Calif. pot dispensaries told by feds to shut down

[PokerGuy]

Looks like the feds have gotten tired of looking the other way, they're going after the big dispensaries in earnest. They're even going after the landlords who rent/lease properties to the dispensaries.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44806723/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

I think there are plenty of more important things for the feds to worry about, but on the other hand, like it or not it IS still against the federal law to sell, so the feds can't just ignore blatant violation of federal laws.

 

[bfdd]

fuck them. lol this will go no where.

 

[chucky2]

LOL. The Feds spend the money on resources and political capital to harass weed distro's, but won't spend the money and political capital to stop the illegal invaders. What a totally F'd up sense of priorities....

 

[bfdd]

LOL. The Feds spend the money on resources and political capital to harass weed distro's, but won't spend the money and political capital to stop the illegal invaders. What a totally F'd up sense of priorities....

Nothing will happen. They'll waste a bunch of money harassing some people, then public will get restless and we're already on the verge of legalization anyways. Alienating small businesses, killing jobs and cutting people off from something they enjoy doesn't exactly look good to the public eye. Especially in this climate.

 

[chucky2]

Yeah, who knows, maybe Phillip Morris called in some favors....

 

[EagleKeeper]

Nothing will happen. They'll waste a bunch of money harassing some people, then public will get restless and we're already on the verge of legalization anyways. Alienating small businesses, killing jobs and cutting people off from something they enjoy doesn't exactly look good to the public eye. Especially in this climate.

Where is it on the verge of being legalized

CA had the best opportunity to lead the rebellion and failed miserably.

Any other state stepping up in the efforts to legalize it?

 

[spidey07]

But, but, but Obama said he wouldn't do this! He promised!

 

[Texashiker]

What is sad, the federal government can not secure our borders against illegal drugs, but cracks down on companies that abide by state law.

Companies that hire employees and pay taxes are put out of business.

Drug runners in mexico kill people at will.

Someone tell me how that is supposed to balance out?

 

[dank69]

Where is it on the verge of being legalized

CA had the best opportunity to lead the rebellion and failed miserably.

Any other state stepping up in the efforts to legalize it?

CT gets closer and closer every year. We just passed a decriminalization bill this year. :awe:

 

[EagleKeeper]

What is sad, the federal government can not secure our borders against illegal drugs, but cracks down on companies that abide by state law.

Companies that hire employees and pay taxes are put out of business.

Drug runners in mexico kill people at will.

Someone tell me how that is supposed to balance out?

Possibly that the so called dispensaries are just fronts for distribution.
People openly brag in CA about having a MMJ card when they are not injured. It just destroys the justification for a real need.

They have abused the system to the point; that the innocent are being hurt because the guilty hid behind them.

There is plenty of money available to falsify the medical needs.

 

[Darwin333]

Possibly that the so called dispensaries are just fronts for distribution.
People openly brag in CA about having a MMJ card when they are not injured. It just destroys the justification for a real need.

They have abused the system to the point; that the innocent are being hurt because the guilty hid behind them.

There is plenty of money available to falsify the medical needs.

Who is being hurt by said abuse to the point of requiring the Feds to take such action?

 

[woolfe9999]

But, but, but Obama said he wouldn't do this! He promised!

Really, when did he make a promise to the American people that he wouldn't enforce federal marijuana laws? I eagerly await what I know will be your reasonable and objective response.

 

[woolfe9999]

Who is being hurt by said abuse to the point of requiring the Feds to take such action?

There isn't anyone being hurt, and there isn't any need for marijuana prohibition. We need to just cut to the chase and legalise the stuff. Until then, I don't think it's realistic to expect the federal government to ignore its own laws and stay out of it.

 

[sactoking]

Really, when did he make a promise to the American people that he wouldn't enforce federal marijuana laws? I eagerly await what I know will be your reasonable and objective response.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19holder.html

March 2009

 

[woolfe9999]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19holder.html

March 2009

Yeah, I read it several times before. No campaign promise. No promise on anything, actually. Just a statement of a policy, and later, a statement of a shift to a different policy. Even the original policy was vague, more a matter of shifting limited law enforcement resources away from one thing and onto others. No unqualified statement that they would never enforce the laws. Hardly a basis for crying about broken promises.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the federal marijuna laws need to change. Expecting any administration to totally ignore federal laws is not realistic.

 

[manimal]

jerb creaters!!!!!!!

 

[EagleKeeper]

Who is being hurt by said abuse to the point of requiring the Feds to take such action?

Possibly that the Feds have determined that there are more people abusing the system than that are legit.

The Feds turned a blind eye when there seemed to be a legit need.

Now that the falsehood is openly being flaunted in CA, CO and elsewhere, the Feds are no longer going to tolerate the sham. :thumbsup:

 

[EagleKeeper]

Really, when did he make a promise to the American people that he wouldn't enforce federal marijuana laws? I eagerly await what I know will be your reasonable and objective response.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19holder.html

March 2009

Speaking with reporters, Mr. Holder provided few specifics but said the Justice Department’s enforcement policy would now be restricted to traffickers who falsely masqueraded as medical dispensaries and “use medical marijuana laws as a shield.”

So they did not go after the dispensaries until they felt the second statement started to apply.

Abuse the system; get the flack:\

 

[werepossum]

LOL. The Feds spend the money on resources and political capital to harass weed distro's, but won't spend the money and political capital to stop the illegal invaders. What a totally F'd up sense of priorities....

Exactly right.

It's worth noting though that Obama wouldn't be doing this if the voting electorate didn't reward it. Democratic representation ensures that we get the government we deserve, not the government we need or want.

SNIP
I've said it before and I'll say it again - the federal marijuna laws need to change. Expecting any administration to totally ignore federal laws is not realistic.

Possibly that the Feds have determined that there are more people abusing the system than that are legit.

The Feds turned a blind eye when there seemed to be a legit need.

Now that the falsehood is openly being flaunted in CA, CO and elsewhere, the Feds are no longer going to tolerate the sham. :thumbsup:

These are good points too. My old home County had a sheriff who campaigned at the cock fights, then a couple years later busted them. When asked, he just shrugged and said there's a limit to how much you can tolerate something that's illegal even if you don't think it's really hurting anyone. At some point you have to enforce the law.

This is very, very sad for people who honestly need medical marijuana, but the abusers are at least as much to blame as the feds.

 

[woolfe9999]

So they did not go after the dispensaries until they felt the second statement started to apply.

Abuse the system; get the flack:\

I'm not buying that either. People were abusing the system in 2009 as well, and openly flouting it. I don't know why the shift in policy, actually. I don't see it as political since medical marijuana has become fairly popular. Still, there was no "promise" here, not in any sense that I understand the meaning of that word.

 

[Craig234]

Possibly that the Feds have determined that there are more people abusing the system than that are legit.

The Feds turned a blind eye when there seemed to be a legit need.

Now that the falsehood is openly being flaunted in CA, CO and elsewhere, the Feds are no longer going to tolerate the sham. :thumbsup:

Where is public opinion on marijuana legalization; and where is Congress following it?

 

[woolfe9999]

Exactly right.

It's worth noting though that Obama wouldn't be doing this if the voting electorate didn't reward it. Democratic representation ensures that we get the government we deserve, not the government we need or want.

I don't think so. Take a look at the latest national polling on medical MJ:

http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.additional-resource.php?resourceID=149

65% favor is a whoppingly high percentage. How does Obama gain political favor by cracking down? Honestly, it doesn't make all that much sense to me.

- wolf

 

[EagleKeeper]

Possibly that the Feds have determined that there are more people abusing the system than that are legit.

The Feds turned a blind eye when there seemed to be a legit need.

Now that the falsehood is openly being flaunted in CA, CO and elsewhere, the Feds are no longer going to tolerate the sham. :thumbsup:

Where is public opinion on marijuana legalization; and where is Congress following it?

Congress is not required to follow public opinion.

While people may be in favor; apparently they are unable to put their opinion into votes to change the laws.

 

[bfdd]

Where is it on the verge of being legalized

CA had the best opportunity to lead the rebellion and failed miserably.

Any other state stepping up in the efforts to legalize it?

Do you live in California? How up to date are you in the cannabis culture here? You do realize that a large force pushing against legalization were these very people in the cannabis culture right? For many reasons. Some wanted to keep their ridiculously high profits and rake in the cash a little longer, while others didn't support the bill the way it was written because of the power it gave certain entities. It helps to stay informed.

 

[bfdd]

There isn't anyone being hurt, and there isn't any need for marijuana prohibition. We need to just cut to the chase and legalise the stuff. Until then, I don't think it's realistic to expect the federal government to ignore its own laws and stay out of it.

Why is it unrealistic to expect the federal government to ignore its own laws? they do it ALL THE FUCKING TIME. What is our government besides arbitrary rules with arbitrary enforcement?