In California of all places, a US attorney is looking to prosecute legally state licensed marijuana dispensaries and growers. Melissa Haag recently prosecuted Aaron Sandusky for operating a state-approved dispensary in San Jose and he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
Landlords of these facilities are being threatened with 40 year sentences if they don't evict their tenants.
Ms Haag and three other US attorneys are trying to seize various facilities in San Jose and Oakland, including Harborside Health Center in Oakland.
Governor Jerry Brown has asked the Feds to cease and desist from this action against legally sanctioned facilities, saying that legal businesses don't need "federal gendarmes" kicking down doors and arresting licensed distributors who were following the laws of California. In addition, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsome has called for the $1.3 billion industry to be decriminalized, taxed and regulated.
President Obama is looking for an issue to hang his legacy on. He has a unique opportunity to take marijuana to a new place by calling for its decriminalization and regulation on a federal level for medical reasons. It has been revealed by study after study over the last 40-plus years that benefits to those with cancer, glaucoma, arthritis, and other serious and crippling diseases outweigh any negative pact caused by extended use.
19 states have legalized the possession and use of marijuana for medical reasons thus far, and two states, Colorado and Washington have legalized it for recreational use, as well. In addition, Alaska is now exploring the Colorado law and may legalize it next year.
The President knows that the war on marijuana is going nowhere. The federal government spends billions to try and enforce laws that are unenforceable, and in states where marijuana is legalized for medical reasons, no assistance is offered by law enforcement agencies to help the Feds pursue users and legal sellers or growers.
It would behoove the President to consider legalization of marijuana for medical use. The people would be behind him on this, whether democrat or republican, liberal or conservative. And it would be in the Congress' best interest to support him.
Mr Obama's legacy would be secured on this issue, and he would be forevermore considered a visionary on an issue that could easily win in the hearts and minds of the public.
If he doesn't do this now, some other president in the not too distant future will. And that president will have even greater support of the populace to do the obvious: Legalize Marijuana Now!
Think about it, Mr President. Your legacy is calling.
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