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A symbol of controversy, or of
the future?
So just what did the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's statement about the change of policy regarding federal raids against medical marijuana facilities actually mean?
Depends on who you ask apparently.
Holder was pretty clear: "This is now American policy."
But MSNBC reports that at least one California police official says it means virtually nothing. Rob Bryn with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department said "There is absolutely no new information in this."
Come again? Try running that by Mr. Holder.
The story gets right to the razors edge of the problem with marijuana policy in California and the eleven other states that allow some level of legal medical marijuana, use, growth and sales. Who is legal and who isn't? California Attorney General Jerry Brown wades into that morass last August, trying to issue regulations to clarify the state's position. It touched off almost more controversy and debate than before it was issued.
Meanwhile, plenty of former distributors, like Charles Lynch, are awaiting trial for criminal charges following federal raids of their medical marijuana facilities.
Which is why San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano wasn't just buzzing for some camera time when he held a press conference last week announcing legitimate legislation that would legalize marijuana in California, a move he said would save the state a billion a year in prison expenses and make the state another billion in taxable revenue.
Nothing ignites a blaze, or in this case a blunt, like the issue of marijuana. But this on both the state and national level is just started to smolder again.
Holder to stop raids on medical marijuana clubs.
Tax pot sales: A buck a joint.
For more from The California Statehouse:
Hard times for Gov. 30 Rock.
Mrs. Newsom's racy movie could be rough on the mayor. Watch the trailer here.
Schwarzenegger increasingly isolated.
Comments
i live here in SLO county and i wanna say that the sheriffs dept. here is absolutely ridiculous. Mr. Bryn's comment only further shows the push for personal agendas in this county and the disregard for what the people of California truly want and voted for. Pat Hedges, our Sheriff, recently had deputies come to his house because he beat his wife, only to have charges dropped. So maybe Mr Holder can finally end all this for us
If marijuana use was decriminalized it would change the scent of the American landscape. It is sure to stop the arrests of millions of pot smokers. Law enforcement officers would be able to concentrate on more serious offenses like drunk driving. Church attendance would also be affected. Pot smokers and traditional religious practices have little in common. Decriminalization would add to air quality. The sweet smell of marijuana smoke would be every where.
Let's put the drug cartels out of business. Let's allow individuals to grow a little marijuana for personal use. Limit the size of the growing area or the number of plants, and put a small user-fee on it to cover administrative costs, something like a fishing license.
One possibility:$100 per year for a permit to cultivate a dozen plants. It's a win-win.
Who's on board for this?
wHAT WILL YOU LEGALIZE NEXT TO CREATE MORE CONFUSION IN THIS COUNTRY OR WILL YOU NEXT SAY THAT THEFT IS ALRIGHT ALSO
It will change the landscape both physically as a crop as well as the landscape of what we will consider harmful. Legalizing the marijuana will be as good as the public telling the government they are wrong in this prohibition. Prohibition of a widely used substance is doomed.
This is bullshit..
All the little reasons that they can think up to not legilize it.
when there so afraid of a little change there missing the big picture, Crime rates have decreased emensly in california following the medical maryjuana bill passed in 96'.
IF it where legilized it would create an econimic boom that would be heard acrross the country, pulling california out of debt in the first year of legilization. I SAY IF YOUR SO UNSURE. Do a trail legilization for 1 year. and tell me that the pros dont override the cons..
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