Marijuana Group Americans for Safe Access Sues Obama Administration Over California Dispensary Crackdown

By Dennis Romero Thu., Oct. 27 2011 at 3:50 PM

Caveman Chuck Coker

Americans for Safe Access, a pro-marijuana legalization group, today announced it has filed suit against the Obama administration for its new crackdown earlier this month on California dispensaries.

It's a strange effort in that marijuana is a Schedule I outlaw drug in the United States and feds have free reign to crack down regardless of California's medical legalization.

However, ASA argues it has a leg to stand on. ASA chief counsel Joe Elford:

Although the Obama Administration is entitled to enforce federal marijuana laws, the Tenth Amendment forbids it from using coercive tactics to commandeer the law-making functions of the State. This case is aimed at restoring California's sovereign and constitutional right to establish its own public health laws based on this country's federalist principles.

The ASA claims that the crackdown by four U.S. Attorneys in California, announced earlier this month and aimed at letting all Golden State pot shops know that they're illegal under American law, seeks to get local cities and counties to outlaw the retailers or face federal action in their jurisdictions.

The ASA:

... The same U.S. Attorneys have been sending threatening letters to several municipalities across the state in an attempt to undermine the passage of local medical marijuana regulations.

One the eve of a presidential election year, the U.S. Department of Justice has gone out of its way to say that President Obama himself had nothing to do with the crackdowns, which so far have spared pot shops in the city of L.A., the nation's dispensary capital.

Tags:

ASA, DOJ, marijuana, medical marijuana, Obama, pot shop

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Jose

The DEA Taliban Alliance should also be charged under US Code for driving up the price of marijuana and thus aiding the enemy.

§ 904. Art. 104. Aiding the enemy

Any person who—

(1)aids, or attempts to aid, the enemy with arms, ammunition, supplies, money, or other things; or

ConservativeChristian

Jesus said to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us. Noneof us would want our child or grandchild thrown in jail with the sexualpredators over marijuana. None of us would want to see an older familymember’s home confiscated and sold by the police for growing a coupleof marijuana plants for their aches and pains. It’s time to stopputting our own family members in jail over marijuana. Ifordinary Americans could grow a little marijuana in their own backyards, it would be about as valuable as home-grown tomatoes. Let's putthe criminals out of business and get them out of our neighborhoods.Let's let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own backyards. Here's one way that IT IS REALLY WORKING: Arresting thecriminals and collecting a fee from registered growers (and bringing inthousands of dollars to support the county budget); what a great plan!This is the way to build a better America! http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/... Thecurrent proposal before Congress, bill HR 2306, will allow states todecide how they will regulate marijuana. You can email yourCongressperson and Senators at http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Ele... to discuss HR 2306.Anda big THANK YOU to the courageous, freedom loving legislators,governors, and countless others who are working so hard to bring thisthrough! You’re doing a great patriotic service for all of America!

lamedicalmarijuana

Dennis Romero likes nothing more then to distort reality and miss-inform his readers.

"It's a strange effort in that marijuana is a Schedule I outlaw drug in the United States and feds have free reign to crack down regardless of California's medical legalization."

Dennis fails to recognize the numerical significance of federal officials and their ability to have free reign to crack down on Medical Marijuana. Raiding a Medical Marijuana Dispensary cost the state and the federal government close to $30,000 minimum per raid. This does not take into account the additional costs which occur after the said raid.

Analyzing Mr. Romero's statement from a strictly numerical perspective; Federal Officials clearly do not have the budget, money, or free reign to crack down in any significant manner concerning California Medical Marijuana Industry.

With over 1500 pot shops open in Los Angeles it appears that Federal Officials will need to call in the National Guard to actually have a dramatic effect on the said number of pot shops operating without hinderance from the Federal Government.

Federal Officials, the DEA etc can continue their sabre rattling and rhetoric all they want, heck they can even order Dennis to write some phony baloney article about how the feds are winning the war against drugs.

BUT take a look around LA! NONE of the pot shops are closing.... & only more seem to be opening!!

So much for that Federal crack down on Medical Marijuana eh Dennis?