Medical Marijuana Takes A Federal Step Forward
Not only did Tuesday’s election produce two major marijuana policy victories, but we also saw signs of progress in Washington, D.C.
Barack Obama has consistently said that he does not support the federal government arresting medical marijuana patients in states where medical marijuana is legal. He also affirmed to MPP that he would not use federal resources to raid medical marijuana dispensaries in California, something his predecessor’s administration has done countless times.
And the Politico reported that Obama’s pick for drug czar may be Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton. Bratton is “totally supportive of the concept of medical marijuana” (Source).
There were some promising changes in Congress as well. With several elections still undecided, the Democrats are likely to pick up 22 new seats in Congress — 17 of which belonged to medical marijuana opponents in the last Congress. And every single Democratic incumbent who lost Tuesday was a medical marijuana opponent.
As I noted in an earlier post, a number of the most outspoken medical marijuana opponents faced tough opposition going into the election — and several of them were sent packing. Congressman Tom Feeney (R-Fla.), Congressman Ric Keller (R-Fla.), and Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) are the most notable lawmakers who MPP will not miss. Congressman Mark Souder (R-Ind.), who once called MPP’s executive director a “an articulate advocate for an evil position,” held on to his seat despite predictions that he might lose.
Additionally, candidates who are close allies of MPP won spots in the House of Representatives, like Nevada State Senator Dina Titus, who is a strong supporter of medical marijuana.
Tagged with: Congress and Medical Marijuana and Obama by the author
17 comments
MPP You guys are doing great work! Keep it up. Cant wait for the day to see alot of this stuff settled once and for all!!
Yeah, it will be a great day when this site is no longer needed.
My question is who will recognize that marijuana no longer meets the requirements for it’s classification in the federal Controlled Substances Act (”no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States”). The last time I checked, 13 states (Michigan this week) have accepted the medical use of marijuana. Federal drug law actual requires that marijuana be removed from its current classification. Will Obama do it? Or, will I have to wait for the decision in my case, Olsen v. Mukasey, et al., No. 4:08-cv-370, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, online at:
http://www.iowamedicalmarijuana.org/petitions/dea.aspx
Carl Olsen
Iowans for Medical Marijuana
Post Office Box 4091
Des Moines, Iowa 50333
515-288-5798
http://www.iowamedicalmarijuana.org/
(donations welcome)
Yeah. It seems like since the election were closer than ever to fair marijuana laws. Keep it up!!!
Thank you MPP for all your work in legalizing marijuana, especially for those of us who use it medically and for those who do not wish to poison themselves with booze. Next election Sen Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Mark Souder (R-IN) must be removed! They are a danger to the health and well being of this country!!!
Yes, thank you all from the bottom of my heart MPP.
People in Alabama will be criminals or have to continue to poison ourselves with booze.
I’ll give to MPP again when I can afford to.
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
I woke up on November 5th and a lot had changed. I still worked the same job, and I still lived in the same house, but everything was … different. The air was crisp and the sky was blue. It was a great day for Marijuana reform.
This post made me really happy : ) Thank you MPP for all the hard work you do!
[...] ELECTION 2008: Medical Marijuana Takes A Federal Step Forward – even the new potential Drug Czar wil… Wow. Of the 18 or so Republican incumbents who lost their seats to Democrats (the final numbers aren’t in yet), 17 are medical marijuana opponents. And every single Democratic incumbent who lost Tuesday was a medical marijuana opponent. (tags: politics WarOnDrugs drugs marijuana medicalMarijuana medical Congress incumbents Election2008 2008 elections BarackObama DrugCzar WilliamBratton TomFeeney RicKeller MarylinMusgrave MarkSouder DinaTitus MPP news articles) [...]
[...] the recent power shift in the White House, pundits are expecting a departure from the last eight years of drug policy, which has seen an aggressive revival of Reagan’s War on Drugs through Bush and his [...]
To everybody including MPP, thank you all for your continuously advocacy in marijuana law reform a million time from my heart! I patiently wait for change for it will come in ways that is different what we all imagine together. We all are in this together and I wish to be able to execute my vision of happiness without any harassment for 2009!
Let’s change the United State of America to be same vision as our founding fathers in the modern sense.
“Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country!”
Thomas Jefferson – Former President & Hemp Farmer
“Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!”
George Washington – Former President
I will be donating some money to MPP right now!
Let freedom grow in all senses.
The best is yet to come!
[...] 08:11 PM Source: Medical Marijuana Takes A Federal Step Forward — MPP Blog Excuse me while I light my spliff good God I gotta take a [...]
Thank you MPP for your tireless work. I’m a federal employee who has to hide my medicine usage. I can’t tolerate the opiates and other narcotics that the Drs. prescribe. I can’t wait for the day that this nation finally does the right thing and makes MMJ available for all who need it.
you ignant muthafuckas u really think obamas gonna stop shit the only think hes ever said is that he does not support the criminalization of marijuana
Obama please fix this corrupt government. Prior to 1937 marijuana was in about 50% of mediicationns because it has so many benefits. Prior to the government making BS prropaganda films like reefer maddness to scare the publicc they paid farmers to grow hemp and I hope we can change the laws and reschecule marijuana to a class 3 drug (like synthetic THC PILL MARINOL) and all the sick and dying as well as the many others with conditions marijuana can help (it has so few sideeffects unlike pharm drugs have being on 11 myself besides being a state of CO medical marijuana patient. To this day the US GOVERNMENT grows pot for a few remaining patients of a program that they stopped in the, 1980 ’s. 35 states including Washington DC have passed legitlsture that marijuana has medical benefits. Not one death had been linked to its use, unlke asprin and all other pharm drugs I’m aware of. Let the farrmers grow hemp (marijuana with less than 1% of THC in it, to clarify). Remove marijuana from the black maarket and free those users in jail. (In AL you goto jail for possesing one seed). Save money to fight meth, even meth and cocaine are class 2 drugs, able to be RX’D by a doctor. anyway go Obama fix this problem, europe and canada have RX drugs made from pot, get a clue. And were the most advanced nation out there, how sad. We should get it at our pharmacy with our other doctor RX’D medications. Hell its safer than booze, make it legal just like booze for those who want it. ONLY ONED TO LOSE MONEY THE PHARM COMPANIES, BECAUSE THEY CANT PATENT IT FOR THEMSELVES.
Brett
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
I love your site.
Love design!!! I just came across your blog and wanted to say that Ive really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. Sign: ndsam
Leave a Comment