It's Still Bush's Drug War

by Matt Kelley · 2009-01-23 05:22:00 UTC
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Federal raids on legal medical marijuana dispensaries continued yesterday, on Barack Obama's second full day in office. DEA agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in South Lake Tahoe, California, according to American for Safe Access, a nonprofit promoting safe and legal access to medical marijuana.

"Whether or not this unconscionable raid on a medical marijuana provider is the fault of federal officials from the previous administration, President Obama has an opportunity to change this harmful and outdated policy," said Caren Woodson, Director of Government Affairs for Americans for Safe Access. "We are hopeful that these are the last remnants of the Bush regime and that President Obama will quickly develop a more compassionate policy toward our most vulnerable citizens."

With Eric Holder's nomination held up by politicking in the Senate, the Justice Department won't be able to move for a few more days on some changes Obama has promised. During the campaign in 2007, Obama said: "I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users. It's not a good use of our resources."

Obama can't do everything in his first few days, but this raid is another sign of lingering Bush administration officials - like acting DEA administrator Michele Leonhart - failing to read the writing on the wall and acting as if her old boss was still around.

Take action here to tell Obama that you demand an end to federal raids on dispensaries that are legal under state law.

Matt Kelley is the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project and a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter @mattjkelley.
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