Obama Changing Medical Marijuana Policy
The Federal crackdown on legitimate medical marijuana related businesses has intensified to the point of signaling a policy shift. Despite the campaign promises, and the historic Eric Holder speech in late 2009 declaring that the Federal Government would respect the rights of the states, there have been increased raids, IRS audits, and even threats to arrest landlords and state employees.
On the campaign trail President Obama was a master at inspiring hope and change with direct statements saying he would not be using Justice Department resources to try and circumvent state laws regarding medical marijuana. Once he was elected, he continued to support the rights of individual states to enact their own laws. Then with an historic press announcement in October 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder made a shocking speech that set the wheels in motion for a billion dollar industry and created much needed jobs. The following two years were marked by busy lawmakers, regulators, businessmen, and patients, working to define exactly how medical marijuana should be implemented in each individual state. It was truly a time of hope and relief for many patients who previously relied on harmful narcotics and other inadequate treatments.
Those days are quickly fading and being replaced with fear and uncertainty. Banks are now too fearful of Federal Intervention to work with dispensaries, growers, edible suppliers and other related businesses. Landlords may soon follow in their footsteps as they are now being threatened with arrest, prosecution and having their property seized. Dispensaries are increasingly being raided, and the IRS is starting to get more active in this whole process. The DEA is clearly back to waging the war on drugs, especially in California.
For now, Colorado isn't being hit quite as hard. As I see it, we have a few things in our favor. The medical marijuana movement in Colorado is based quite firmly on a Constitutional ammendment. We also have an over-developed regulatory framework in place requiring documentation and monitoring from seed to smoke. The state is also enjoying the benifits of more jobs and increased tax revenues created by this new but firmly established industry.
This is a time for careful prudence but not panic. The momentum has started to reverse, and President Obama clearly appears to have turned his back on medical marijuana patients, growers, dispensaries, landlords and even well meaning state employees. With another election soon approaching and such a large percentage of the population in favor of medical marijuana and the rights of individual states, he may be changing his stance. As always, it's an important time to have our voice heard, to make it a government of the people and for the people.