Obama’s New Tactic Against Medical Marijuana Patients: Suspend Free Speech
In the latest move of the Obama Administration’s incomprehensible attack on medical marijuana, U.S. attorneys announced today that they will begin to prosecute media outlets that publish advertisements for medical marijuana! It seems that when it comes to medical marijuana users, or the states in which they live for that matter, the Bill of Rights means practically nothing.
First, there was the memo released by the ATF this month warning firearms dealers that it was against the law to sell guns or ammunition to medical marijuana patients, effectively eliminating the Second Amendment rights of hundreds of thousands of patients in states where medical marijuana is legal. Then on Friday, when the U.S. attorneys from California unveiled their intent to shut down the medical marijuana industry and drive patients into the hands of gangs and other illicit dealers, they said that one of their core tactics was to intimidate landlords and property owners who rent to dispensaries by threatening them with seizure of their assets. While this may not be a direct violation of the law (unfortunately), it certainly treads on the spirit of the Fourth Amendment’s protections of life, liberty, and property. Now, those same attorneys are stomping on the First Amendment as well.
The actions of the Department of Justice are simply baffling.
In its vain and misguided attempt to stymie medical marijuana and stop the reform movement from making any further policy gains, the DOJ is basically trying to shut down two industries that make money, employ many people throughout California, and earn tax revenue for a state in a disastrous economic situation. Neither of these moves makes any sense. Shutting down the medical marijuana industry is not going to stop marijuana production. Denying them the ability to advertise by prosecuting those who publish the ads will not stop marijuana distributors from making a profit. It will, however, be disastrous for the publishing industry. Both the medical marijuana and publishing industries provide much-needed jobs and revenue to California. These methods are quite simply poor tools to accomplish an illegitimate goal. The fact that the media, which has the ability to sway public opinion against the administration, is being targeted seems particularly stupid.
Now, there are of course justifiable reasons for not allowing advertisement for some illegal activity. It is interesting to note, however, that pharmaceutical companies that sell drugs for billions in profits (the very reason the DOJ claims the marijuana industry is so evil) are allowed to advertise freely in all mediums.
Constitutional and federal law aside, it is morbidly fascinating from a philosophical standpoint that the administration is subverting the right to use marijuana to treat one’s illness by attacking two other, more deeply-held rights. After all, it certainly seems that more Americans care about free speech and property rights than they do about bodily autonomy. Will this policy end up being counterproductive to the stated goals of the administration?
Probably. Just like every facet of prohibition, it is pretty much doomed to failure in the long run.
If you’d like to tell the president how you feel about this, please go here or call (202) 456-1111.
Tagged with: advertisement and amendment and ATF and Bill of Rights and constitution and Department of Justice and DOJ and Eric Holder and firearms and first amendment and fourth amendment and Media and Medical Marijuana and memo and Obama and pharmaceutical and publishing and radio and Second Amendment and television and TV by the author
59 comments
Its like Obama is just determined to loose in 2012.
You said it Mitchell! Now I’m not sure who to vote for, the Republicans are nightmares, and Obama is beginning to follow in their footsteps.
Dear President Obama,
Do you want to lose in 2012?
Sincerely
Medical Marijuana Patients Are Voters in California, a blue state, Moron.
It never fails that every president going up tries to screw the people for everything.
keep electing liberals
Civil liberties are so foundational to America that the first eight amendments to the Constitution address them directly. These amendments enshrine government’s duty to protect individual liberties, including the rights to free speech and free association.
But today, government has created for itself sweeping powers to monitor the private lives of individuals and otherwise intrude upon our daily activities, our households and our businesses. The extent of the government’s reach today would be unrecognizable to the Founders.
greg: What liberal? Obama? He just posed as a liberal for campaign purposes.
you say “yes we can” i say how can we do anything when ur slowly but surely trying to take away our rights, you say “change we can belive in ” but apparentlly we cant belive in anything thats said from our government cause if the person at the time is scincere someone else comes along and wants completly ignores what our four fathers wanted the constitution was drawn up on hemp paper marijuana has so many uses and could treat or relive some of the pain or suffering of so many diseases.. if the government dosent change its thinking our econmy our future will be no better.
Ron Paul 2012?? At least he’s taking an approach to get the government’s hands of marijuana.
“While this may not be a direct violation of the law (unfortunately)”
It is a direct violation of the law. There is a conspiracy amongst all branches of the government to violate the law, but that conspiracy is a crime not a law.
Obama is very angry and is taking out on the sick and you the everyday pot smoker. He’s having a tantrum and you have to sit there and take it…………………………..
Is the president trying to lose his re-election?
VOTE THIS LYING ASSHOLE OUT ALREADY.
I could not have said It better Kevin !! Cannabis is here to stay. These other jack asses are are soon to be history, and are expendable. Including the D.E.A , I am sure as hell looking forward to the day that they are disbanded ! Just vote… Ron Paul… if you are really looking for change And I don’t mean ……Chump change…. like Obama Give us !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GGQISORVqU&feature=uploademail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sativex
There’s a synthetic THC product coming out, that’s why they are ramping up the anti weed stuff.
My guess is the government doesn’t want marijuana legal for many reasons including protection of special interest groups that contribute money to the way it has a tendency to free people’s minds.
They can’t stop the growing wave though so they are going to continue beating down the pro marijuana people and release their corporatized weed they have more control and can profit off of.
Remember people, money talks. Your hope for reform has nothing behind it if you don’t have the power to back it up.
i’m a flaming liberal, but i know romney blows with the wind, so i can’t imagine he would be any worse than obama on this issue.
[...] Obama administration going after folks who advertise medical marijuana. [...]
Why do all elected officials feel they know what is best. the fedreal goverment pays with our money for medical marijuana for vets living in these states that allow medical mairjuana. Last thing i understood is that the population of the US was in controll. thats how the civil war was won.
What can this administration actually do if the majority of this country stands up? they condem all other coutrys that take action against there citizens for freedom of speech and protest.
OBAMA is a idiot who got elected do to people sick of the same politics yr after yr. And because people never bothered to think we ended up with a losse cannon in the white house.
Why don’t the Feds just require warning lables on pot? “Use to this product may cause dizziness, the munchies and voting for the green party.”
What douchebags.
Ron Paul 2012!
Investigate Gary Johnson for president; he’s running on the Republican ticket but is pretty much a libertarian. He’s a fiscal conservative (cost/benefit analysis on everything, vetoed laws as a NM governor that were not financed or economically sane, reduce the federal budget by the amount we’re borrowing and end the wars, etc.) and a social liberal (he’s for legalizing marijuana and treating all recreational drugs as health issues).
http://www.garyjohnson2012.com
This guy is the real thing, evidenced by the fact that he’s been almost banned from the media and debates. The co-opted Republican party is afraid people will notice he makes sense, and they want their bought-and-paid-for candidates to go up against Obama. While I don’t agree with everything GJ says, there’s enough there to work with.
Your readers are counting on Ron Paul winning and that’s good but it won’t happen. Media is not spotlighting his campaign only their picks. I did not vote for this current socialist change monger and am not accountable for his dark tactics, but you are so what ya going to do?
they said they are closing the ones near schools and parks, imo thats a great thing, but all others will remain open. as much as im fo medical marijuana im not for allowing the kids accress
Gary Johnson is probably a better choice than Ron Paul, but RP has the best chance of winning the Repuglican primary. Make sure you are eligible to vote in this primary and vote for Ron Paul. The mainstream media ignores him when the aren’t portraying him as crazy, but he sure makes sense to me. And I am crazy enuf to vote for a repuclickan at this point. Obama is financed by those that are profiting from keeping cannabis and hemp illegal.
We the People have a chance to take control.
We all must vote, people say Ron won’t win, but it’s that “Give Up attitude” that leads up down the path to more of the same crap!
We just as a nation of people that want there God given right to do as they please have to Take Action.
As long as the use and abuse of illicit drugs is approached as a criminal problem, this will not be a free country. As long as judges and prosecutors are allowed to select what will be admissable as evidence, or who will be admitted as witnesses, justice will not be served in our courts.
There exists in our society, individuals that, behind whatever color of whatever authority, use that authority to push people around. Whether they’re politicians, lawyers, businessmen, policemen, they hide behind these roles, pretending to be honorable members of their professions, while, behind the scences, and protected by their relative anonymity, do what matters most to them: controlling people, punishing people, curtailing the civil rights of the people against whom they nurse hatreds and bigotries. Their victims are always people that are “different” from the crowd. Or, they’re people that seem to have committed doubtful illegal acts, or actions that are ignored by these dictators, if they’re committed by people that are among the rich and powerful, etc. In fact, they’re often among the rich and powerful themselves. One of the things the rich and powerful can do, “if” they’re so inclined, is torture and brutalize people that are innocent or relatively innocent of wrongdoing. It’s not marijuana that the anti-pot fanatics oppose, it’s the pot users. Pot smokers are a perfect target for sadistic personalities, so prevalent in the general population, but are often lucky enough to have fallen into positions of power or authority that permit them to harm their victims. In this respect, the pot smoker is like people of the “wrong” color, or nationality, or religion, or people that dress funny, or people that flout tradition or convention, etc. These are people that, in a just society, would be protected by true authority figures, or, at least, would be viewed with compassion, since they rarely if ever commit true or serious violations of the law. The pot smoker finds himself in a society where a class of individuals, that commit the most serious crimes against humanity, or justify starting wars that kill and maim thousand or millions of victims, or justify any crime in the pursuit of money and power, yet remain immune from a “justice” system that imprisons, often with long sentences, individuals because they elect to smoke pot. The contempt and hatred for those pot smokers that simply wish to engage in marijuana use, to feel good, or enhance their health, to relax, to feel more socially engaged, etc., and have no wish to bring harm on anyone, felt by many insensitive and senseless people in power, remains as a stain on our legal system, as proof positive that our law is too often an unscientific system of bias and stupidity.
to the so called president oooobama go smoke a joint with big bill justed dont in hale it , oooobama go back to the windy city let the wind blow through them big ears
oooobama bill schutte go back to the windy city blow smoke up your eares and fly away for good ooobama and bill shitttt
ooooobama go to the windy city your seat is back for sale ……cheap /cheap smoke one like bill and be cool for the day
i justed about for got good by in 2012 goodby for good let the wind blow and blow
Barack Obama has shown himself to be a liar and unfaithful to the “promises” he made during his campaign for President. He is not a man of his word. He is not a man true to his own integrity. It seems like his values change according to the bullying tactics of the right-wing, lobbyists, and his ill-advised advisors. We cannot trust him or the majority of our elected officials to uphold the constitution, or to simply behave fairly and equitably toward the people they supposedly represent – - us, the 99%. It is time to make some noise, take to the streets, get in their faces and let them know this is UNACCEPTABLE. I am a breast cancer survivor who reluctantly used medical marijuana and it SAVED MY LIFE. I will say and do whatever I can to get this message out. ** Peace. Love, and Blessings to All **
I also want to share this quote from Ayn Rand:
“There’s no way to rule innocent men.
The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals.
Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them.
One declares so many things to be a crime
that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”
I worked with the Move On Organization on Obama’s last campaign and gave monetary support. This time I am supporting, Ron Paul, if nothing changes for the people in the Medical Marijuana States. As a person who suffers from Fibromyalgia, Medical Marijuana is the safest and most effective substance I have used, when all others have FAILED. I need the medication and I feel I have a God given right to use this all natural substance that God has put on this earth. I am sick and tired of being lied to from our government and all the people tied to keep Marijuana illegal, for sole the purpose of monetary gain.
If I’d known Obama would continue George Bush’s policies like this, I might not have voted for him.
We need to be much bolder than merely “medical marijuana”, which is already acquiescing to 95% of the other side’s position.
Our position should be, a public political campaign to get the message out that: “the cops and the teachers and the preachers are lying; the truth is marijuana is great”. And we should not be stopped by the fact that this message will be overheard by teenagers, who are the future voters of America anyway.
Medical marijuana was supposed to be a way to get our foot in the door, but now it is time to move on to the real campaign of recreational marijuana.
Don’t forget the 4th Ammendment, the right from illegal search and siezure by the government. The Obama administration is disregarding this too. Several Medical Cannabis Dispensaries in Ca. have already had the buldings of their landlords siezed and have been served eviction notices. This is a policy that even Bush backed away from. I know this just happened in Lake Forest, CA. The Obama administration has just done, in one day, what the local politicians were unable to do in the Ca. courts in the past 3 years!
My Socialist, Liberal Cannabis supporting friends will have to learn that this is what Socialism and Communism is all about. Big government and full control over the people. This is what Obama is bringing us. He is a union lackey. Two of the biggest and most powerful unions being the cops and prison guards. They will do more for him than all of us and our families can ever do. This is why we were stabbed in the back by Obama. He cares more about being president than anything else. He is a man without morals or ethics. This is obvious by now.
This is not what America was or ever was supposed to be. More Obama means more drug war, less rights and freedoms, etc….Please do not vote for him in 2012?
I agree that Cannabis should be legalized for all purposes. I also think the “War on Drugs” , instigated by the criminal Richard Nixon, has terrorized the citizens of the world for too long. We need to stop this insanity!
My family was pulled over on a highway in the middle of nowhere because the light over our license plate had burned out. The officer who stopped us only asked for our I.D., no registration or proof of insurance. They made my male passenger exit the vehicle and frisked him. A sheriff arrived within a few minutes, driving at high speed on the wrong side of the highway. (He could have killed some innocent person with that little maneuver.) The officers asked whether or not I had anything I shouldn’t have in the car. I answered, “Yes, these two dogs in the back seat. The little one just puked.” He asked again, and I replied “Of course not”. The officer asked permission for a drug-sniffing dog to search the perimeter of my vehicle. I was terrified and consented to the search, which turned up no illegal items. They asked us who we were, what we did for a living, where we traveled from, where our destination was, WHY we were traveling. It felt like a Nazi inquisition. After more than 30 minutes of detention, we were released. The explanation was that the officer with the dog previously worked to train officers and dogs to search for explosives, but now their efforts were being refocused to look for drugs. Apparently, the section of highway I had the misfortune to be traveling on was a “known” heroin distribution route. Wow, I feel much safer knowing that innocent people are being stopped and interrogated every day because some people choose to use heroin to dull their pain.
Be careful when you leave your house. But, don’t think that your home is any safer from privacy violations. “Safety” is an illusion. It just depends on which constitutional rights you are willing to sacrifice in order to keep your illusion intact.
At one time in history we had Lincoln, johnny cash, and bob hope. Now we have Obama with no cash and absolutely no hope. Obama obviously knows he’s going to lose 2012, but his last hope is to try to make it look like the war on marijuana is working. All of us need to.stand as one, unite like never before and take back our rights.
Don’t see why this is wrong outside of the hypocrisy. I do not think that the first amendment should apply to anyone but individual natural citizens making non-commercial statements. Drugs should not be “advertized” anywhere but inside a drug vending facility, on a drug vending website, or in a drug adviser’s office/sebsite. Otherwise, it would be cool to pin up a Methadone/Heroine lollypop bill board. Are you cool with that? Afterall, I do find drug advertisments to be obscene similar to the way which people see porn. Do you see ad’s showing gay buttsex for a lube ad? I believe that the First Amendment should only apply to individual natural citizens making non-commmercial sociopolitical statments on public property or display from private property towards public property (like from your house to a road/highway). I do not believe the perception of obscenity is sufficient to restrict this right. As long as the statment is not advertising a product the displayer is distrubuting and that statment is directly associated with the person making the display at all times (there should be no display on public property unless someone is literally holding it or standing next to it at all times it is up or they are there for vocal projection).
Think about it here people. From the free speech angle why is it OK to advertize Cannabis but not a Dirty Sanchez (non-commercial) or Methadone use (commercial)? After all, obscenity rules are pretty much the only thing holding things back here. Obscenity is entirly subjective- Ever herd of Pandora’s Box?
Obama is on a drunken killing spree. He’s going to lose and he knows it, and he doesn’t seem to care. His administration is out of control and claims that he has nothing to do with the federal agencies hatred towards those who are involved with cannabis.
I think he has a drinking problem.
In 2003 the US government took out a patent on cannabinoids as being neuro-protectants and antioxidants !T he patent # is : 6630507 . Cannabis is good for you , the law is not ! I thought one of our unalienable rights was the right to medicate yourself .The pill manufacturers just want to sell their pills ! (and treatments ) RUN FROM THE CURE /1
WE SHOULD JUST GO FOR THE WHOLE SHABANG!! there has been enough advertisement to put MJ on peoples for front. we just need to go for a national legalization campaign. i would fight long and hard for that!! LET’S GET THIS OVER WITH!!
This is why more people are in favor of legalizing cannabis and to eliminate cannabis prohibition from the flaky, corrupt, and irresponsible federal government.
The only way to end the federal prohibition on cannabis is to totally abolish the Controlled Substance Act of 1970.
That CSA policy itself has no medical value and it restricts doctors and medical research.
Save the United States! End cannabis prohibition!
Thank the people who voted for him. Why would anyone to be swayed by this guy and his catch phrase change? Like the DMV requires their has to be a simple test required in order to be allowed to vote.
Do anybody still remember the November 2010 election in California on legalization?
There were a small group of people on these blogs who claimed they were all for legalization but not the November 2010 ballot. What are their arguments?
Did I hear that it would ruin medical marijuana dispensaries and it may put them out of business?
Obamais not for us sining 200 men to war with out GU
obama is not for us he sin 200 men to war with out guns to get killd
I love GOD for ever and i dont care how know i am a prayer warrior watchman on the wall
[...] DEA raids against medical marijuana suppliers and dispensaries in states where they are legal, suspended the first, second and fourth amendments in order to persecute them still further, and ignored scientific findings to pronounce that [...]
[...] via Obama’s New Tactic Against Medical Marijuana Patients: Suspend Free Speech — MPP Blog. [...]
i think they are doing it to force it in to the courts so they don’t have to pass it themselves
It’s fantastic to see so many comments in favour, plez peeps could you all when given a chance interveiw by any media source give voice too OUR shared DEMAND! Spray saliva out of your mouth when you utter the words “End the War on Marijuana” lets throw these bums out of office, there not doing us any favours, I support Gary Johnson and appreciate Ron Paul. The momentum is on our side, GO!
ron paul is a idiot the only thing he has gonig for him is legalization the rest of what he talks about will cost the low income people two times as much to live don’t forget let him die if you can’t offord ins he wants to take us back to the old west every man for themself and for you that think you do everything on your owe you need to think about that a littie harder
Its all about FREEDOM!! There are no good candidates that will ever have a chance of winning. Our political system is forever fubr! Until being a politician is not a career, the system has no hope of reform. I hate to say it, but I give up on government reform. Live as a criminal if you want to get high. That is the past, present, and future in America. F#%^ the government.
What!? That is NOT what Ron Paul stands for! He is saying take Government out of it…That’s where peoples mindsets need to change,Government does NOT need to control everything! We have the power to do it why do we need Government to babysit literally everything we do,tell us how they’re going to do it and then make us pay for it!…You need to YouTube Ron Paul and quit getting your information from Mass Media! I don’t know if you’ve noticed but outside of Fox,MSN,CNN Rin Paul is BIG! Quit getting fucked by our Government and being ok with it! He has been solid and correct for 30years! He predicted every single thing we are going through he knows our country like he was a founding father,For you to state “old west” is so ignorant and uneducated he is simply saying follow the United States Constitution and GIVE US BACK LIBERTY and FREEDOM! Ron Paul 2012!
STEVE H.
RON PAUL In office for 30 years,Also was a War Surgeon,Practiced as a doctor throughout his policital career,does not accept money from his seat,Has voted against every bill that has messed us up in the long run,Can explain why,what and how! Has NEVER left his principles ALL OF CONGRESS agree to that,He has correctly predicted everything were going through 10 YEARS AGO! has been against the drug war for YEARS,He follows the Constition to a T He is a REAL PATRIOT learning about Dr.Ron Paul changed my life he awakened me to what America was built on and what kept us great! LIBERTY,LIBERTY,LIBERTY! GIVE ME BACK MY LIBERTY! RON PAUL 2012
Everybody knows its the big drug companys and their lobbiests in Washington pushing to keep med pot illegal.
Prohibition of a medical preference or choice is extreamley unconstitutional and this so called Quote Unquote we’ll suspend their free speech so arrogantly addressed by the Obama administration my personal opinion is bring it on we are the people and under the tenth amendment fed need to go home cause they have no say trying to manipulate the minds of the young and force feed democracy as far as im concerned we are the Americans who are they? this isn’t a drug war anymore these people have a grudge and in fact it would fix everything global and economicly their only pissed because they haven’t got a cut they call taxes well boo who last time i checked Ron Paul is 100% correct if they wont work with us their against us. we the people and in short the Amaru currency has not passed for those that know what that is you kept up to date for those who dont it makes our constitution obsolete the only one who will not try to pass that act is Ron Paul all other cannadates will surely try now is the time as Americans to pay very close attention vote Ron Paul unless you want to be enslaved by law as scary as that sounds its the truth to all activist and in general good Americans whether a patient or not legalization is the right thing to do and its the right time to get everyone back on track but its always easier said than done no matter the frustration take the high road and use all the right channels its in all of our hands to uphold the constitution.
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