Obama Administration Has Spent Nearly $300 Million Cracking Down On Medical Marijuana

[Truth Seeker]

An analysis from pro-medical marijuana group Americans For Safe Access found that President Barack Obama's administration has spent nearly $300 million on combatting medical marijuana in states that have legalized the drug.

The report calculates the total amount of federal spending on medical marijuana intervention at $289 million over Obama's four-and-a-half years in the White House. According to the analysis, the Drug Enforcement Administration alone spent 4 percent of its budget in 2011 and 2012 cracking down on medical marijuana across 20 states. Taken as a whole, Obama's participation makes up the majority of what ASA says is a $483 million war of lawsuits, indictments and asset forfeiture attempts waged by the Department of Justice under the past three presidents.

The group claims that over 1 million Americans are using medical marijuana, and 34 percent of Americans live in a state where its medical use is legal. ASA's report comes on the heels of a separate study from California's chapter of NORML that found medical marijuana charges responsible for a total of over 480 years in prison sentences in the state, where cannabis has been legal for medical use since 1996. That number will likely grow when the Department of Justice hands down a prison sentence for medical marijuana provider Matthew Davies, who accepted a plea deal late last month.

The studies are just the latest figures that underscore Obama's aggressive war on pot. While Obama and members of his administration had left many marijuana reform advocates optimistic in the early stages of his first term, it quickly became clear that the new president was determined to ramp up the enforcement-focused approach to medical cannabis.

While the administration appears to have grown increasingly intolerant of marijuana, the nation appears to be going in the opposite direction. Public opinion polls have shown increasing support for a change in policy, whether it be legalizing pot for medical use or legalizing the drug altogether.

News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: huffingtonpost.com
Author: Nick Wing & Luke Johnson
Contact: Contact us
Website: Obama Administration Has Spent Nearly $300 Million Cracking Down On Medical Marijuana: Report

 

[Gothmog]

Re: Obama Administration Has Spent Nearly $300 Million Cracking Down On Medical Marij

Have you noticed? Every time the voters pass a city ordinance or state law to permit or regulate the use of cannabis, the DOJ and DEA get busy.

 

[Sucasa1212]

Re: Obama Administration Has Spent Nearly $300 Million Cracking Down On Medical Marij

This country is such a joke.. I'm embarrassed to be a American.. Freedom does not exist, as well as rights. The government controls way to much of what we do and say.. I wonder when us American people will stand together and have the balls to say "No More".. It's sad..

 

[J9BLACK]

I generally agree, but don't see the loss of freedom you do.

20 years ago, I wouldn't be able to legally medicate. I wouldn't be able to use the internet as an unrestricted megaphone to spout anti-US anti-NSA vitriol. I wouldn't see anything but heteronormative government policies. I have many examples.

My losses are in the form of the stolen prosperity from our children due to Tyrannosaurus Debt.

If the NSA ever thought I was worth spying on, I would exercise my God given right to laugh my ass off.

 

[Gothmog]

Re: Obama Administration Has Spent Nearly $300 Million Cracking Down On Medical Marij

My losses are in the form of the stolen prosperity from our children due to Tyrannosaurus Debt.

We're in debt because of decades of unfunded wars, "too-big-to-fail" failures and bailouts, and neglect of the social commons--infrastructure, education, and public health and safety--in favor of privatized solutions that favor the rich. Now we have to spend what's necessary to fix what needs to be fixed, in the same way that if your house gets flooded, your water heater breaks, your septic tank blows up, and the roof leaks--all on the same day because you've been negligent, you have to get it all fixed, and never mind how many thousands it costs, or that you'd rather leave it to your children when you die.

 

[J9BLACK]

What are some examples of these privatized solutions that favor the rich?

 

[Gothmog]

Re: Obama Administration Has Spent Nearly $300 Million Cracking Down On Medical Marij

What are some examples of these privatized solutions that favor the rich?

I was alluding to aspects of the marketplace, whether deliberately planned or not, that favor the well-off. Bad roads, for instance lis less of a problem for those who can afford new SUVs. The amount of funding provided by state governments to their public universities has dropped to practically zero in some states; the explosion of student loan burden is a direct result of soaring tuition; back in the day you could work your way through, but now you pretty much have to borrow. Again, it's less of a problem for the rich. And however much conservative libertarians revile the Affordable Care Act, it doesn't do nearly enough to make good the utter failure of the private market in that area. In Manhattan they're pushing "micro-apartments" for people of average means--WTF is up with that? The population has declined by over a quarter since 1950--so why is it that Manhattan housing is less attainable to the middle class now when there are so many fewer people? Could it be that the housing market favors the rich?

(Sorry for the typos if any. My cursor jumps all over the place when I type and I haven't been able to fix it.

 

[J9BLACK]

OK, let's stipulate that the poor are always hardest hit and there is an ever widening gap between rich and poor.

What government policies favor the rich?

I have said "takings" aka the Kelo Decision. Or taxpayer funding of sports palaces. Taxpayers take it on those with every corporate tax break.

I am curious though ...what do you consider rich?