Promises from Obama Administration to Medical Marijuana Industry in Los Angeles Fade Away

Marijuana is unsafe and its alleged benefits have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the Obama Administration. This sounds like medical marijuana in Los Angeles is now going to have to face yet another battle — the flip-flop arguments of the Obama Administration.

“While there may be medical value for some of the individual components of the cannabis plant, the fact remains that smoking marijuana is an inefficient and harmful method for delivering the constituent elements that have or may have medicinal value,” the White House’s National Drug Control Strategy for 2011 says.

Our Los Angeles medical marijuana attorneys understand that this anti-marijuana campaign is more than likely a direct result of the Justice Department’s decision against reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. The Obama Administration has yet to make up its mind on where it stands with regard to the medical marijuana industry. As it stands now, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This means that medical marijuana has a high potential for abuse and that is has no currently accepted medical use for treatment. It puts it in the same category as hardcore narcotics.

The federal government has spent the last 9 years responding to requests from a number of medical marijuana advocates to reevaluate the drug and to take into account studies that have concluded that medical marijuana does indeed provide benefits to the user. After the review, the Justice Department stood by its decision to keep marijuana classified as a Schedule I drug. This means that medical marijuana is grouped together in the same category with dangerous drugs like heroin and ecstasy. The Americans for Safe Access group is appealing the decision in federal court.

The Justice Department recently stated in a memo that state-approved marijuana dispensaries and growers could potentially face prosecution. These companies worry that the federal government will be upping their enforcement even more, forcing them to shut their doors for good. The Department also stated that those involved in the medical marijuana business in the 16 states and Washington, D.C. could face severe consequences for allowing the distribution and use of the drug.

The Department’s report also noted that while tobacco and alcohol are both legal and taxed in the United States, neither product provides a “net economic benefit to society.” There is no monetary gain from the sale of these products because of health-care expenses and various criminal justice costs from incidents such as drunken driving arrests.

The anti-marijuana tone of Obama’s Administration is disappointing, says Nail Franklin, director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

“It’s sad that the drug czar decided to insert a multi-page rant against legalizing and regulating drugs into the National Drug Control Strategy instead of actually doing his job and shifting limited resources to combat the public health problem of drug abuse,” Franklin said.

The CANNABIS LAW GROUP is representing more than a dozen dispensaries in lawsuits over local city and county ordinances in Los Angeles and the surrounding area. Call 949-375-4734 for a confidential consultation to discuss your rights.

Additional Resources:

Obama administration slams medical marijuana, by Liz Goodwin, Yahoo News
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June 30, 2011

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June 29, 2011

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June 26, 2011