I love you dearly and am sympathetic to

> your financial

> >

> > plight. Unfortunately, times have changed.

> With the election

> >

> > of President Obama, your Grandmother and I have had to set

> >

> > forth a bold new economic plan of our own....the 'Ashley

> >

> > Economic Plan'. Let me explain. Your grandmother and I are

> >

> > highly productive, wage-earning tax payers. As

> you know, we

> >

> > have lived a comfortable life and in return have forgone

> >

> > many things like fancy vacations, luxury cars,

> etc. We have

> >

> > worked hard and were looking forward to retiring soon. But

> >

> > this plan has changed. Your president is significantly

> >

> > raising our personal and business taxes. He

> says it is so he

> >

> > can give our hard earned money to other

> people. Do you know

> >

> > what this means, Ashley? It means less income for us. Less

> >

> > income means we must cut back on many business

> and personal

> >

> > expenditures. One example is, we were forced to let go of

> >

> > our receptionist today. You know her. She always gave you

> >

> > candy when you visited my office. Did you know she worked

> >

> > for us for the past 18 years? I can't afford her anymore.

> >

> >

> >

> > That is a taste of the business side. Some

> personal economic

> >

> > affects of Obama's new taxation policies

> include none other

> >

> > than you. You know very well that over the years your

> >

> > grandmother and I have given you thousands of dollars in

> >

> > cash, tuition assistance, food, housing, clothing, gifts,

> >

> > etc., etc. By your vote, you have chosen

> another family over

> >

> > ours for help. Judging from your Email requesting more

> >

> > money, I recommend you call 202-456-1111. That

> is the direct

> >

> > telephone number for the White House. You yourself

> >

> > repeatedly told me I was foolish vote Republican. You said

> >

> > Mr. Obama is going to be the people's

> president and is going

> >

> > to help every American live a better life. Based upon

> >

> > everything you have told me and things we

> heard from him as

> >

> > he campaigned, I am sure Mr. Obama will be happy to send a

> >

> > check or transfer money into your checking

> account. Have him

> >

> > call me for the transaction and account numbers, which by

> >

> > now I know by heart.

> >

> >

> >

> > Perhaps you now can understand what I have been saying for

> >

> > all my life: those who vote for the president should

> >

> > consider what the impact of an election will be on the

> >

> > nation as a whole, and not just be concerned

> with what they

> >

> > can get for themselves (welfare,mm, etc.). What Obama voters

> >

> > don't seem to realize is all of the

> "government's" money he

> >

> > is 'redistributing' to illegal aliens and non-taxpaying

> >

> > Americans (deemed "less fortunate") comes from tax money

> >

> > collected from income tax-paying families.

> Remember how you

> >

> > told me, "Only the richest of the rich will be affected"?

> >

> > Guess what, honey? Because of our business,

> your Grandmother

> >

> > and I are now considered to be the richest of the rich. On

> >

> > paper, it might look that way. But in the real

> world, we are

> >

> > far from it. But, as you said while campaigning for Obama,

> >

> > some people will have to carry more of the

> burden so all of

> >

> > America can prosper.. You understand what that

> means, right?

> >

> > It means that raising taxes on productive

> people results in

> >

> > them having less money. Less money for

> everything, including

> >

> > granddaughters.

> >

> >

> >

> > Congratulations on your choice for "change". For future

> >

> > reference, I encourage you to attempt to add up the total

> >

> > value of the gifts and money you've received from us over

> >

> > the years, and compare it to what you expect

> to get over the

> >

> > next four years from Mr. Obama.

> >

> >

> >

> > Remember, we love you dearly... but from now

> on you'll need

> >

> > to call the number referenced above when you need help.

> >

> >

> >

> > Good luck, sweetheart.

> >

> > Love,

> >

> > Grampa.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > PS: How was your recent trip to Jamaica? I have never been

> >

> > there but I hear it is lovely this time of year."

 

Well I thought it to be pretty funny! lmao

 

Peace

Jim

Edited by phaquetoo
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Hard to feel sorry for either the enablers or the enablee isn't it? What terrible problems they have to deal with(<sarcasm>). What rough lives they have.

 

The enablers making millions a year, and the enablee hiding from work, going to school for 8+ years, offsetting the stress of school, with a well deserved trip to Jamaica. Their biggest problem, and they mention this specifically, QUOTE: (welfare,mm, etc.).

 

Where did you find this gem Jim?

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from what i know "bammer" was a term for crappy brick weed in the early 90s...among the black rappers i grew up listening to....so obamma became obammer.... do to his horrible stance on mmj his dishonesty, and his corp whore status :lolu: so once again the race card fails and your still supporting a dishonest turd who would rather see you in prison. but feel free to insinuate things about me... :skydive:

 

 

 

do we no longer consider baseless claims such as racism and such to be personal attacks? and b4 oner of you drones calls me racist again i wanna see fkn proof....oh ya and obammers a pos

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I do hope people realize that Obama has lowered taxes to their lowest levels in decades and decades.

 

Ya remember the Stimulus package? 40% tax cuts.

 

He lowered personal taxes, payroll taxes and small business taxes as President.

 

It just seems people avoid the facts.

 

:-)

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hate to say it but them are bush tax cuts he has keep going.... plus he just put in the biggest tax in history with the health care.... so realy he has done nothing..... but im sure hes a nice guy to sit and have a smoke with.....

Ganga.... i didnt see a thing racest at all for the race card to be pulled..... sorry some feel the need to use it in these times and days sad.....

Edited by kak
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It is not just the Bush tax cuts. He lowered small business taxes and payroll taxes beyond just extending the Bush tax cuts.

 

President Obama has cut taxes for middle-class families and small businesses. One of the first things he did in office was cut taxes for 95 percent of working families. He has also signed 18 tax cuts for small businesses and extended the payroll tax cut for all American workers and their families, putting an extra $1,000 in the typical middle-class family’s pocket.

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cool thanks for the info.... every little bit helps.... just hope who ever is elected will do whats good for THE US.. and not just them and friends... witch both sides do... boy were way off topic thougth lol... have a gr8 one.... KaK

Edited by kak
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