Pubdate: Fri, 13 Mar 2009
Source: Sun News (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Copyright: 2009 Sun Publishing Co.
Contact: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/letters_policy/
Website: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/987
Author: Clarence Page
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/people/Charles+Lynch
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

OBAMA SHOULD REVERSE BUSH POLICIES

When Charles Lynch asked officials for permission to sell an herbal 
medicine in the central California town of Morro Bay, they granted it 
to him - even though the medicine was marijuana.

That's because marijuana recommended by a doctor has been legal in 
California since 1996. A dozen other states have passed similar laws.

So Charlie applied for a business license, joined the Chamber of 
Commerce, talked to lawyers and even called the Drug Enforcement 
Administration before opening his medical marijuana dispensary with a 
grand ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Unfortunately for Charlie, none of this prevented him from being 
arrested in March 2007 when federal authorities raided his home and 
small business. That's because the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in 
Gonzalez v. Raich in 2005 that in the issue of medical marijuana, 
federal law trumps the states.

"Today's decision," crowed Bush's drug czar, John Walters, at the 
time, "marks the end of medical marijuana as a political issue."

Well, not quite.

President Obama's Attorney General Eric Holder has announced that the 
Justice Department will stop raiding marijuana dispensaries in 
California and other states that allow medical marijuana. But that 
doesn't help Charlie, whose sentencing is set for March 23. Lynch, 
who tried to conduct his business as openly and legally as possible 
under the laws enacted by Californians, is one of the more poignant 
examples of nonviolent offenders arrested and jailed by federal raiders.

Putting the brakes on medical marijuana raids is only one small step 
of the many that still need to be taken toward a sensible drug policy 
after years of backpedaling by President Bush.

Faced with a long list of thorny issues, Obama has decided to take 
them on all at once while his honeymoon lasts. While he's at it, he 
needs to modernize federal policy on the medicinal use of marijuana.

Since 1971, marijuana has been classified as a "Schedule I" narcotic, 
meaning it has no medical value. That's the same category as heroin. 
And as if that's not goofy enough, that would suggest marijuana is 
more dangerous than crack cocaine, a Schedule II drug that no one in 
the sane world describes as more dangerous than pot.

Yet that's the kind of thinking that gave a green light for the DEA 
to terrorize growers, providers, caregivers and patients with 
hundreds of commando-style raids. At least 90 major raids have been 
conducted by DEA agents in California, according to the Marijuana 
Policy Project, which advocates legalization of medicinal marijuana.

The Bush administration justified the federal crackdown against the 
medicinal use of marijuana as a way to stop some people from abusing 
the drug - as if some people didn't abuse every type of drug, legal 
or otherwise.

In fact, the same rationale was used to justify alcohol prohibition a 
century ago.

That didn't work out so well, either.

Walters, like the drug czars before him, argued that the law must 
rely on scientific research, "not popular opinion."

Yet 10 years after a study commissioned by President Bill Clinton's 
administration found medical value in smoked marijuana, the Bush 
experts say that's not enough.

President Obama recently reversed much of what has been called the 
Bush administration's "war against science." He needs to turn around 
the war against medicinal marijuana research, too.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom