POWIP Piece of Work In Progress

Pass the dutchie from the left hand side…

The DOJ is issuing new guidelines today telling federal prosecuters and agents that they should no longer go after people who either use or distribute medical marijuana in strict accordance with their particular state's guidlines. 

Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice.

A three-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states, and also to top officials at the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration.

So it seems like this is one campaign promise by Obama that didn 't come with an expiration date.  One that will make both medical marijuana advocates happy as well as those who see the enforcement of anti-drug laws to be inherently racist.  I personally don't know what to make of it.

For me it satisfies the need to respect state's rights as well as lifting what many libertarians feel is a useless prohibition against a soft narcotic that they feel is no more dangerous than alcohol.  And, in the states listed it may go a long way to stemming in part criminals profiting off of it's sale.  On the other hand, it has already been demonstrated that the law has been twisted gratuitously in California, where folks can easily get a doctor to write them prescriptions based on complaints of "migraine headaches" and other minor maladies.  Also, there has also been documented cases of people addicted to harder drugs procuring a prescription, as selling "nickel bags" to young people in order to underwrite the habits.  It is a vexing question.

About all I can say is that based on the list of the states permitting it's use, I shouldn't have been so quick to move away from Maryland.  After all, I'm sure I feel a migraine coming on...

UPDATE: Dr. Reynolds weighs in on his out-of-the-ordinary agreement with Glenn Greenwald on this matter, and wonders whether the support of state's rights will be honored by liberals on other issues.  Also, from Gallup, support for legalization of marijuana is at an all time high !  I can hear Bob Marley's melifluous voice; "Legalize it, don' criticize it..."

Rocketman