DOJ to Stoners: It’s Okay to Inhale
For a while we had a commenter who liked to comment “Legalize it!” on every post, with “it” referring to marijuana. This person is surely quite happy today. From the New York Times:
People who use marijuana for medical purposes and those who distribute it should not face federal prosecution, provided they act according to state law, the Justice Department said on Monday in a directive with far-reaching political and legal implications.In a memorandum to federal prosecutors in the 14 states that make some allowance for the use of marijuana for medical purposes, the department said it was committed to the “efficient and rational use” of its resources, and that going after individuals who were in “clear and unambiguous compliance” with state laws did not meet that standard.
Puff, puff, pass. Anyone want some brownies?
Justice Dept. to Stop Pursuit of Medical Marijuana Use [New York Times]
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FIRST IN THE BUTT
Finally Obama has done something productive!!!!!
"People who use marijuana for medical purposes" = stoners?
I am in favor of legalizing marijuana, only because it will further the gap in education and income between me and the wretched masses.
I hope Obama's new understanding of Federalism will spread to other areas, such as health care.
So, did the DOJ just abrogate supremacy of federal drug laws and bow to medical marijuana? Are they even allowed to do this?
What what?
5, I am totally with you. But don't you understand? The Dems only like certain principles when they allow them the outcomes they want. Federalism is one such principle. Don't hold your breath for them to be the champions of federalism when it comes to health care, educational loans, or any other such things.
Jake/4 You are such an asshole. Not everything in life is abotu money, you money grubber.
"Legalize it" shall henceforth refer to prostitution.
6--
In order: no, and yes. They did not abrogate supremacy because their decision is purely one of allocation of resources. The DOJ has limited revenue, and it would rather spend that revenue on going after certain types of offenders rather than ultimately non-dangerous medical marijuana users. This doesn't abrogate federal law, but is simply a judgment call on how to run an office where there is not enough money to prosecute and investigate everything.
To contrast: a DOJ statement "resources be damned, we will not enforce this law because it's ridiculous" would be effectively abrogating federal law, which is impermissible under Article II of the Constitution. These types of statements (though in nicer words) were what got Reagan in trouble in the Third and Ninth Circuit cases dealing with his refusal to enforce a law because he thought it might be unconstitutional.
At least USA today gives relevant and interesting stories. Not like Elie's doctored DOJ swine flu story of earlier today.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2009-10-18-stevens-supreme-court-justice_N.htm
Jake, way to ruin your shtick - the character you play would clearly be down to smoke some herb. You poser.
Legalizing marijuana is part of Commissar Obama's plan to ram through his "Obamacare" down our throats while providing an excuse to tax this "vice" for purposes of subsidizing his healthcare reform.
Isn't it puff, puff, give?
"Puff, puff, pass. Anyone want some brownies?" Really? had a feeling you were a huge dork, but really??
Obviously 13 is right on the money. 4 = Shtick FAIL
14, gotta give Obama props for that.
Tim Tebow will INHALE the dreams of Heisman contenders.
Glenn Beck just said that "Daddy Obama" is going to give him a "spanking."
The DOJ and Dem's are finally doing something right. This kind of measure will unite the more liberal and educated democrats with the libertarians. Two thumbs up.
man, is weed legal now or what? Don't harsh my mellow with all of this abrogation mumbo jumbo. Just stubbed my toe in my jelly shoes man.
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET
Fucking practicing law. I'm gonna begin my grow in view of the chaos coming to L.A. dispensaries. Yeah, the Superior Court sided with the dispensaries today but the City Attorney will bounce right back up.
I got my people, and I got my corners. Grow fire kush grow!
I'm gonna be rich beeeeeeyatch!!
Does this mean that it's okay to admit smoking pot (in the past) on DOJ job application forms?
It's puff puff give, Lat. Puff puff give. And you're fuckin' up the rotation.
As long as I still have sex and drugs, I guess I could do without the rock and roll.
8,
That applies to Democrats and Republicans. How about we just agree that they are both idiots?
Partner Emeritus only partially understands my administration's support for "medical marijuana." Let me be clear, we do not wish to subsidize my health care reforms by taxing sales of marijuana (although we certainly will do so), legalized medical marijauna IS my health care reform. The "public option" is free reefer.
Now that I have been clear I assume people will "hop" on the bandwagon and support my plan.
Barack x.
This post is addressed to the moronic Commenters who fallaciously believe I smoke marijuana:
Wealthy peoples smoke marijuana. Obscenely wealthy people do not.
Incidentally, I fall into the latter group.
eek! yeah, for me!
bill urquhart
5 & 8, you guys are so TTT for discussing federalism on a board that talks about pot.
Actually, 15/26, it is puff, puff, pass. You don't "give" a bowl or a joint, you pass it.
Coincidentally I just wrote a brief journal article for www.thelegality.com on this topic. Feel free to check it out and get a little background on the history of the law and pot in the US.
www.thelegality.com/2009/10/13/up-in-smoke-the-war-on-drugs-in-america/
Marijuana is the gateway drug to liberalism.
Love this post. It's about time that the feds stopped wasting time and money on the war against pot, and actually used that energy to fight against harder drugs.
my muscles always feel like they need to be stretched or massaged whenever i smoke...what is that?!?!?!
One thing you can...if your opponent tries to...legalizing mary jane is the way you can, in the ranking, making sure to...look, just remember law is a street fight. I'm so high right now.
Down South, whenever anyone says "puff puff" anything, it is inevitably a reference to Friday, a fine comedy film, wherein the correct phrasing is "puff, puff, give".
But, I wouldn't think to correct an actual or perceived stoner correcting other actual or perceived stoners on the subtleties of drug humor, as it would totally blow my mind, and my waffles are getting cold.
Doesn't go far enough. Decriminalize it Congress. Do what the people want. Oh but that would be representative government and you only represent corporate interests and the pharmaceutical companies (the ones rejecting the public option) would complain that everyone was growing their own medicine.
Stupid Congress.
Yes, this makes me happy. (I'm the commenter referred to in the post). However, I still must say as I've been known to... "Legalize Kanehbosm Now!"
Yes, I will get a medical card after I move out of this God-forsaken State I'm in law school in. However, I'll be the first to admit I don't need one. I will have to over-emphasize minor pain to a doctor (some would call it lying) in order to get my card. But I should not have to do that. Anyway, in most States I won't even have that option.
I smoke cannabis as part of my religion. Kanehbosm was a major ingredient in the Holy Annointing OIl in Yaweh's temple in the Old Testament. The book of Exodus records that the oil had 9 lbs. of cannabis extracted into each liter! The priests would annoint themselves and the temple with the oil. Wine and cannabis have long been part of the Judeo-Christian tradition. David prayed in Psalm 23 that his cup would overflow and his head be anointed with oil. Christ means "the anointed one," and He was very into wine also, if you believe the book of John chapter 5.
Nevermind the fact that the 1920's already showed us that prohibition does not decrease substance use but only increases the profits of criminal syndicates who ignore the law. The fact that my personal religious use of cannabis is not recognized as a Constitutional right runs totally against how the framers viewed the religious use of intoxicating substances and runs totally against the Constitution in general.
And no, being a Christian and lying to get my medical card will not make me a hypocrite. Lying to enemies is not a sin, God has been known to do it throughout Scripture. If I have to lie to the State's system in order to get my cannabis or otherwise risk anal rape in prison... then so be it. Lying to my neighbours, however, is a sin... so I must tell you my friends and neighbors in all honesty: Legalize It Now.a
41, if everyone who enforces a law you disagree with is your enemy, in my opinion you have a lot to learn about being a Christian. To say nothing of a reasonable person.
If you're going to flout the law go ahead, but don't be proud of it.
So, 42, are you saying those who would lock you in a cell where forced rape is likely are not enemies? I'm not saying we shouldn't love our enemies... but I'm saying we should call them what they are. Also, are you saying Jesus should be ashamed of flouting the law of the Jewish legal authorities in Matthew 11 when he told them their laws were wrong?
... and allowed the disciples to continue breaking their laws, also....
Really, Lat, you couldn't possibly have published this post 12 minutes earlier?
Really, 45, you couldn't have posted your comment 36 minutes later?