older may end federal raids on medical marijuana clubs
By David Edwards
Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters that he will keep President Obamas campaign promised with regards to medical marijuana. What the president said during the campaign, youll be surprised to know, will be consistent with what well be doing in law enforcement. He was my boss during the campaign. He is formally and technically and by law my boss now. What he said during the campaign is now American policy, said Holder
During the campaign, Obama told an Oregon newspaper that he agreed with the idea of medical marijuana. I think the basic concept of using medical marijuana for the same purposes and with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors, I think thats entirely appropriate, said Obama
At a campaign stop 2007 campaign stop in New Hampshire, Obama was specific about medical marijuana raids. I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users.
This video is from C-SPAN, broadcast Feb. 26, 2009.
By Carolyn Tyler
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (KGO) -- There's been a dramatic change of course from the White House concerning medical marijuana. The Obama Administration has followed up on a campaign promise and announced federal raids on medical pot clubs are over.
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Ed Rosenthal is a medical marijuana activist from Oakland. He was arrested in a federal raid in 2002. His high profile case is now before a U.S. appeals court. It's said to epitomize the clash between state and federal marijuana laws and now there's a dramatic change.
"I think it's an excellent first step for the administration," says Rosenthal.
During the presidential campaign Barack Obama had promised no more federal raids on state authorized medical marijuana dispensaries. Yet after his inauguration, in fact earlier this month, the DEA moved in on four California clubs. Now the new attorney general has re-iterated the president's position.
"What he said during the campaign is now American policy," says Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General.
"It's really going to change the whole attitude of the police department because they don't have federal back-up," says Rosenthal.
Rosenthal hopes the White House shift is the first step towards legalization. At the very least he believes drug enforcement raids are a thing of the past. Oaksterdam University in Oakland trains students in all aspects of the cannabis industry.
The school's president hopes the new American policy has other benefits for medical marijuana operators and patients.
"Hopefully we'll see a drop in price which will result in a drop in crime, because one of the problems right now is prohibition keeps the price up and that makes it more attractive to criminals," says Richard Lee from Oakserdam University.
ABC7 contacted several law enforcement authorities and experts to get their take on this dramatic shift. No one wanted to talk on the record. One told ABC7's Carolyn Tyler, "I don't want to be out in front on this one."
By David Edwards
Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters that he will keep President Obamas campaign promised with regards to medical marijuana. What the president said during the campaign, youll be surprised to know, will be consistent with what well be doing in law enforcement. He was my boss during the campaign. He is formally and technically and by law my boss now. What he said during the campaign is now American policy, said Holder
During the campaign, Obama told an Oregon newspaper that he agreed with the idea of medical marijuana. I think the basic concept of using medical marijuana for the same purposes and with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors, I think thats entirely appropriate, said Obama
At a campaign stop 2007 campaign stop in New Hampshire, Obama was specific about medical marijuana raids. I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users.
This video is from C-SPAN, broadcast Feb. 26, 2009.
By Carolyn Tyler
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (KGO) -- There's been a dramatic change of course from the White House concerning medical marijuana. The Obama Administration has followed up on a campaign promise and announced federal raids on medical pot clubs are over.
SIGN-UP: Get breaking news sent to you
Ed Rosenthal is a medical marijuana activist from Oakland. He was arrested in a federal raid in 2002. His high profile case is now before a U.S. appeals court. It's said to epitomize the clash between state and federal marijuana laws and now there's a dramatic change.
"I think it's an excellent first step for the administration," says Rosenthal.
During the presidential campaign Barack Obama had promised no more federal raids on state authorized medical marijuana dispensaries. Yet after his inauguration, in fact earlier this month, the DEA moved in on four California clubs. Now the new attorney general has re-iterated the president's position.
"What he said during the campaign is now American policy," says Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General.
"It's really going to change the whole attitude of the police department because they don't have federal back-up," says Rosenthal.
Rosenthal hopes the White House shift is the first step towards legalization. At the very least he believes drug enforcement raids are a thing of the past. Oaksterdam University in Oakland trains students in all aspects of the cannabis industry.
The school's president hopes the new American policy has other benefits for medical marijuana operators and patients.
"Hopefully we'll see a drop in price which will result in a drop in crime, because one of the problems right now is prohibition keeps the price up and that makes it more attractive to criminals," says Richard Lee from Oakserdam University.
ABC7 contacted several law enforcement authorities and experts to get their take on this dramatic shift. No one wanted to talk on the record. One told ABC7's Carolyn Tyler, "I don't want to be out in front on this one."
