AG Says Raids on Medical Marijuana Distributors Will Stop
By micro99 at 19 March, 2009, 4:16 pm
In a dramatic shift from Bush administration policy, Attorney General Eric Holder announced this week that federal agents will only target medical marijuana dispensers if they break federal and state laws.
During the Bush presidency, the Drug Enforcement Agency raided medical marijuana distributors even if they observed state laws legalizing the drug for medicinal purposes. Holder says going forward the justice department will now target those who “use medical marijuana laws as a shield” while performing other nefarious acts.
Pro-marijuana groups hailed the changes saying the Obama administration is taking a more evenhanded approach to the medical marijuana issue in the country.
“It signals a new direction and a more reasonable and sensible direction on medical marijuana policy,” he said.
Although medical marijuana has been legalized in 13 states it remains illegal under any circumstance under federal law. While it was expected that the Obama administration would have a more tolerant approach to the medical marijuana issue, just days after his inauguration, four dispensaries in California were raided by federal agents.
According to Americans for Safe Access, over the last two years of Bush administration rule more than 100 federal raids were conducted on medical marijuana dispensaries in the state of California.
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