Drug czar: Feds won't support legalized pot

Drug czar: Feds won't support legalized pot



The federal government is not going to pull back on its efforts to curtail marijuana farming operations, Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, said Wednesday in Fresno.

The nation's drug czar, who viewed a foothill marijuana farm on U.S. Forest Service land with state and local officials earlier Wednesday, said the federal government will not support legalizing marijuana.

"Legalization is not in the president's vocabulary, and it's not in mine," he said.

Kerlikowske said he can understand why legislators are talking about taxing marijuana cultivation to help cash-strapped government agencies in California. But the federal government views marijuana as a harmful and addictive drug, he said.

"Marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal benefit," Kerlikowske said in downtown Fresno while discussing Operation SOS -- Save Our Sierra -- a multiagency effort to eradicate marijuana in eastern Fresno County.

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Wait. what? Huh? Like no way! :lol:


didn't obama say:

DEA pot raids go on; Obama opposes - Washington Times

DEA to end medical marijuana raids - More health news- msnbc.com




Obama said he opposed these raids, and stated, no? That he would end them and leave this to the states?


What gives? :lol:



Do you consider this another lie of the Obama camp, or how do you explain?

Re: WASHINGON, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

I thought this was a cash for clunkers not a pot thread

Re: WASHINGON, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

winston53660 said:

I thought this was a cash for clunkers not a pot thread

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Notice the fingers, never leave the hands!





(I effed it up. Report me..... )

Re: WASHINGON, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

Reverend_Hellh0und said:

Notice the fingers, never leave the hands!

(I effed it up. Report me..... )

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LOL !! I was thinking .... hmmmmmm.... Rev must be high

Re: WASHINGON, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

jackalope said:

LOL !! I was thinking .... hmmmmmm.... Rev must be high

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the Good Reverend only gets high on himself.....

Re: WASHINGTO, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

Either way, our nation will never leave its present morass until attitudes change and minds commence thinkings.
The federal government must leave the 19th century and accept marijuana and the fools that use this crap.

But not all new or old ideas are good...
cash for clunkers" is one lousy concept.
I'd up-grade, but why ??
We still have no automotive Diesels as do the Europeans...New cars are far too expensive, and overloaded with excessive safety and pollution junk. Little has been done in the way of true operating economy...that I know of....
I'll keep the old '96....

Re: WASHINGTO, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

earthworm said:

Either way, our nation will never leave its present morass until attitudes change and minds commence thinkings.
The federal government must leave the 19th century and accept marijuana and the fools that use this crap.

But not all new or old ideas are good...
cash for clunkers" is one lousy concept.
I'd up-grade, but why ??
We still have no automotive Diesels as do the Europeans...New cars are far too expensive, and overloaded with excessive safety and pollution junk. Little has been done in the way of true operating economy...that I know of....
I'll keep the old '96....

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\


:lol: someone only read the thread title before it was changed. :lamo

Re: WASHINGON, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

Reverend_Hellh0und said:

the Good Reverend only gets high on himself.....

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If you are made of super dank, then im coming to Jersey for a visit! Now if you are made of super shwag.... Well, your just going to have to continue getting high on/by yourself:mrgreen:

LOL, look at my thanks count! And please, nobody mess it up for quite a while:rofl

Re: WASHINGON, DC (WUSA) -- The "Cash for Clunkers" program begins Friday, July 24. I

Goldenboy219 said:

If you are made of super dank, then im coming to Jersey for a visit! Now if you are made of super shwag.... Well, your just going to have to continue getting high on/by yourself:mrgreen:

LOL, look at my thanks count! And please, nobody mess it up for quite a while:rofl

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If you thank this post, I won't be that guy who messes up your count..... :mrgreen:




The Good Reverend is made of only the finest things....... :thumbs:

Reverend_Hellh0und said:

Wait. what? Huh? Like no way! :lol:

didn't obama say:

DEA pot raids go on; Obama opposes - Washington Times

DEA to end medical marijuana raids - More health news- msnbc.com

Obama said he opposed these raids, and stated, no? That he would end them and leave this to the states?

What gives? :lol:

Do you consider this another lie of the Obama camp, or how do you explain?

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I don't expect the federal government to ever give up power once they've grabbed it. While this does belong to the State's, the federal government won't stop.

Reverend_Hellh0und said:

Obama said he opposed these raids, and stated, no? That he would end them and leave this to the states?


What gives? :lol:



Do you consider this another lie of the Obama camp, or how do you explain?

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The only raids that the administration and Kerlikowske were ever talking about putting an end to were for situations where state law was in disagreement with federal law, most notably "“federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws.”

What raids of MJ facilites that the DEA has conducted since the public stating of the non-interference policy were only done when they were able to dig up offenses that also violated state law as well as federal law. This still leaves lots of loopholes for the DEA to pounce when state law has not been strictly adhered to as well. The most common one is selling MJ for profit, since this is still illegal to do under Ca. law.

It is still illegal to cultivate marijuana in California (unless you are a medical marijuana patient, or a primary caregiver). Especially growing MJ on federal land.

Although Kerlikowske's statement is disappointing, it is to be expected, and there are no inconsistencies or lies in regards to previous statements at all.

Go fish.

marduc said:

The only raids that the administration and Kerlikowske were ever talking about putting an end to were for situations where state law was in disagreement with federal law, most notably "“federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws.”

What raids of MJ facilites that the DEA has conducted since the public stating of the non-interference policy were only done when they were able to dig up offenses that also violated state law as well as federal law. This still leaves lots of loopholes for the DEA to pounce when state law has not been strictly adhered to as well. The most common one is selling MJ for profit, since this is still illegal to do under Ca. law.

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How can this be, when every legit dispensary pays a portion of their revenues towards the California state sales tax? I have yet to see the spot price for 1 oz of medical bud to be sold for under $300, meaning someone is raking in HUGE profits.

Also, is it up to the state police to investigate state offenses in this case?

It is still illegal to cultivate marijuana in California (unless you are a medical marijuana patient, or a primary caregiver). Especially growing MJ on federal land.

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The majority of the "medication" sold is illegally grown, otherwise there would be quite the supply problem. Which begs me to ask, how does the State feel about taking the sales tax proceeds on illegally grown cannabis?

Goldenboy219 said:

How can this be, when every legit dispensary pays a portion of their revenues towards the California state sales tax? I have yet to see the spot price for 1 oz of medical bud to be sold for under $300, meaning someone is raking in HUGE profits.

Also, is it up to the state police to investigate state offenses in this case?



The majority of the "medication" sold is illegally grown, otherwise there would be quite the supply problem. Which begs me to ask, how does the State feel about taking the sales tax proceeds on illegally grown cannabis?

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Well I am not a lawyer, nor am I in Ca. to attest to how it actually functions, but from what I had understood sales are loosely attributed as "donations" to offset costs for the supposedly non-profit organization

State law was expanded in 2004 by a new law, Senate Bill 420 (Health & Safety Code 11362.7-8). Among other things, SB 420 authorized patient "cooperatives" or "collectives" to distribute or sell medical marijuana on a non-profit basis to their members. It also allows duly designated primary caregivers who consistently attend to patients' needs to charge for their labor and services in providing marijuana.

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CA NORML Medical Marijuana Information

I might have been wrong in my interpretation.. they are allowed to sell, just not for profit, and sales are still eligible for taxation apparently. Also for dispensaries, they do not have to actually state "what" they sold, just that they had sales of "x" amount.

Better trained legal minds than me are behind the states ability to tax it, all I know is that they figured out a way to do so.

As far as the supply:

the [AG's] guidelines specify that cooperatives and collectives should use only marijuana legally grown or obtained by their own members, with no purchases from outside their membership. This requirement is questionable, since there is nothing in state or federal law banning the purchase of marijuana, medical or otherwise, from any source (the law bans possession, not purchase, and possession is protected under Prop. 215). However, this problem can be avoided by including all growers and suppliers as members.

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AG's guidelines (PDF): http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n1601_medicalmarijuanaguidelines.pdf

[tangent]kinda interesting. learned something new here, it is perfectly legal to buy marijuana.. just not to take possession of it... anyhow [/tangent]

whether the dispensaries are all following the guidelines, and the laws is up for debate.. I am sure there are huge profits to be made.. and I am sure they will argue that they are non profit and can rationalize $300 an ounce to reimburse their supplier and still be a "non-profit"

There are plenty of grey areas and loopholes in the laws.. something that dispensaries are capitalizing on, and also something that the DEA is watching them like a hawk over to see if it can still capitalize.

my misstatements about ways to tiptoe around the law aside.. the DEA has conducted raids since the new stance was enacted, however it has been in instances where there was a violation of state law as well (however loosely construed it was). They are not letting go that easily.. new administration with new guidelines, same DEA, if there is any wiggle room they will use it.

Am I in agreement with the raids? hell no, am I surprised?? hell no.

does Kerlikowske's comments on illegal cultivation have any relevance to the Obama administrations position towards state law superceding state law? nope, it is still illegal to grow MJ unless you are a med. marijuana patient, collective, or co-op.

marduc said:

Well I am not a lawyer, nor am I in Ca. to attest to how it actually functions, but from what I had understood sales are loosely attributed as "donations" to offset costs for the supposedly non-profit organization



CA NORML Medical Marijuana Information

I might have been wrong in my interpretation.. they are allowed to sell, just not for profit, and sales are still eligible for taxation apparently. Also for dispensaries, they do not have to actually state "what" they sold, just that they had sales of "x" amount.

Better trained legal minds than me are behind the states ability to tax it, all I know is that they figured out a way to do so.

As far as the supply:



AG's guidelines (PDF): http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n1601_medicalmarijuanaguidelines.pdf

[tangent]kinda interesting. learned something new here, it is perfectly legal to buy marijuana.. just not to take possession of it... anyhow [/tangent]

whether the dispensaries are all following the guidelines, and the laws is up for debate.. I am sure there are huge profits to be made.. and I am sure they will argue that they are non profit and can rationalize $300 an ounce to reimburse their supplier and still be a "non-profit"

There are plenty of grey areas and loopholes in the laws.. something that dispensaries are capitalizing on, and also something that the DEA is watching them like a hawk over to see if it can still capitalize.

my misstatements about ways to tiptoe around the law aside.. the DEA has conducted raids since the new stance was enacted, however it has been in instances where there was a violation of state law as well (however loosely construed it was). They are not letting go that easily.. new administration with new guidelines, same DEA, if there is any wiggle room they will use it.

Am I in agreement with the raids? hell no, am I surprised?? hell no.

does Kerlikowske's comments on illegal cultivation have any relevance to the Obama administrations position towards state law superceding state law? nope, it is still illegal to grow MJ unless you are a med. marijuana patient, collective, or co-op.

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I appreciate such a detailed response.

Currently, the sudden explosion in California cannabis industry stems from two main contributors: state exports and the shift to legal possession. Obtaining your medical recommendation and state medical card are about as easy as getting a regular ID. What i have been noticing, mostly in designated hot spots, is that it has shifted to a home delivery service to reduce the risk of being caught during "store hours". To do this, the clubs have to obtain quite a bit of information on their customers, and offer more and more closer nit sub circles private access to other services. Of course, this centers more towards those who are actually sick, and travel is a pain (pun intended).

Security and technology are rather impressive in some clubs; all members are documented, with their medical status available for web verification. In the "medication" areas, cameras outnumber people. Menus are displayed via 40" LCD's, and the strains are numerous, not to mention edibles, extracts, etc.... Sales tax is collected appropriately, as are the salaries of all laborers.

But... It is essentially legal, although there do remain several barriers. For the casual smoker, it is entirely hit or miss, as they have to see the place to know it's there. The second major barrier is the clubs reluctance to allow out of state citizens membership, even though out of state membership is technically legal. Obtaining your medical license, and the cost of cannabis is very expensive, but you are legally allowed to grow up to 25 plants (barring local ordinances).

Here is a glimpse into how the cannabis industry is flourishing. Canna Pharmacy - Ocean Beach Cannabis Clubs - WeedMaps.com

And yet, there are some who lobby on behalf of the street dealer who does not pay taxes....

People who didn't see this coming need a giant stamp on there forhead that says "clueless". It obvious he is dividing accountability like none other to do what he wants.

Mr. Obama and his administration are starting to get on my last nerve.

Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

Former Seattle, Washington police chief Gil Kerlikowske told a crowd in Fresno, California on Wednesday that marijuana is “dangerous” and “has no medical benefit,”

Source

Lying or incompetence?

Institute of Medicine:

"In conclusion, the available evidence from animal and human studies indicates that cannabinoids can have a substantial analgesic effect. (snip) Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabinoid drugs, primarily THC, for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation; (snip) It should be noted that THC, the primary active ingredient in marijuana, is an FDA-approved drug referred to as dronabinol and marketed as Marinol."

American Medical Association:

"In summary, limited controlled evidence supports the view that smoked marijuana and THC can provide symptomatic relief in patients with MS, spinal cord injury, and other causes of spasticity."

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

Good bit of wisdom is to never attribute to villainy what can be adequately explained by stupidity.

But making such a statement in public really does require an astounding amount of stupidity. Wow.

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

Binary_Digit said:

Former Seattle, Washington police chief Gil Kerlikowske told a crowd in Fresno, California on Wednesday that marijuana is “dangerous” and “has no medical benefit,”

Source

Lying or incompetence?

Institute of Medicine:

"In conclusion, the available evidence from animal and human studies indicates that cannabinoids can have a substantial analgesic effect. (snip) Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabinoid drugs, primarily THC, for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation; (snip) It should be noted that THC, the primary active ingredient in marijuana, is an FDA-approved drug referred to as dronabinol and marketed as Marinol."

American Medical Association:

"In summary, limited controlled evidence supports the view that smoked marijuana and THC can provide symptomatic relief in patients with MS, spinal cord injury, and other causes of spasticity."

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A little of both in all practicality. But given recent events I'll go with incompetence for.

I just don't understand this. Do they not have QA in the White House? What the ****?

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

You gotta love bureaucratic job security. Either hold to the status quo, or face the ceiling:2razz:

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

Binary_Digit said:

Lying or incompetence?

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Incompetent lying.

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

What medical benefit is maijuana supposed to have?

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

I think this type of lying is used only to preserve the jobs of those that make their living fighting drugs. Science has shown the anti-inflammatory, pain relief, and other benefits of THC. Marijuana presents no threat, other than to those that wish to control the lives of others.

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

If the active ingredient in Marijuana is already legal and is in a drug, then why would there be any need to actually do the drug. simply people like it, they are addicted, and they are using semi-logical arguments to prevent their addiction from being suddenly taken away from them.

In ancient times, if someone was chronically ill or in pain, it was common to give them alcohol to stem their pain. The bible even says this lol, i will find the verse if anyone wants me too, but the point is, is it socially acceptable for people who are chronically ill now to get drunk to solve their problems? No, we have medicines and drugs to treat that based on 100's of years of medical advancement. We are obviously not as primitive as ancient people that we have use a drug that can cause such devastation within any society.

Loss of productivity on an economic scale, loss of virtue on a moral scale, and loss of social stability with those around any addict are problems that we face as a society by the increased use of Marijuana if it is legalized.

Though it is is socially acceptable, what has Alcohol really done to advance the human race? equivocally what would marijuana do as well.

Its useless, Go Obama

Re: Obama's drug czar: Marijuana 'has no medical benefit'

apdst said:

What medical benefit is maijuana supposed to have?

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From WAMM.

Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. No one has ever died from an overdose, and it has a wide variety of therapeutic applications:

* Relief from nausea and increase of appetite;

* Reduction of intarlobular ("within the eye") pressure;

* Reduction of muscle spasms;

* Relief from chronic pain.

Marijuana is frequently beneficial in the treatment of the following conditions:

* AIDS. Marijuana can reduce the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the ailment itself and by various AIDS medications.

* Glaucoma. Marijuana can reduce interlobular pressure, thereby alleviating the pain and slowing -- and sometimes stopping -- the progress of the condition. (Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It damages vision by increasing eye pressure over time.)

* Cancer. Marijuana can stimulate the appetite and alleviate nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects of chemotherapy treatment.

* Multiple Sclerosis. Marijuana can limit the muscle pain and spasticity caused by the disease, as well as relieving tremor and unsteadiness of gait. (Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the United States.)

* Epilepsy. Marijuana can prevent epileptic seizures in some patients.

* Chronic Pain. Marijuana can alleviate the chronic, often debilitating pain caused by myriad disorders and injuries.

Each of these applications has been deemed legitimate by at least one court, legislature, and/or government agency in the United States.

Many patients also report that marijuana is useful for treating arthritis, migraine, menstrual cramps, alcohol and opiate addiction, and depression and other debilitating mood disorders.

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From the N.Y. Times

GOVERNMENT STUDY OF MARIJUANA SEES MEDICAL BENEFITS

The active ingredients in marijuana appear to be useful for treating pain, nausea and the severe weight loss associated with AIDS, according to a new study commissioned by the Government that is inflaming the contentious debate over whether doctors should be permitted to prescribe the drug.

The report, the most comprehensive analysis to date of the medical literature about marijuana, said there was no evidence that giving the drug to sick people would increase illicit use in the general population. Nor is marijuana a ''gateway drug'' that prompts patients to use harder drugs like cocaine and heroin, the study said.

The authors of the study, a panel of 11 independent experts at the Institute of Medicine, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, cautioned that the benefits of smoking marijuana were limited because the smoke itself was so toxic. Yet at the same time, they recommended that the drug be given, on a short-term basis under close supervision, to patients who did not respond to other therapies.

The release of the delicately worded report, at a morning news conference here, prompted a flurry of political maneuvering. Proponents of state initiatives to legalize marijuana for medical purposes seized upon the findings as long-awaited evidence that it had therapeutic value. They called on the Clinton Administration, and in particular Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which requested the study, to ease its steadfast opposition to the initiatives.

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Those are just the first two examples I pulled up referencing the medical benefits of marijuana.

Mr. Roth said:

If the active ingredient in Marijuana is already legal and is in a drug, then why would there be any need to actually do the drug. simply people like it, they are addicted, and they are using semi-logical arguments to prevent their addiction from being suddenly taken away from them.

In ancient times, if someone was chronically ill or in pain, it was common to give them alcohol to stem their pain. The bible even says this lol, i will find the verse if anyone wants me too, but the point is, is it socially acceptable for people who are chronically ill now to get drunk to solve their problems? No, we have medicines and drugs to treat that based on 100's of years of medical advancement. We are obviously not as primitive as ancient people that we have use a drug that can cause such devastation within any society.

Loss of productivity on an economic scale, loss of virtue on a moral scale, and loss of social stability with those around any addict are problems that we face as a society by the increased use of Marijuana if it is legalized.

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Your opinion is not supported by any fact. The facts are that personal responsibility is what is at issue here. People abuse prescription drugs just as much as they do marijuana. Easily.

You can take your moral argument and wrap it around the board that...well I'll reserve that comment. Your "moral" argument is irrelevant on all levels and has no place in this discussion. You have absolutely no credible argument regarding marijuana's effect on "virtue." Where do you come up with this argument anyway?

Mr. Roth said:

Though it is is socially acceptable, what has Alcohol really done to advance the human race? equivocally what would marijuana do as well.

Its useless, Go Obama

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What difference does that make? What have lima beans "really done to advance society?" How about soft drinks? Or cupcakes? Or Big Macs? What I see in your post is your desire to have the morality police tell us how to live. That is your basic argument. That is not neither reasonable nor intelligent.

Now why don't you actually make a reasonable and intelligent argument against marijuana?

The medical benefits of marijuana alone are enough justification to take it off Schedule 1.