How The Feds Are Reacting To Pot Legalization?: Holder May Step Down

[Truth Seeker]

How are the authorities reacting to pot legalization in Washington and Colorado? Well, Attorney General Eric Holder says "I don't know [if I'll be coming back for four more years]", according to a newly released video of Mr. Holder speaking at a law school. Many see that as the warm-up before the departure of the embattled AG, who oversaw a largely ineffective crackdown on medical marijuana.

Kristen Gwynne at AlterNet does a great round-up of all other responses today, noting that the governor of Colorado said, "The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will. This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug so don't break out the Cheetos or goldfish too quickly."

A DEA spokesperson also told Reason.com that federal law remains unchanged, and that seems to be the talking point going around: that it's still illegal federally, which is true. (But there's about 5,500 DEA agents in America, or roughly the number of stoners at UC Santa Barbara. Federal law is only as valid as the locals who enforce 99 percent of it.)

A spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Colorado spoke of more of the same enforcement to the Denver Post. That would mean keeping pot facilities away from schools, and interrupting large-scale manufacture and trafficking.

Lastly, US Attorney James Cole had a very measured response to 60 Minutes last week, saying "We're going to take a look at whether or not there are dangers to the community from the sale of marijuana and we're going to go after those dangers."

The most lippy people in this debate tend to have no influence over it, however. Professional drug war hawk Kevin Sabet loves to talk about how, "Once these states actually try to implement these laws, we will see an effort by the feds to shut it down."

Some reporters seem to think the feds could sue the states, but, as many legal scholars note, the states don't have to enforce federal marijuana law. That's how alcohol prohibition ended. More reactions as they come in.

News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: sfgate.com
Author: David Downs
Contact: Contacts at San Francisco Chronicle - SFGate
Website: Smell the Truth » How the Feds Are Reacting to Pot Legalization?: Holder May Step Down

 

[RooRman]

Eric Holder is a criminal.

 

[demp5294]

We can hope but have been waiting since the 60's they always find a way to keep the slush fund alive.

 

[Draz]

Lets hope this trend spreads to other states and then other countries..hopefully the UK.. I already sent the UK primeminister DAvid Cameron information regarding how he could utilise the legislation of cannabis to help the economy, help the sick and free the police time up and prison space.. I only hope he read it and thought about it carefully..

 

[tannter1477]

this house of cards is coming down without a doubt. its happening right before our eyes. if you want to fast forward to the end, simply Goggle " alcohol prohibition "

 

[Weed420]

Its too late. They already stood by and allowed medical cannabis to be approved without their approval. Too late to go back now. Just need to get more states on board.

 

[demp5294]

We already have 17 MMJ states but out of them only a handful really have a system in place.

 

[scarygary]

Colorado re-legalized alcohol before prohibition repealed at the federal level. We've done this before.

 

[MrCloner420]

IN MY OPINION WE WILL SEE LEGALIZATION IN OUR LIFETIME................ AS THE MONEY GRIP TIGHTENS UP IN WASHINGTON WHICH IT WILL IN JANUARY............. THOSE IDIOTS IN WASHINGTON WILL BE FORCED TO FIND A WAY TO FINANCE THEIR AGENDAS WITH THE TAXING of POT. MARIJUANA TAXATION TODAY COULD BE AND WILL BE A CASH COW THAT THEY CAN NOT AND WILL NOT IGNORE. But the facts are they are not smart enough to realize that by legalizing pot they will turn the cartels stashes of POT into worthless inventory not to mention that by doing this you will DRASTICALLY effect the huge cash flow those monsters have been enjoying for decades....................... CREATING A NEW PROFIT CENTER FOR THE US GOVERNMENT(SO THEY CAN CONTINUE ALL THE GIVE AWAY PROGRAMS TO THE FOOD STAMP CROWD) WHILE BRINGING THE CARTELS TO THEIR KNEES MAKES TO MUCH SENSE TO ME HUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Weed420]

We also, because of 2 states passing legalization laws for adults, have forced the hand of a lot of our neighbors too who are putting political pressure on both the US and the UN to end the illegal drug war. I had never really considered that as a possibility as a positive effect to end the drug war but it looks like it may play a very important role on ending prohibition in the US. Canada appears to be headed this direction again which is good.