Couldn't agree more, normally I'd stand up beside anyone, a defend individual rights, and states rights, in the name of Freedom from DC Dictators...but some how getting stabbed in the back, has me more interested in watching my own back...

None of the above 2012

This is terrible, and such a waste of time, money, and other resources! For God's sake, legalize it already! If not, then criminilize alcohol and tobacco since they are both drugs that are addictive and cause deaths. In fact, they are both more addictive and cause many many more deaths then marijuana ever could!!

With everything else wrong in this country all the Feds can do is target the stoners. Shameful.

This just proves how ignorant our government is. They will NEVER stop people from using pot. The DEA will lose funding and become irrelevant.

Doesn't the DEA have better things to do like stopping the flow of heroin from Mexico?

The only reason pot is a "gateway" drug is because with it's current illegal status people have to buy it from dealers who also sell hard drugs. If users could buy from a dispensary that only sells pot there is much less likelihood of being tempted to try something harder.

Advice to California - stop paying federal taxes 100% & succeed from the union. The US government 'has lost legitimacy to lead'. They obviously work for the Zetas in Washington.

I have never seen so much hellfire over a plant. Just sick of it. California is broke and all they do is shoot themselves in the foot. WTFever. And these two gentlemen who like to advertise and boast about what they do - only one word....discretion. Why people like to bring attention to themselves especially over hot topics as MMJ is beyond me.

Actually if you read the constitution, it IS a states rights issue. per the 10 amendment the Feds are limited to what is granted to them in the constitution. This is not. As for the commerce clause... Since it is grown, sold and used all with in the state and is therefore not interstate commerce they are out on that one too. It is only a legitimate federal issue if it crosses state lines so they should not be allowed to get away with this action in this case. If they are in violation of state law it is up to California to adress the issue.

David-472916- Pot should be legalized and no to cocaine and heroin. If you actually look at the tax revenue California has received from clinics, it has helped that state immensely. The Federal government needs to worry about heavier drugs.

Mary, you need to mellow out.

isn't state law supposed to over ride Federal law? I know no one seems to remember that but I do believe the constitution is written that way

I think the Federal gov't needs to stop with all their bullying.

smoke em if you got em, partna!

6 years of studying various types of drugs and alcohol and their affects and effects on the human mind and to this day marijuana is less damaging then even prescription medications. One study does not undo the hundreds of studies done by independent sources not funded by government or pharmaceutical companies both of which have monetary concerns with keeping marijuana illegal. Fact number two: It is rather easy to tell if someone is under the influence of marijuana, the pupil of the eye will dilate and be slow to respond to light, just like it with alcohol only more so. This affect last 2-3 hours after ingesting marijuana so the argument that you can't tell if someone is under the influence while driving is mute. The police can do much the same field test as they do for alcohol and even look for excessive giggling.....lol

MARY,,at a risk of repeating myself,,her we go again,,read carefully,,these are the facts

Alcohol:100,000 deaths a year,including traffic related

Tobacco:500,000 deaths a year,,1st and 2nd hand

Perscription Drugs,,aka/oxycontin,methadone:150,000 deaths a year,overdose related

Weed/Pot/devil weed:NONE,no deaths,of any kind,anywhere in the world,,EVER

Mary,,do the math,,all that you posted is purely speculation,,,a bunch of "MAYBE'S"

At first the Feds backed down and now they are back on the attack. This all makes sense since it is an election year. Can you say "Drug Company Lobbyists? See if you can find out if Drug Companies contribute to campaign funds. There are many prescription drugs that can do irreparable harm, but they are sold legally, so I guess for some reason, the government wants to tell you which one you can use to medicate your problem. You can overdose on legal drugs and die, but I have never heard of a pot overdose, have you?

All you need do is the same thing the government does to convict some criminals, "Follow the money trail." Legal drug money goes to the drug companies, then goes to the Drug Company lobbyists, then it somehow finds its way into the hands of elected officials who do their bidding. Very simple.

I do not smoke pot so this does not really affect me, but I can see the stupidity of it all. People are not going to stop smoking pot. Close the dispensaries and pot smokers will buy pot on the streets which comes from Mexico and adds to our crime problem. Where does the money go? Mexico, to fund the cartels and crime there. More money leaving the US. Wouldn't it be better to regulate its sale here in the US and reap the tax benefits, while keeping its sale off the streets?

I cant think of anything better that would help shut down the Cartels and their violence in Mexico, "Oh wait"here too.The feds need to get a real job.

Ah America, smoke a plant and go to prison. Illegally cross the border, no one gives a f*%$.

Legalize it and tax it, that will create 1 mill.......no.......3 million jobs. And save millions for the states by emptying half the prisons and freeing up law enforcement.

Anything can be addicting, anything! Now maybe you Californians might begin to realize that Brown, Pelosi, Obama and the like are the ones you don't need in office? If Mr. Brown is doing such a good job, why are all your Cities going bankrupt?

I'm sure that there is some true medical usage happening for glaucoma and what ever else it helps. But lets get serious. Almost everyone with such a prescription is smoking it for enjoyment. I don't even smoke the stuff or care too, but just legalize the crap, make a bunch more money, and move on to something more stressing.

The biggest drug problem in the US is the abuse of legal opiates from Big Pharma. Overdose deaths from them are at epidemic levels. In many states these overdose deaths are greater than deaths from vehicle accidents. In addition, opiate addicts brazenly threaten and sometimes kill pharmacists almost weekly.

But Big Pharma makes millions in political contributions so lets target marijuana.

I'm sure the number of marijuana users greatly outweigh opiates. But when was the last time a stoner killed someone for their buzz?

The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution states that any law created at the federal level must be followed at state and local level....not the opposite. State laws cannot contradict federal laws.

So... the Fed is going to save us from Drugs, but won't stop giving free money to illegal aliens, and prosecuting any state that tries to uphold federal law on citizenship? Seriously? If we TAXED weed, we'd be making tons of money. If we kicked all the illegal aliens out, we've be giving jobs to the American People, and they'd put money into the economy again. WHY are they trying to sabotage America by DOING this?!

If marijuana was legalized, they'd be profiting on taxing it, spending less money on throwing people who use or possess marijuana in jail while taxpayers pay for it, increase in dispensaries which helps with leasing empty buildings for business and an increase in employment for the people who would be hired to work at the dispensaries. The only downfall for the government when it comes to legalizing marijuana would be that the conservatives aren't getting their way. There are way better things the DEA should be worrying about than potheads.

Interesting that a liberal oriented administration and justice department is going after a very liberal backed idea in medical marijuana.

Maybe what we need is for the Medical Marijuana People to get some lobbyists to fight for us like the big Pharmas do !!

Mary. Paragraphs? Learn them. Love them. Use them.

Long rambling discourses listing fictional statistics does nothing to bolster your case; or, provides any indication to us, your unfortunate readers, that you have the intellectual capacity to even join us adults in this conversation.

We just need to shut down the Federal Government. The have outgrown their usefulness and are not doing a good job anymore. They are now fired and need to look for a new job outside of the umbrella of Government benefits and bullying.

Jack, actually the Supremacy Clause doesn't hold any water in this instance.

It only holds water in pursuit of CONSTITUTIONALLY authorized powers, and what they are attempting to do has nothing to do with the Constitution.

The only time the Constitution can be used to offset a state's laws is if the state law violates a US citizens Constitutional and civil rights.

I would leave the partisan angle out of this, both Bush and Obama's administrations have gone after these dispensaries.

The fact is, Big Pharma can't develop a pill and patent marijuana. And they have hundreds of millions in R&D and profits at risk if medical marijuana is legalized because they have dozens of individual drugs that currently mimic (which devastating side effects) the various effects of weed. Take cancer drugs for instance. They have presrciption drugs that make you hungry, so you eat more. They have drugs so you dont have vertigo, pain, anxiety, etc. All of these are handled effectively by marijuana, without the laundry list of side effects you get from your $250 a month prescription.

How about the Feds target Pharma for shooting down a national registry proposed by Obama to track opiate prescription drugs, which would effectively kill "doctor shopping" in its tracks???

You are wrong Superskunk. The Supremacy Clause extends to treaties and any laws established by the United States Federal Government. Look it up...

Sorry,you can't holler "states rights!" only when your ox is being gored.

Agree! I think.

The rights of states and of people seem to be diminishing more and more everyday. On every issue you not only have to look at your own personal view about the issue but also the larger picture. If the federal government can tell everyone they have to buy Healthcare, and every state they have to accept this federal law then we really can't be surprised when they go against the people who legalized marijuana and the states who do not prosecute. Big and powerful Governments are ALWAYS, ALWAYS a bad thing. Fight for states rights, and the rights of the people in those states even when they vote for or against something you disagree with. Massachusetts wants and votes for Mandated Health Care, good for them, California, Colorado and others want legalized marijuana, fine with me, Utah outlaws abortions that don't involve rape, incest, or life threatening issues, so be it. But I'm sure as usual eveyone will want their values and their views pushed on eveyone else.

The federal government has no say in this matter in accordance with the Constitution. As per the the Constitution the states are to be left to their own devices and deal with their local issues at the state level. The federal government is only to be involved in issues where the Constitution may be being violated, the country as a whole is under attack (beyond the ability of the individual states guard to deal with), and also to insure the stability of the union.

Nothing more. They are not supposed to have the power they currently do, not at all. However, America is the land of the sheep now so we just allow nanny gov to take care of everything. Giving them unlimited power in every aspect and we just go right along with it under the idiotic assumption that wealthy people in positions of power are not corrupt and don't desire more power.

We assume a law is a law and that's final. That it's a certain way because that's the right way and we never question it otherwise. Those that do are labeled and shunned. When was the last time a punishment fit the crime in this country? When was the last time federal law made any sense or seemed to be in our best interest? Not for a while. Caught with drugs? 25 years. Rape and murder someone? 6, maybe 10 but with parole.

This country has gone to hell and as part of a much younger generation I can 100% without doubt point right to the generation that's led us to this point. I can assure you it's not those of us in our 20's. Those of you in your 40's and 50's are to blame entirely. The one's in their 60's started it, and those in their mid 30's just don't care (sheep). It's the ones in their 40's and 50's that are actively screwing this nation. Allow me to say thank you (that's sarcasm, hope I didn't offend you.. not) and I can't wait until you're generation is too senile to do anymore damage. Though by that point it will probably be too late.

Image is everything. I guess if these guys had been less high profile there would be less trouble. The Feds know that nobody is going to take these people seriously because they all look like hippies instead of businessmen. Sad fact of life. If they looked more like a fortune 500 CEOs they'd probably take less heat from the Feds.

Why would the Feds want to shut down a thriving business? Didn't Obama tell the Feds to stop pursuing marijuana arrests? This is all a waste of taxpayer money.

Well John as a person in my 60s I rather agree with you to some exent. Not all of us in our 60s "started it" as you suggest. LOL We had some dissenters even then but the Dr. Spock's "time out" generation was sweeping the nation giving us a whole crop of self centered egotistical little "my way or the highway" types who ultimately have found their way into the political leadership of our nation and are revealing themselves as the Tea Party today. Also there was a concerted effort politically to abolish the radical self thinking tendency that was taking shape in the hippie movement. Even though drugs had not been legal since 1937 the real crack down didn't begin until we made a big deal out of it by labeling it "the drug war" in the 1970s.

In reality we got where we are today via a rather circuitous route and it is not appropriate to simply blame one group or groups of people. However it is the youth of today that really have the power to change all of this. As you say you are a part of that generation to come so make the most of it. Your time is here and now and our future as a nation hinges upon your generation's willingness to take hold and make a difference. Tomorrow will be what you and your peers make of it. :=))

What a huge waste of taxpayer dollars.. what irks me the most about this situation is the fact that marijuana could be generating tax revenue instead of costing taxpayers. Leave it to the US gov't to make the wrong decision EVERY SINGLE TIME though.. they have a track record of ABYSMAL FAILURE in almost everything.

The police can do much the same field test as they do for alcohol and even look for excessive giggling.....lol

And excessive Doritos-eating! ;-)

I'm not one to condone breaking the law, but come on people! This ONE dispensary pays $3 million, of their $20 million in revenue, in taxes a year to the state and federal government. That's $3 million more than GE paid in taxes last year bringing in over a billion dollars and they ship electronic goods to third world countries which harbor terrorists. I know that sounds extreme, but so do the morons above my post who use words like "gateway drug" and "federal legality". Come on folks, it's pot for people with enough pain that their dr has given them a prescription for use. Have you ever watched a cancer patient suffer? I'd like to thank the drs for prescribing marijuana which is MUCH LESS addictive than the opiates they otherwise prescribe "legally" for the pain. When was the last time you saw someone kill an elderly person for their marijuana prescription...but just yesterday a guy in Iowa was stabbed for his painkillers after back surgery. I mean, let's make sense of this crap before we speak next time folks. Legalize it for medical use and forget it! Instead of wasting tax dollars, lets create some in a way that is useful. I have a feeling the government simply wants this "beautiful waterfront property" in their possession to turn a quick buck without realizing the lost tax revenue from shutting down such a dispensary because we elect idiots who hire ignorants to run our government funded programs!

I hate to beat this horse again because this argument has been used ad nausium, but it's still relevant. Prohibition. Get a history book, look it up, read about it. Here, here's a link to the wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition

Prohibition and the "war" on drugs are exactly the same. If we ignore history we are doomed to repeat it. Well, folks, we ARE repeating history. Prohibition created a golden age for the Italian Mafia in the USA, and making MJ illegal has created a golden age for the Mexican Cartels.

Can someone tell me where the medical dispensaries get the pot? If it is illegal to use and cultivate as the article says, where and how are they supplied?

Thanks for the clarification. I'm trying to educate myself more on this issue.

If you want to know why marijuana is AND SHOULD BE illegal, just follow the money. Cash from these illegal operations eventually ends up in the hands of gangs and terrorists.

Nice to know that when grandma buys some weed to toke up she is actually supporting the killers her grandchildren are fighting.

They must be growing some really strack grass if your co-founder is David Weddingdress and he's wearing a.....wedding dress. Is there a roster we sign up on?

I dont respect my government when it lies about weed. Weed is safe and wonderfull.You can throw every one in a cage and try to train them to think diffrent. Our officials do just that.

The head of the dea would rather look like a total fool than answer the weed VS Heron Question form congress last week. What a joke. Yea, I respect My Goverment. If she answered the dea and the funding for them would be not needed.

You should see the dea's Big Church looking Glass building in St Louis. Big Money there. Brand new Black Suv's parkeed in a fenced off camera secure area. They afrade of their own residents in the area.

How it must feel to look out the window of that glass tower. Ye'a Respect.

Obama Wrote in Dreams of My Father, If weed dont let you find what you are looking, at leas it allows one to laugh at the folley of life. That is all of us want to do. Smoke feel good and Laugh and love life in our spair time.

There is NO Freedom in this county untill the Finanical head is cut off the DEA and the people are free to choose an intoxicant that is better and safer than drinking.

That is the truth.

What is one to do about it with out being the nail sticking up. Nails get hit with Hammers.

MR Obamba please read this and end the war on weed and freedom. You smoked! You Know the truth.

Funny, the Feds want to enforce Marijuana laws across the US regardless of State laws, but they fight States that want to enforce Federal immigration laws.

Dirp- That is true now but could be changed by regulating it. This is no suprise. Obama needed pharma support for ACA, appears he is no helping them out with their problem.

@Janet, usually the dispensaries buy their product from patients who act as "vendors". All medical patients have the ability to grow their own; 6 immature plants (not flowering), and 6 mature plants (flowering). Since not everyone has a "green thumb", several patients will often combine their allowed plants to be grown at one loction by one patient. (A collective, if you will.) This gardener will then take the excess product that the patients are not using and sell it to the dispensary, if they accept it. The dispensaries are very selective about their product.

The federal government is going after pot as the country goes to pot. What the DOJ under the direction of Eric Holder thinks warrants prosecution is dubious at best. Heaven forbid we legalize marijuana with drugs like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and such already legal. But there is no way we can allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes when that could cut into the profits of drug manufacturers.

Am I the only one who believes the Federal government is becoming less and less relevant over time?

dirp, that is BECAUSE it's illegal. Get rid of the risk of prosecution and those problems go away. Heck, I'd grow it myself if I could do it legally.

We need to finally wake up and decriminalize, legalize this. If you know why its illegal then you find that its nuts and outdated arguement. We are going broke as a nation jailing people for even small amounts..damn, tobbacco is much worse than this..come on america! All it takes is a vote to tell washington to bug off. Is this nation suppose to be under our control? vote to legalize! Watch states come out of debt and crime go down...yes, its that easy.

MARY,,at a risk of repeating myself,,her we go again,,read carefully,,these are the facts

Alcohol:100,000 deaths a year,including traffic related

Tobacco:500,000 deaths a year,,1st and 2nd hand

Perscription Drugs,,aka/oxycontin,methadone:150,000 deaths a year,overdose related

Weed/Pot/devil weed:NONE,no deaths,of any kind,anywhere in the world,,EVER

Mary,,do the math,,all that you posted is purely speculation,,,a bunch of "MAYBE'S"

Arthur-348233: Why do "EXTREME" pro-weed legalization doofus butt's like yourself always see fit to out and out LIE about how "safe" weed is, no matter what the circumstance? First of all, let me say that I, too, am for the legalization of marijuana. It is, indeed, far safer for you than even alcohol. When I drink, I get migraines, get so dizzy I can't stand, sweat profusely, get diarrhea, projectile vomit, and feel like sh!t the next day. That's you body's way of telling you that you drank POISON, and it's doing all it can to expel it. Weed NEVER does any of that to me. And as for cigarettes, well, they're truly disgusting beyond all comprehension. Half a million deaths each year? Nuff said. HOWEVER, to suggest that weed isn't responsible for ANY deaths AT ALL each year, OR EVER, is asinine. Iv'e been young and dumb. When I was a kid, I would get high, and then try to drive somewhere. I was lucky I never killed myself, or anyone else. There were several times I was so stoned I drove right through stop signs that I didn't notice, among other things. If I have done that, I'm almost positive a bazillion others have, too. I'm sure there have been THOUSANDS of traffic accidents due to driving while high on weed, and thousands of deaths, too. People have NO BUSINESS DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERY WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF POT. To try and convince people otherwise is, as I said, ASININE. All you do when you spew nonsense like that is make people leery of those (like me) who want to legalize weed. Don't try to help us out with your B.S.

David-472916..."

umm, Pot used to be legal so it should still be legal? Well, so did heroin, cocaine (even sold is drinks (Coca-Cola anyone?), and others. They should still be legal also, correct?"

Why not? Why not legalize all drugs? After over 100 years of ever increasing laws, and penalties, and drug use only increasing(yearly on average..some years it has gone down, but always rebounded) why not try something else?

Obama smoked it because it was the right thing to do!

@Mary 340630

You need to educate yourself in Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation. Since you do so much research, why don't you research Alcohol and Tabbacco. Post your findings and compare them to marijuana. Idiot!

The Feds just want to make sure they get their full 20%. At the same time it's really the owners fault for calling so much attention to themselves. You figure they are bragging about 20 million, all the Feds got to do is ask the I.R.S. if they reported that 20 million.

what bothers me is that, the other day, i was watching television and saw an ad for a new ADHD medication, and one of the first side-effects listed was sudden death, followed by a list of other very disturbing side-effects... why is it that this pharmaceutical company can create and dispense this drug, and be protected by the federal government, and they instead go after a plant that the most serious side-effects of are dry-mouth and sleepiness?? makes a ton of sense doesn't it?

@ Frostyclover

Hint: Those drugs are meant to (control=kill) population, it's what they been doing for hundreds of years.

Marijuana is a weed "weed" can grow anywhere, Gov can't make money if I'm growing it in my house, they can't control it if its legal. See it all comes down to Control of the people.

Why do you think Feds are going after organic growers too? they want you to eat the @!$%# they put out in the market, it's why american are all dying, you dont notice every month thers a new sickness discovered. FDA are the cause. If you really want to see how evil the fed gov and pharmaceutical, PLEASE PLEASE check out a documentary Soy boriqua paque to lo sepas, hosted by rosie perez. The funny thing is that the media labels this a documentary on the puerto rican parade, but its alot deeper then that. Fed Gov have been using the PR citizens as guinea pigs for all the experiments such as birth control ad other lethal drugs. Pedro Abizu Campos, a Harvard law graduate, he was like our martin luther king. He fought for freedom and because he wanted to liberate P.R from U.S the feds killed him.

Legalize, regulate, tax. Deal with abusers the way we do with other drugs.

The side benefit would be the reintroduction of hemp as a cultivated crop. With thousands of uses, this could reinvigorate many industries in the U.S. and create jobs. It also grows in weaker soils and is drought and pest resistant.

Approximately 80 years ago (give or take) the legalization of alcohol in "State Stores" is what seriously and pungently got this country out of the Great Depression.

Maybe if this country ever stopped it's personal prejudices over MM and started growing such by real Farmer's and Growers (over that of back room growers) who distribute their product to "State Stores" then most likely the taxes attributed to such sales would help tackle our national dept, while helping those in medical need of such. It helps ease the pain of glacoma, athritis, cancer etc and has been known to decrease the size of non-operable tumors.

It is an herb not a drug for drugs are processed herbs while Marijuana is not processed simply picked dried smoked or cooked with.

This raid and attempt by the feds is a huge waste of money that could be better spent trapping illegals and tempering the herion, cocoaine and Crack trade!

I think what liberals fail to realize is the government isnt socialist, its fascist. It just caters to liberals for the votes. Notice not one liberal/democrat that gets into office actually does ANYTHING for the liberals. Obama hasnt done ANYTHING for blacks, he hasnt done ANYTHING for gays, he hasnt given us the right to smoke pot. He only made government bigger. Thats fascism, not progressivism. You liberals are just being played.

Note: The same goes for republicans. You're being played as well. Were all being played.

john doe636--post #1.50.. I hope this post finds you as there are so many.. I am 60 years old and so relieved to see your post..I know my generation is mostly responsible for our present state as you recognize.. I became aware because of (and some time after) the vietnam war, how this counrty works..The powers with money will hire the best and brightest to decieve and manipulate you ..They are after and will get your vote and the vote of your age group..I've watched it happen over and over again..They will spend heavily to decieve and eschew..I hope and pray that others of your generation are as aware as you..The internet is your savior..fight hard and long to keep it free and uncensured.. Vaya con Dios..

Sorry Jack, you've interpreted wrong. Here's the text.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.

The key to the clause is the wording "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof", meaning the federal government can't make a law that is un-Constitutional (which we all know they do anyway) and the enforcement of these laws MUST be Constitutional. So that's a double whammy right there since the federal law against it is un-Constitutional, and the enforcement of said law equally so.

If a state law does not violate the states citizens civil, human, or Constitutional rights, then according to the Constitution the federal government has no jurisdiction.

What is "legal" about the federal government breaking a state law that is Constitutional ? Sounds quite authoritarian and un-American if you ask me. But then again too many Americans are confused about what being American, and what America was founded on.

The federal government wants to step in against a law that denies a minority rights in a state, that's what they're supposed to do. The federal government wants to step in against a state denying gay marriage, civil union, what have you, absolutely, that's un-Constitutional and they should (But they won't do that which is a joke in itself).

Sorry double post for some reason.

I guess Barack and Eric aren't stoners anymore. Otherwise they would leave Cali alone.

Just goes to show that the ultra left have as much to fear from obama as the rest of us. He is an equal opportunity dictator.

Why doesn't California just secede from the union and save the other 49 states the trouble of bailing their debt riddled a$$ out?

Unless there is proof that these dispensaries' profits are funding other illegal activities or terrorism, this is just wasting taxpayer dollars. The DEA must be bored.

As a peanut gallery note: Weddingdress? WEDDINGDRESS!?! What kind of made up "Kick me" sign of a last name is "Weddingdress"? That's like The Tick going undercover and saying his last name is Soapdish.

Let me guess, the guy wearing the dress is Weddingdress?

First, look at this particular situation: California law prohibits dspensaries from profiting from this. This is not just a case of fed law vs state law, it is a case of an ILLEGAL organization making millions from the ILLEGAL production and profiteering of federally illegal drugs. Just as ILLEGAL aliens are an issue, so is ILLEGAL drug trafficking. It is immature and uneducated to just say that for either case, just making it legal would make the problem go away.

Second, anyone who is a parent should be able to see how damaging this drug is. I have seen the damage it can do first hand. Plus, studies have shown it to have a 30% addiction rate.. that is worse than cigarettes. It is far more carcinogenic than cigarettes are, one joint a day gives you the same chances of getting cancer as 3 packs of cigarettes a day. It intoxicates you as does alcohol, yet determining a "safe" level of intoxication is nearly impossible.. yes you can determine that someone is under the influence, but to what extent? It IS a gateway drug, because it conditions you to have a lower baseline mood, and eventually you need more to get a "high".. Seldom do you see a cigarette smoker who starts out with one or two a day and is OK with that the rest of their life.. most end up with a one or two pack a day habit.. and that is a very mild drug with a very mild high.. pot has far more of an influence on your mood than cigarettes.. the high is greater and the low is greater..

Furthermore, legalization doesn't JUST affect private citizens who are otherwise law abiding individuals that can handle addictive drugs and not become a burden to society. There are already millions of people out there who would only abuse this if it were legal, to a FAR greater extent than they do, and cost the tax payers and businesses billions of dollars in compliance and regulation. How many billions alone would have to be spent to develop, produce, and outfit a device to check the level of THC active in the brain to determine if someone was fit to drive? Just that one thing isn't even possible with current technology and if so, the thousands of dollars per device multiplied by outfitting every police officer patrol car with this device throughout the entire united states would be incredibly expensive.. who pays for that? You can't just tax it and pay for it, it is far more complicated than that.. then there would be lawsuits against the "manufacturers" to pay for all the potential health problems and legal issues that would arise.. yet unlike alcohol or tobacco, there is NO big company to go after to settle the billions of dollars in lawsuits..

It is FAR from a win/win situation, even if you take out how it affects the youth, which is the primary user of this drug to begin with. Add that and it just isn't worth it.

DaveK, our federal government is involved daily in the global drug trade. Our federal government has destroyed entire governments and economies for corporate interest throughout the world. Especially in Central and South America, leading to the significant issue today with illegal immigration. Which by the way our federal government, corporations, and almost everyone profits from in this country.

You shouldn't throw immature and uneducated comments around if you're not addressing ALL of the facts. Yes, there may be some people making hundreds of thousands, or even millions of marijuana dispensaries in California. But our federal government has no say because they make BILLIONS off the global drug trade. And prove it first, before the SWAT team rolls in on a few unsuspecting shopkeepers or workers.

Marijuana is damaging ? Proof please ? Read this before you start throwing around studies please,

Marijuana would generate a ton of cash to the economy that would decrease deficits everywhere, now we can't have that can we ? So your financial argument isn't really valid.

It would benefit our society and economy much, much more than it could possibly harm it, at least no worse than it allegedly is now.

What it sounds like to me is you have a fear of freedom, as most Americans either consciously or subconsciously have, you're conditioned by the propaganda, you're uneducated and immature yourself, or all of the above.

O.K., people.....here's the deal: I realize this post is about medical marijuana, but I keep seeing comments about how it's really a "cover up" for people that just want to smoke weed for recreation. My question is: And? So what? Let me explain. I have a feeling that, when people hear the term "recreational marijuana use", they think "STONER!" It's like when people hear "premarital sex". What do they think of? Why, teen pregnancy, of course. But what about my single, 72 year old mother? Should a responsible, intelligent woman her age not be allowed to have premarital sex because of irresponsible teens? I think she is more than capable of making her OWN decisions, thank you very much. Now, back to pot. Not everyone that smokes is a "wake and bake" stoner. If you don't have terminal bone cancer, sickle cell anemia, etc., and you smoke weed every day, all day long, you're a moron. But that goes for lots of things. If you smoke 3 packs of camels a day, you're a moron. If you get up in the morning and have 3 shots of Jack and 6 beers before breakfast every day, you're a moron. If you get paid on Friday and stop by the casino on the way home from work to blow your whole check before you even get home, you're a moron. If you sit on the couch all day long, every day, and eat pint after pint of Chunky Monkey ice cream, without getting any kind of exercise what so ever, you're a moron. But I don't think anyone has a problem with someone eating a dish of ice cream once in awhile for dessert, or spending 20 bucks (if you can afford it) on a slot machine once in awhile if you like the casino atmosphere. I don't see the problem with going to a Super Bowl party and having a couple of beers, either. Or having a glass of wine with friends once in awhile. So what, exactly, is the problem with smoking a joint once or twice a year, like I do? Maybe one of you ULTRA conservative, right wing "minding MY business for me" control freaks can answer that for me. I'm a responsible, intelligent 44 year old man. I smoke less than 3 times a year. I don't drive when I do. I don't go to work stoned. I don't smoke around my kids. People forget that segment of society exists. All they think of is "you don't smoke at all" OR "you abuse it". Nothing in between. In the big, grand scheme of things, as life the universe and everything goes, why shouldn't I be able to come home (TO MY HOME) a couple of times a year, after working a 60 hour work week, lock my door, pull my blinds, put my keys up with no intention of driving a car, bulldozer, forklift or anything else for that matter, make sure the kids are safely tucked away spending the weekend with grandma, sit down, and watch The Office while smoking a joint? Why? WHY? Anyone? Why is it YOUR business what I do? In my own home, even. Just because irresponsible, immature teens, or whoever, abuse weed, alcohol, nutmeg OR WHATEVER, I'm to be punished, or restricted? Buzz off, mind your own business, and take care of YOUR family.

Superskunk, you are wrong again. Supremacy Clause does apply here. You don't seem to understand law. You should take the Constitutional law course that I teach.

Volltan

Actually if you read the constitution, it IS a states rights issue. per the 10 amendment the Feds are limited to what is granted to them in the constitution. This is not. As for the commerce clause... Since it is grown, sold and used all with in the state and is therefore not interstate commerce they are out on that one too. It is only a legitimate federal issue if it crosses state lines so they should not be allowed to get away with this action in this case. If they are in violation of state law it is up to California to adress the issue.

You do realize that the Supreme Court says you're wrong, don't you? Federal laws banning marijuana have been adjudicated as lawful...seems your point is really no point at all.

Just because irresponsible, immature teens, or whoever, abuse weed, alcohol, nutmeg OR WHATEVER, I'm to be punished, or restricted? Buzz off, mind your own business, and take care of YOUR family.

Apparently, you're unfamiliar with a simple principle most people learn quite early in life....it only takes a few people to screw it up for everybody.

I'm not advocating the idea...I'm just stating that most people understand this to be a universal truth in life. Is it fair to ban pit bulls because a few people turn their dogs into rabid killing machines...? No. Does it happen legally...? Yes.

If it weren't for the dope-a-holics who can't go 4 hours without a joint, people like you could probably be able to enjoy an occasional recreational joint. You shouldn't be mad at the law....you should be mad at the people who f'd it up for you.

@J R Browenstein: Why should I be mad at the people that screw it up for me? They don't make the laws. Obviously, the people that do make the laws are influenced by the idiots that mess it up, but that's my point. They shouldn't. It's condescending. I'm tired of the government trying to protect us from ourselves, as though they, the group of nit wits that can't even deal with the economy, or any one of a 1001 other issues, somehow know what's best for us. If that's the case, I can take time to list a million other things that people screw up constantly, and yet, are somehow still legal. This PC nonsense of restricting responsible, intelligent people from doing things because weak minded conformist sheeple can't handle themselves has got to stop. And yes, I understand the "simple principle" you speak of, but that doesn't make it right. Are you trying to be condescending as well? If we continue to follow that path, then someday the government will be in control of what we eat, how we dress, where we live, and every other aspect of our lives. Sounds great, eh?

Jack, what you obviously don't understand is the way the law, and the education system for that matter is twisted and distorted to achieve a certain outcome.

For example, two recent Supreme Court cases that are both apparently un-Constitutional were ruled on. The Arizona immigration law, and Obamacare. Both clearly un-Constitutional, but both completely different rulings.

You believe I should take your class, yet one of the biggest arguments against the Supremacy Clause you speak of is the language I referred to proving that the Supremacy Clause has no basis in your argument.

I appreciate the offer, but all I need to know about the Constitution is the Constitution itself and the Federalist Papers.

Jack, what you obviously don't understand is the way the law, and the education system for that matter is twisted and distorted to achieve a certain outcome.

For example, two recent Supreme Court cases that are both apparently un-Constitutional were ruled on. The Arizona immigration law, and Obamacare. Both clearly un-Constitutional, but both completely different rulings.

You believe I should take your class, yet one of the biggest arguments against the Supremacy Clause you speak of is the language I referred to proving that the Supremacy Clause has no basis in your argument.

I appreciate the offer, but all I need to know about the Constitution is the Constitution itself and the Federalist Papers

It's a good thing you are not a lawyer, let alone a SCOTUS justice. You obviously have no clue as to how the SCOTUS makes rulings on the constitutionality of laws. The SCOTUS is highly political and has been for over a hundred years. There is a reason that both conservative and liberal Presidents want to appoint either conservative or liberal justices; if the constitution were interpreted "as written" then the obvious political partisanship in appointment would be irrelevant. It is expressly this issue that led to Chief Justice Roberts' going out of his way to rationalized a way to keep ObamaCare "legal" despite the fact that he clearly stated that the government's legal reasoning was wrong...he wanted to restore the faith of the American people in the instutution of the SCOTUS than actually rule on the case as presented. The government did not present the argument that ObamaCare was legal as a tax. No other Justice made the case that ObamaCare was legal as a tax. The liberal Justices all were rubberstamping the government's argument that the Commerce Clause applied....a position clearly not constitutional. The liberal Justices were merely doing their job of pandering the Party line. The government's argument for the constitutionality of the law was ruled invalid....which would normally mean that they LOSE. Chief Justice Roberts personal quest to save the reputation of the SCOTUS as not being a purely political body is the reason he went beyond the arguments presented to Court by both sides to find a way to rule in the government's favor, not because the government's arguments were sound and constitutional. The reason the ObamaCare ruling is so monumental is because the Chief Justice chose to put the integrity of the institution of the SCOTUS as more important than ruling on the law on which it was ruling....an aberration in the Court's partisan history. The only problem with the idea that Chief Justice Roberts ruling the way he did to help quash the idea that the SCOTUS is partisan is that it actually reinforced that the SCOTUS has been partisan all along.

And Arizona's law was not "struck down"...parts of it were struck down but the SCOTUS validated the most important part of the law: that Arizona law enforcement can take steps to determine the immigration status of arrestees and act approptiately. Obama and Holder were trying to aguing that AZ had no right to try to determine the immigration status of anyone, even arrestees, because that was something only fed law enforcement could do.

I find your post quite amusing JR, I am FULLY aware of how political the SCOTUS is for the last 100 years, that was EXACTLY my point. Thanks for proving my point in your attempt to make me seem like I have no idea what I'm speaking of !

Justice Scalia for example claims he rules on Constitutional rulings based on what he believes the founding fathers believed at the time. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard !

I have no need to comment on anything else in your post with the exception of asking where I said ANYWHERE in my post that the Arizona law was "struck down" as you put it ?!?!?

In your earnest to discredit me, or make me look silly you kind of turned the tables on yourself.

To hell with our government. I've lost any sense of respect for anybody in Washington.

The war on drugs is working now, right!? Yeah, this is the turning point, I can see it now. It wasn't working before, but now, the war on drugs will work! This right here is the key, just you wait and see. All we have to do is spend millions on litigation over medical facilities, this will end the war on drugs and cut off peoples supply permanently! Right?

guess the Feds prefer terroristic attacks and raids, filling their buldging jails, and an arrest every minute of every day!

When people no longer believe all of the lies from the feds on the safety of mj, then they also start to question the truthfulness of any other scare tactic on other drugs. The feds would do much better at stopping other drugs that are far more dangerous, once they learn to base a sane drug policy on scientific and medical evidence instead of on lies and fear.

Too much fear, too many lies, too much hate, and too much greed are all feeding into the colossal failure known as the war on drugs. This raid was more about gaining dollars for the cops using forfeiture, and protecting the favored alcohol, pharma, legal industry, private prisons, etc., than it was about stopping pot because it is against the federal law because of its purported danger.

It is way past time to have a rational discussion on drug policy that is based on scientific and medical evidence that show both pros and cons. Debunking the lies and theories from either side with evidence would bring about a far more informed citizenry. After the facts are shown by both sides, let the citizens decide the merits by their vote.

Follow the money:

The Fed's actions are actually a way to ensure that Mexico continue to receive millions of dollars in drug money. This indirect "subsidy" is being threatened by the pot growers of CA. Mexico lost over 25 million in profits from these growers and the Feds are determined to help Mexico out.

jw101.....who smokes Mexican dirt weed?

HAHAHAHAHA - Fricsaid - no doubt, huh? Now give me a cookie, k?

I'm ok with legalizing it. Go ahead. BUT - I don't want your stoner ass working anywhere near me. If you are so damned 'sick' that you need a joint to feel all so better - then stay home and do your partaking in restful manner. Sooner or later, you'll run out of money and the issue will solve itself.

Mark, go get yourself another beer. Rather early in the am, isn't it?

Here we go again with the 'gateway drug' crap. It's like saying baby bottles are the gateway drug to alcoholism since kids learn to appreciate what comes out of a bottle, or that breast feeding is the gateway to breast infatuation for men. Legalize it and tax it. Our government doesn't want to stop spending billions each year on law enforcement and prisons. They would have to lay off thousands. Let alone the billions they would make in tax revenue. They apparently would rather support the cartels.

Hey suds man I wouldn't want your drunken rear end working anywhere near me either.

Opinions on whether or not marijuana should be legalized are fine, but the issue is that it is currently illegal. The future is a different story, but it remains in the future.

We don't drink at work so what makes you think we'd be smoking at work ? Duh !

They have not one a war on anything sense War World II. That was the last generation with balls. You van forget drugs they are stuck to that war for the money like a tick on a hound.

Jack? Why ya gotta be bringing a brother down. Are you completely color blind. Is the entire world you see shown in just black and white (with no shades of gray)?

The issue is this: Marijuana was legal until the 1930's when newspapers, logging, and paper interests became concerned that hemp could potentially damage their business. Outlawing marijuana was also a pretty good way to racially discriminate against black people (who were perceived as the primary users of the day) without actually creating laws based on color.

Since that time, the Federal government has done everything in its power to even block clinical studies to determine if there were any medical benefits to marijuana. Why? In order for a drug to remain a Class 1 drug, it must have no medical uses. So, many of the studies pointing towards the benefits of marijuana were conducted outside of this country or are historical documents pointing back in time (NOTE: There are records of marijuana being used to treat various ailments going back 5,000 years to the beginning of modern civilization).

Let's talk briefly about the purpose of making something illegal. In our society, we should make things illegal if they cause harm. Currently there is no documented case of anyone ever overdosing and dying from marijuana. Not a single one. A claim that most pharmaceuticals can't match (not even aspirin). The LD50 of marijuana (Median Lethal Dose), is so high that someone would have to smoke close to 2-3 pounds of marijuana in a single session in order to reach that lethal dose.

Another poster indicated that deaths from prescription medications have exceeded traffic fatalities in many areas. This is very true. The pharmaceutical companies keep peddling their wares (and keep recalling them when a brand becomes too lethal, and keep paying off class action suits as quickly as possible in order to stay in this very lucrative business). I think if people dig hard enough this is what they'd find:

A.) The lobbyists for the Pharmaceutical industry are doing everything they can to try and keep marijuana illegal.

B.) The DEA is doing everything they can to keep marijuana illegal in order to protect their own funding in our new reality of shrinking State and Federal budgets.

It's not about protecting people. It's all about protecting the pharmaceutical industry and the federal budgets involved on this BS war on drugs.

The real human comedy or human tragedy depending upon ones perspective here is the way that our species continuously fights that which actually makes us human. We are, after all that is said and done, just another species in the animal kingdom. We are viviparous, omnivorous, mammalian animals subject to the same urges and primary needs as the rest of our brethren in the animal kingdom. What sets us apart is our physical abilities to modify our environment to a great extent and our abilities to question our surroundings and our own desires and modify our behavior.

It is those traits and abilities that have permitted our species to become the dominant species on this planet as well as one of the most survivable and prolific species in the animal kingdom. However those same traits and abilities can also become our downfall. The so called 'vices' which are most often associated with alcohol, gambling, drugs, and sex are usually singled out in one way or another. In some societies they are honored and venerated as they were in early Roman or Greek history. Then they are often vilified and despised as they were during the dark days of the inquisition and the so called Victorian era that followed later. For the most part though the times that such vices are deemed evil are usually times of political struggles so the vices become the proverbial political football used to support one position or the other just as they have been here in America almost since our founding as a nation. If you notice most of the Greek and Roman history pointed out that the crackdown on the so called moral issues usually signaled the beginning of the downfall of those societies.

Historically no amount of prohibition has ever eliminated any of these practices. People have continued to drink alcohol, use various mind altering substances such as herbs, funguses, and later synthetically manufactured drugs, to gamble on anything and everything, and to have illicit sexual activity of every kind and nature. All that we accomplish in trying to fight Mother Nature is a kind of slow self destruction and that is what we are seeing here and now. The marijuana issue has finally come down to an internal struggle for power and control and, when you think about it, we are about to self destruct over something as inocuous as a dandelion. Just a common weed. Were it not so very sad this would truly be a comedic event.

On the plus side, your neighborhood dealers will be getting more business!

Legalize it already! Why are we still having this conversation?? Tax the crap out of it and put people back to work. Marijuana is not the enemy, opiates are. Everyone must keep in mind that the new Mexican government will not be enforcing the war on drugs so I imagine drugs will be flowing across the borders unchecked from the Mexico side. Do we continue to throw more resources and tax dollars at this non "war"? Or do we stop the drug violence by legalizing it and collect tax dollars for state coffers? Use common sense please!

Our government doesn't want to stop spending billions each year on law enforcement and prisons. They would have to lay off thousands.

They wouldn't have to lay off anyone DF. They could take all of the cops and turn them loose investigating white collar crimes in the banking industry or wall street areas. Turn loose all of the non-violent pot smokers currently locked up and start putting the bankers and other white collar criminals in jail. It is a win all the way around except for the corrupt congress crooks and those who pay them off for this war on citizens. They have caused far more harm by their ignorant drug laws than pot by itself could have ever done.

@ Anjisan...nice succinct post, to which I'd like to make a friendly amendment: the other major driver of the "war on drugs", especially as regards Marijuana, would be those building and running contract prisons.

The enforcement of this barbaric law has driven America's prison populace through the roof- with the least criminal and most pacific group ever targeted.

It has also driven huge profits into the pockets of those guilty of funding lobbyists and politicians in favor of eliminating this new domestic growth industry- something which actually creates jobs, creates tax revenues, and also fosters the elimination of an ongoing trade deficit with Mexico.

This particular trade deficit is not merely untaxed, but goes directly towards the destabilization and corruption of a nation we share a rather long border with.

There's another implication: drug lords are not stupid people- they're just sociopaths.

They fully realize the benefits of the War on Drugs to their business.

Courtesy of the incredibly corrupt Citizens United ruling by the SCOTUS of the United States, they can now make large and anonymous contributions to the election funds of those who will further their interests- in short, the Right is funded, at least in part, by those most like them- people willing to exploit and victimize the poorest demographic in the name of profit.

Just as an aside, a truly moronic piece on the contributions of unions over six years was recently posted on MSNBC. The author never mentioned the fact that unions are required by federal law to record and report every penny spent on political agendas- but corporations, PACS and private citizens are not.

The amount spent by the right tops that figure by an order of magnitude- and some of that money goes towards electing people who will attempt to keep marijuana illegal despite a documented majority who want it legal.

This is a symptom of the class war waged on the Middle Class by the rich: you no longer have any real voice in government- unless you can afford to buy one.

Voted up roadhead. You are so right.

This is the beginning of the end I fear. sheperdo is more then correct. Think on this a minute, most Americans are so uneducated that they fail to realize the main point of their history class, or any of the lessons taught within said class or many other subjects. We learn from history so we don't repeat it. It's ironic that funding for education to meet this end is cut while funding for programs like the DEA still recieve higher federal "donations". Point being, in history, even American history, drug use and addiction has been prevalent in one way or another.

Here are some examples and I'll even throw them in chronological order:

Ancient Sumer (the cradle of civilization); the first civilized nation with agriculture which coicidentally was founded because fermentation was discovered and beer/wine was first widely used.

Ancient Egypt; wide use of alcohol, dicovery of the poppy plant and its pain dampening properties, discovery of herblore for medicinal purposes later used recreactionally, sex trade first documented.

Ancient Persia; wide use of poppy plant and alcohol, prostitution franchise first documented.

Acient Greece; well documented use of alcohol and even a God denoted as its creator/protector, prostitution, use of herblore recreationally.

Ancient Rome; are you getting the idea yet?

Ancient Maya and present day South America; still prevalent... getting it yet?

Ancient to Present China; do I need to explain?

Ancient to present Western Europe; yup those guys too and they had all three.

Ancient to present day North America; Tobacco first used, alcohol independently founded by native americans and rediscovered during the European migraton, prostitution, herblore, poppy use... I mean come on we all should know that americas first money maker was in the tobacco industry and canabis(peace pipe man) industry. It should also be noted that the war on drugs didn't start in the 1930's like most think but started after the civil war when cocaine and morphine became epidemically popular... there's no mention on record in history of any problems ever occuring due to mary jane until the war on drugs was made official in the 30's because simply put... no one gave a rats @$$ about it and thought it to be harmless until the smear campaigns of the 30's. People against its legalization aren't using their noggins and have probably never tried it or anything else like it. If you've never tried something then what makes you able to credibly speak against it? Likewise, some have tried it and didn't like it, but here's the kicker... they don't think it should be illegal after that because they see it as harmless just not for them. To all those opposed to legalization I say this, get educated on the matter first then make a decision on it. Read the real facts instead of the slander. I bet you a bowl of corn pops with chocolate milk that you'll see this matter differently and as it is... a complete waste of yours and my tax money.

Go away, troll. Nobody's biting.

Shepardo886, I don't think I or anyone could have put it any better. Couldn't have painted the truth any clearer. I live by all those words and am still uncertain whether everyone's complete ignorance of them is tragic or comic. Guess it depends on which side of the bed I wake up on. Or as the late Kilgore Trout once said, 'Up your ass with Mobile gas!'

Indie&Bella

If thats at me I'd suggest you read up on your history because everything contained within my comment was 100% factual and well documented. Name calling and trying to denouce someone's opinion/credibility works much better when you have your own to counter with.

Still, the argument about whether or not to legalize marijuana is not the issue. It is currently illegal. Sorry, but I think that breaking the law is wrong. This is not the time for some kind of civil disobedience just so you can smoke more bongs. I agree that marijuana should be used for medicinal purposes, but the dispensaries in the state of California abused that.

Are we so dedicated to mind altering substances? All of the these arguments that support marijuana use is silly. Smoking is bad for you. Driving while high is also dangerous. Marijuana is most certainly a gateway drug as well. That being said, if marijuana was legalized I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I would not permit my children to use it any more/less than alcohol. I can care less how much pot anyone smokes, but I guess I do honor the letter of the law.

Jack Dulouz, the "but what can I, me, one little bitty person do ?" argument is weak. Or is yours the nobleman, "I don't break the law !" angle ?

The federal government has been chasing California on the marijuana issue for quite some time, well before the dispensaries got out of control. I'm not even arguing that the dispensaries are not out of control, but the bottom line is the federal government is out of hand with the strong arm raids like these and on whole food operations in Cali. I'm asking the question, why weed and raw milk ? Why the assault on the more popular holistic, raw food aspect of our culture and society ? Who's the victim they are championing for ?

Does weed kill ? Heck no !

Have some people allegedly died from raw milk ? Maybe a few, which the fed responds to with strong arm raids and complete shutdowns.

How many people have died from e-coli, salmonella, and other bacteria from factory farms ? Too many too count. Have any of those big 4 (Cargill, ConAgra, ADM, Tyson) been raided at gun point by the feds ? HECK NO ! Shut down ? NOPE ! Or how about Monsanto, the company that runs them all ?!? Any federal investigation into them ? SWAT team like raids on them ? How many former federal politicians work for Monsanto ? How many former Monsanto employees work within our federal government ?

I'm glad a fella like you wasn't around when other Constitutional violations were in place like slavery, women's equality, and equality for "minorities".

It's deeper than just marijuana is illegal, we're discussing authoritarian or fascist tactics within our federal government. Guns are drawn, boots are laced up, shields are polished, gas masks are a necessity, federal interference within our country.

It's not just the everyday citizens that are being conditioned to accept this and other things like seatbelt checkpoints, DUI checkpoints, The Patriot Act, etc., it's our friends and neighbors that work within everyday law enforcement that are being conditioned to accept it as well.

And the every day folk like us are the victims in the long run.

Not completely true Jack Dulouz

Ironically, the U.S. federal government currently grows and provides cannabis for a small number of patients. In 1976, the federal government created the Investigational New Drug (IND) compassionate access research program to allow patients to receive up to nine pounds of cannabis from the government each year. Today, five surviving patients still receive medical cannabis from the federal government, paid for by federal tax dollars.

I would also like to mention it should not be illegal and the governments lies about it need to stop. Just a few reasons

In 1937, the U.S. passed the first federal law against cannabis, despite the objections of the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr. William C. Woodward, testifying on behalf of the AMA, told Congress that, "The American Medical Association knows of no evidence that marijuana is a dangerous drug" and warned that a prohibition "loses sight of the fact that future investigation may show that there are substantial medical uses for Cannabis

In 1988, the DEA's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, ruled after extensive hearings that, "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known... It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance..." Yet, the DEA refused to implement this ruling based on a procedural technicality and resists rescheduling to this day.

In 1989, the FDA was flooded with new IND applications from people with HIV/AIDS. In June 1991, the Public Health Service announced that the program would be suspended because it undermined federal prohibition. Despite this successful medical program and centuries of documented safe use, cannabis is still classified in America as a Schedule I substance "indicating a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical value." Healthcare advocates have tried to resolve this contradiction through legal and administrative channels to no avail

Most of the folks still alive who recieve MM through the Fed starting back in the70's or 80's would be dead if it were not for the MM. Irvin Rosenfeld one of the 4 still alive smokes about 20 joints aday(or more). His smoking has actually kept his condition somewhat in check-what is his condition? A rare type of BONE CANCER. In 2009 Mr. Roswnfield lit up his 115,000th joint supplied from the United States federal government.

Ironically, the government that supplies Rosenfeld with medical marijuana has for decades denied the drug's efficacy, penalized those states that legalized medicinal cannabis and still actively prosecuted suppliers in those states.

Superskunk, you turned an argument about marijuana into a fight for your right to drink raw milk. I don't care if marijuana becomes legal in the future. All I said it is illegal now. If you want to raise the marijuana banner go ahead...smoke the banner later if you want.

Fishman, I agree that marijuana has medicinal purposes and we should be using it for those purposes. If people want to use it recreationally, go ahead...just don't complain once you get caught.

Fight for the things you believe in, both of you. If you perceive the federal government is attacking you, then go ahead and fight. Don't expect me to follow, I have better things to worry about.

This is to MovingOut. I apologize for taking so long to reply to your friend request. I have accepted it belatedly and am somewhat ashamed at my dilitary behavior. Please forgive me. I tend to be a bit hit or miss here on the vine depending upon what is going on in my life at any given moment. But more importantly I am using a newer laptop computer with the touch sensitive pad located just behind the space bar. Sometimes I tap it inadvertently with my palm while typing a response and lose my entire effort in one swipe. Since I tend to be a bit impatient at times I occasionally forget to come back and finish what I was doing when I lost it. I suspect that is what happened with my initial response to you. Anyway thanks again for your FR.

Really Hunter? That simple? How about illegal immigrants? How about a President that decides for all of America that "some" laws can be ignored? Illegals that have already been detained are being let go under King Obama, because they have no criminal record. Huh? THEY ARE ILLEGALLY HERE! Not so simple.

Or the DOMA law - yeah, its a law, but King Obama decided not so much. No Child Left Behind? Another law, but nah, you can have a waiver if you are friends with Obama.

Same with Obamacare - if you are a liberal, like Nancy Pelosi, you can have 1,000 waivers for her constituents so they do not have to "follow the law or get punished".

So in reality, you are not correct, it is not so simple, and our President routinely flaunts the law on his own little whims.

A state decided that they would allow medical use of marijuana. Hundreds of thousands of actual medical patients get help for their chronic pain, sleep disorders and other issues. It is non-narcotic, non-addictive, natural, and it works, at a reasonable cost. So business people spent money on offices, staff, inventory, advertising, all stimulating the economy, and our stupid federal government is going to waste our tax dollars making these people criminals, and worse, will drive 100's of thousands back to the illegal market, expanding criminal activity, encouraging Mexican drug lords to expand their business here in CA.

It is stupid, irresponsible, hurts Americans, hurts the economy, adds more people to our prisons who are otherwise law abiding taxpayers and grows crime. Brilliant.

well said

The mental midgets that proliferate these boards are mind boggling. Wish there was a cure for Pea-Brain Syndrome. What does illegal immigration have to do with busting dispensaries? How many millions of dollars do you think pharmaceutical companies are spending to back these raids? How many millions will they lose if all pot was legal and patients did not need all their vile man-made drugs to ease their suffering? I think there are some very well stuffed pockets. You "they are breaking the law" butt-heads need to take the blinders off and see what really is going on in 'THE WAR ON DRUGS".

Right. That's why we still pay taxes to England, own other people and are allowed to beat our wives with sticks no larger than our thumb.

"Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state has become lawless or corrupt. And a citizen who barters with such a state shares in its corruption and lawlessness...Every citizen is responsible for every act of his government...There is only one sovereign remedy, namely, non-violent non-cooperation. " -Ghnadi

The states have sovereign rights under the constitution. That means if the residents of a state vote something in (with a 64% landslide at that) then it should stand. But since your sovereign took over in DC we have lost more and more rights. The fed will just tell us what to do over the next few years anyway so, this will be a moot conversation. Hope you like your new Federal insurance and Federal job. People have rights, states have rights.

Just goes to show how ignorant and dumb some people are such as this Hunter troll

The DEA thinks it is the new IRS . They have too much power and need to be controled. I myself use MJ for pain control , once a day . right now I have to buy it off the streets bbut I hope that changes when Medical MJ becomes legal in Ct. this Oct.

ok, I'll bite - who's Ghnadi (Just pretending to be text sherriff)

And, along the same mindless pursuit - I am still marveling at the name Mr. Weddingdress. (Not that mine is much better)

Legalize MJ... legalize MJ

Legalize MJ... legalize MJ

Legalize MJ... legalize MJ

Legalize MJ... legalize MJ

Suds, you need to educate yourself-even if that means reading about recent studies and developments that go against your beliefs, as I was forced to do quite by accident. It may not be fun to learn that there are other aspects to be considered that you have not been aware of, but to take a stance and support action without full knowledge and education on a subject is socially irresponsible. Simply answering 'chill' to a complex issue doesn't solve anything.

It wasn't Obama who put the DEA, Homeland and Drug Task Force into power, nor was he the one to increasingly remove our civil liberties. He isn't perfect but laying the blame at the wrong man's feet isn't the answer either. You want to know who really did these things it's simple enough, just type into ask.com and say History of the DEA or Drug Task Force or what ever and you'll find exactly who gave them power.

Wait what? State law trumps Federal law? In exactly what world was the supremacy clause of the US Constitution repealed? State law DOES NOT TRUMP FEDERAL LAW. Period. No question mark. End of discussion. Established fact. I especially point that out to Teabagger livinglousiana, who literally has it backwards. Of course, that allows him to shriek about Obama, so he don't need no steenking facts. This so-called War on Drugs has gone on under every President since Nixon, but apparently to livinglouisiana all human history was erased on January 20, 2009, at twelve noon. If Obama is wrong to pursue this policy, then so was every Republican and Democratic president since Nixon...

Another escalation in the so-called War on Drugs will be futile in the end. Human beings simply want to change their level of consciousness too much to be stopped. We need amped up with caffeine, settled down with nicotine, mellowed out with alcohol, so exactly why are those substances--each with its own medicinal and social risks--legal while cannbis is illegal?...

If you break the law. You get punished. Simple

Unless you're an illegal alien, then you get free health care and Social Security as well as a job and 'Push 1 for Spanish' help. But smoke a plant and you go to jail.

msusniknel, the proper quote is no thicker than you thumb not, "no longer than your thumb."

Conjuring Cat - Except for the fact that the federal government was never supposed to have this kind of power. It's up to the states to deal with state issues. The federal government deals with international issues, protection of the union from attack (if it's beyond the scope of individual states to deal with), and attacks/violations of the Constitution.

Nothing more. Why don't you try cutting some of that wool off and come back to the human side, sheep.

Grass leads to harder drugs. It always has. It always will.

NO that would be alcohol that leads to harder drugs, and that is legal! More kids are getting hooked on (quote) legal perscrption drugs than anything else right.

Mark, please back your idiotic statements w/ proven fact.

Where exactly did you get this notion?

Looks to me like you're just plain trolling......

He is a troll. Please don't feed him

Harborside serves about 100,000 medical marijuana users a year, sells about $20 million worth of pot and marijuana products, and pays $3 million in federal, state and local taxes annually.

Dispensaries deliver between $58 million to $105 million in annual sales tax to California state coffers, according to state Board of Equalization figures cited in the Los Angeles Times.

Looks to me like they are not the only ones getting paid.

From what I hear, you know what they say about that, the dispensories are doling out mari to people who found a med to write a script to help eleviate their ingrown toenail ache.

Know people who have used for years for real symptoms (gloucoma), and those that just like to smoke.

Pretty much like the way the rest of the world runs, if there is money in it there will be a way for it to be exploited. How better than make it pseudo legal then occasionally reign it in,

Yes, growers and dispenseries do make money. It's a business. That pays taxes. Easy money for the state of California. Duh.

Sounds like state and fed are making out on the dispensaries "making a profit selling the drug". So much wasted resources (tax dollars) for so little reason. Only one of many examples of the stupidity, greed and power mongering of politicians and certain industries.

this election just write in " None of the above".. Turn our backs on the Federal Government. I can't help but wonder what they will do if most of America won't vote.

Then what were these same people voting for when they voted in these crooks in to office in Sacramento!THe crooks have raped this state and run it onto the ground!All at the demands of publlic employee eunion leaders! If they want to get rid of real criminal,start in the State Capital,Scaramento!

That's called business. By your logic all business is bad and should be shunned. I would assume you do something to make a living and therefore depend on business to survive. Sort of hypocritical isn't it.

Governments do not pass laws without reason and since marajauna does not pose any threat to it's users the reason for it's illegal status can not be the safety of it's citizens. Many solid suppositions have been made as to why this federal law exists but reguardless of any it does. Until the people force the federal government to either factually justify or repeal the law prisons will be filled with non violent users, violence from territorial street dealings continues, and illicit profits will be used to fund anti US activities all at taxpayer expense. If you don't like the law then start sending letters to your federal reps. Voters have the power to change government in a democratic society. Many will claim we no longer have this power so why bother. You can make excuse to fail or find reasons to succeed.

Obama lied in 2008. He said he would allow the states to govern themselves on the subject of MMJ and asked the Feds to back off. They did initially but then they started raiding legitimate businesses and Obama has not said a damn word. Another reason why Democrats should have had other candidates to choose from to represent them in 2012.

Vote Ron Paul... if he isnt on the ticket then write him in.. or don't vote just say None of the above. Mitt Romney will take us back to the dark ages and will tax us to death, he is not a choice he is the picture of the end of America.

AC - Apparently you're a little high this morning. Your post makes no sense in relation to the article at hand. Big pharma and Bigger medicine would have some people take oxycodone or morphine for the conditions for which they take marijuana now. Some of those people will be come addicted to oxy or morphine. Are you saying that we should kill the producers of morphine because some people get addicted? Not really sure of what point you are trying to make.

AC - I'd like to party with you. You sound like a lot of fun with a slight hint of paranoia.

You can't compare the US prison system to any other in the world.

Sure there are worse prisons out there, but there is NOWHERE on this planet that comes close to the numbers of citizens incarcerated as the United States.

I think it's time for the citizens to change the domestic and foreign policies of OUR country.

Actually, the bastion of freedom known as the United States of America has more people in prison per capita than any other nation in the world. China is number121 on the list. That is what happens when a government declares war on its own people, aka the "war on drugs", which has not affected the availability or consumption of any drugs since its inception in the 1980's. If the government truly cared about protecting its citizens from harmful drugs, both alcohol and cigarettes would be outlawed immediately. These two are directly responsible for millions of deaths and a high burden on the health system, but they are a cash cow for the states and the feds.

People who get hooked on drugs (even if it is grass) are basically non functioning in society. They can't hold down a job and they kill people on the road because they are impaired. We all know it but the big users will not admit to it. I prefer we put them behind bars.

OMG Mark Taft - where do you get this BS? I guess Bill Maher didn't graduate from Cornell, doesn't have a successful career, isn't one of the most intelligent debaters on the planet.

Exactly how many deaths from MJ are on record? Can you site a statistic to backup your hot air? Didn't think so.

Nope, none, Mark Taft is just spewing conditioned responses based on propaganda.

I've been a connoisseur of fine herb for close to 20 years now, I've held a job the entire time, and I make a pretty darn good living. Never driven impaired or caused an accident.

I would just LOVE for Mark to respond to A Rational Thinker's question !

Don't worry about poor Mark. He's being critical because he's unhappy and was probably picked on in school or other avenues of life. Or he could be a 13 year old and just goofing. Hopefully he is a 13 year old otherwise it's just sad.

@ A Rational Thinker, Superskunk, Earthhuman:

Here we go again. Fellow smokers (I assume) providing excellent arguments about why weed should be legal only to veer off on a tangent that is absolutely ridiculous.
None of you believe that weed is responsible for ANY deaths at all each year? Seriously?
Superskunk.....You say you have been smoking for 20 years, and you don't think anyone has EVER been in an accident, or killed because they were high while driving, or operating heavy equipment?
Well, I've been smoking for 30 years.....and I call BULLSH!T!
I know many, many people (including MYSELF) that were young, dumb, and full of (you know the word). When we were punks, we would get so toasted we had no business behind the wheel of a car. Several of my friends were in accidents. I've veered of road and ran stop signs. Luckily, they were minor little things.
But I suppose, according to you three, we would be the only cases of that happening.....ever. *rolls eyes*
I'm a responsible adult now. Still smoke, but driving is a no no.
As for you, A Rational Thinker, I don't need records or stats. I didn't receive my knowledge about weeds affect on driving by reading a book. I didn't hear it on t.v. A college professor didn't teach me. I didn't hear about it from the friend of a friend of a friend. I've LIVED it.
Obviously, Mark Taft is an uneducated boob. He knows nothing about weed except for the propaganda he has read. But if you think no one has ever been injured or killed due to driving under the influence of weed, the 3 of you are boobs as well.
Go blow smoke up someone else's arse.....just save me a hit first.
Remember.....we are in this fight TOGETHER. We can't continue to feed the anti-weed folks the same kind of propaganda B.S. that they continue to feed us, or we lose credibility.
Help a fellow smoker out for cryin' out loud.

TwoPartsLogic Hold the BS your comment at #8.9 is very valid. Yes people have been under the influence of cannabis and have been responsible for accidents and possibly even death. I think one has to consider that in the same vein as someone causing death and/or injury while under the influence of anything that affects ones physical abilities. That can range from simple lack of sleep to prescription medications, to recreational use of alcohol and drugs. Sometimes these discussions can become pretty emotional and the supporters tend to lapse into the extreme in trying to make a case one way or another. I have been guilty of that myself on occasion.

When begging for some research into stem cells to possibly help my late wife in her final days I became very emotional. I now also harbor a very bitter resentment for the Republican party as a result of that so I am equally adamant about this bunch of Tea Party lunatics and their idiotic notions that they know more than medical science about what is good and right for the American people. Virtually every scientific advance that has been made in the history of mankind has been met with at least some opposition from the skeptics. Their reasons run from the mystical to the idiotic and invariably cause some delay in the adoption of such advances.

Medical science is particularly susceptible to this kind of nonsense because of the religious fundamentalists who have this uncontrollable fear of the "Frankenstein" effect. When cloning and studies and experiments into the human genome became known we had a veritable uproar from these people despite the almost certainty that such research could provide significant improvements in the lives of our fellow humans. However even more abhorrent is our own government selling out to corporate and financial interests and removing a known safe and useful herb from the free market so that the corporate interests could reap more profits from their endeavors. This borders on criminality in my opinion.

This most recent assault on California's medical cannabis dispensaries after a long hiatus of non intervention is, in my humble opinion, nothing more than a political ploy being used to create an unfavorable opinion of president Obama's administration. I really don't think that he is behind it simply because it is so counter intuitive from the standpoint of voter support from a state like California. Frankly I have a feeling that this ploy will backfire at some point but only time will tell on that. However it is really kind of telling that all of a sudden the Republican party is making noises about how we should revise our policy on cannabis. This is just too too coincidental. LOL I can hear the discussions now. Hey (insert appropriate Republican Senator's name) lets use our influence with the DEA to create a furor in California then we can sneak in the back door with a conciliatory offer to the voters to make us look like a better option. That is almost a classic GOP political ploy that has dirty politics written all over it. HEH HEH HEH HEH. I grew up in a Republican family and I know how their devious little minds work. :=))

Well said. Great post.

ODR I thank you for that. However it is nothing more than stating the obvious here and it is kind of funny that the perpetrators don't even realize that their hinies are hanging out. LOL

Just think how much more advanced we would be if it weren't for certain parties dragging us back to the Dark Ages?

I agree. This will eventually backfire and I hope those responsible for the corruption in our government pay for the crimes they have committed against the American people.

ODR historically it hasn't only been political parties that have hindered the advance of knowledge and progress. Religion has certainly played its fair share as well. As for the level of corruption in our government I am afraid that it is too well ingrained in the fabric of our political structure to ever be completely rooted out.

Once we began the process of allowing open access to our Congressmen we began slowly selling out the American public. Lobbyists, political action committees, and special interests groups with deep pockets gradually took control of our leadership. From within they allowed more and more old fashioned "pork barrel politics" to take place where undesirable legislation is pigtailed onto the coat tails of desirable legislation.

These practices have been around for a very long time but lately the levels of extremism have magnified their effects dramatically. In the past there was usually enough counterpressure to off-set the outlandish notions of the extreme elements in our government but today that counterpressure is weakening to a frightening degree. The very fact that such a thing as the Tea Party could come into being is a testimony to that. Bottom line is that it could not happen without the cooperation of the voters so we are getting what we have asked for or at least what we have allowed to happen through negligence and indifference. Either way it is not a pretty picture.

NoTwo Parts Logic, you must not have read my post. I didn't say that there haven't been people who drove under the influence of marijuana or caused accidents.

What I said is I never have.

Personal responsibility goes a long way in all aspects of our lives. Like shepherd said there are many reasons that someone can be impaired and they're not all chemical. Kids can get their hands on many chemicals much worse than marijuana much easier. Alcohol and household cleaners are two off the top of my head that I can think of. Should the federal government start raiding liquor stores and grocery stores ?!?!?

Great post shepherd !

Oh, puh-leeeeeease.

I read your comment.

You are correct that you never said people haven't been in accidents/injured/killed because of weed, but you clearly inferred it.

Mark Taft: "They can't hold down a job and they kill people on the road because they are impaired."

A Rational Thinker: "Exactly how many deaths from MJ are on record? Can you site a statistic to backup your hot air? Didn't think so."

Superskunk: "Nope, none, Mark Taft is just spewing conditioned responses based on propaganda.I would just LOVE for Mark to respond to A Rational Thinker's question !"

That doesn't imply that you believe people aren't killed because they drive under the influence?

LOL! Whatever, man!

As for:

" Kids can get their hands on many chemicals much worse than marijuana much easier. Alcohol and household cleaners are two off the top of my head that I can think of. Should the federal government start raiding liquor stores and grocery stores ?!?!?"

What the heck are you rambling about? I'm a smoker. I'm pro legalization. Perhaps you didn't read MY comment.

I just don't think people should drive while high. I did that enough (when I was young) to know it's dangerous.

I'm tired of people that continue to ruin the credibility of the pro legalization segment of society with endless rants about all of the positive aspects of marijuana, while NEVER mentioning the negative ones which need to be avoided. With blind devotion. You CLEARLY belong to that camp. I read English. I understand English. I possess the capacity for abstract thought. I can infer.

I have no use for blind devotion at all cost.

Perhaps it's time you thought about giving up on furthering the pro legalization cause. You're doing a terrible job.

BTW, the above comment is directed @ Superskunk.

P.S. Perhaps I'm wrong about you, Superskunk. Maybe you DO man up and also warn people of the potential dangers of weed, along with its benefits. Direct me to a post that does so.

Until you can, I would suggest being a little more stealthy.

Wow, I thought I loved to get on a soapbox TwoParts !

My initial comment that you referenced was directed towards Mark Taft based on his typical Reefer Madness conditioned response of, and I'm using a little artistic freedom here, "Those darn potheads can't keep a job, dirty good for nothings !"

You took my response to that, and boy did you run with it ! But I love your passion brethren !

This story was about the federal government poking their nose where it doesn't belong, and Mark Taft was defending their actions by suggesting that marijuana is addictive (I personally don't believe it is) and that anyone who smokes it regularly is a dirty gypsy or hippie.

That's all my point was, that I function perfectly fine within our society successfully, and I know plenty of other people that do as well, most likely you as well TwoParts. I apologize if you inferred anything else from it, I did not intend for that to happen.

I'm not going to sit here and preach on the few potential dangers marijuana presents, when there are a boatload of other things our federal government endorses that have far greater danger, while marijuana (and hemp as well) present a plethora of potential benefits.

You smoke too much, you'll go to sleep. You smoke too much and drive, you'll most likely cause or get in an accident. Marijuana does not effect a person so much that personal responsibility and common sense completely and suddenly become absent.

SUPERSKUNK'S OFFICIAL MARIJUANA DISCLAIMER

1. I don't think kids should smoke marijuana.

2. I don't think irresponsible people should smoke marijuana.

Check back later for more updates to this disclaimer.......................................................

@ Superskunk: LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!

LOVE THE DISCLAIMER!

Listen. I'm man enough to apologize, too. If I read anything into your comment that was not there, I'm sorry.

It's just that I'm about to pull my hair out reading the majority of comments in this post. 99% of the pro-marijuana comments feature someone defending every single aspect of weed, under any circumstance, at all cost.

It's no wonder anti-weed folks think we're all irresponsible pot heads who are perpetually under the influence of an entire eight of Trainwreck.

We need to work together to change that perception.

Obviously, infighting among two guys within the same camp solves NOTHING.

Let's just agree to try and eliminate BS.....whether it be "theirs" or "ours".

Once again.....sorry.....and: PEACE!

(Maybe someday we'll meet.....and trash a bowl.)

;)

TwoParts:

What aspects of marijuana would you deem to be on the negative side or you would warn people about?

Just curious.

Right on TwoParts, no offense taken bro !

@ OneDirtyRat: To be quite honest, there aren't that many (in my opinion). But there are a few.

Basically, I don't believe anyone should be under the influence of ANYTHING to such a degree that it has a negative effect on ones life, or anyone else's.

Examples: Driving while so stoned you are inclined to have momentary lapses in concentration ("spacing off"). It only takes one time, and OOPS.....you have ran a stop sign (like I have before). Luckily, the coast was clear when I did it, but imagine you t-boned a mini-van full of kids.

Operating heavy equipment like bulldozers, forklifts, or 10 story cranes when high is not cool. Used to be a heavy equipment operator, and believe it or not, idiots would actually come to work stoned. Once saw a dude high as a kite drop a load of steel on himself. He thought he had it in place, and was actually about 15 yards off. Not pretty.

Looking after kids when totally wasted is also not cool. I'm a father, and I don't care to have someone that is so wasted they can't keep their eyes open watching my kids.

But those things are all related in one way or another.....lets move on.

I understand, and completely agree with, people using medicinal marijuana on a regular, daily basis.

However, if you are completely, totally, 100% healthy, like me, and you smoke so much that you become a lethargic blob, and, even though you have the responsibility of a wife, family, and kids, you can't even work, well.....that's not cool. I've seen it happen. Shirking ones responsibilities because a person is constantly high, just for the sake of being high, and for no other reason, is selfish. I detest selfish people (that's why I always share when I have smoke. Always, ALWAYS share) LOL! :) If you are single, have no kids, no responsibilities, and don't need a job because you have money to burn.....go for it. Sounds lifeless, though. Of course, there are hybrids that don't make you tired at all, but kill pain, etc. Someone that smokes to get high is most likely not using those, however, as they tend to not have the typical euphoric effect, or "high" one desires for recreational use.

Lastly, there's the issue of resin. I would warn people that, if they intend to smoke frequently, especially people who must smoke on a regular basis for medical reasons, they should avoid joints or standard pipes. Water pipes (yes, bongs), vaporizers, and especially marijuana in food form, is MUCH safer for you. We've all cleaned our pipes and dug out a ball of resin the size of a pea. That crap goes into our lungs. Now, I'm NOT a doctor, and I have NO EVIDENCE WHAT-S0-EVER that resin is a bad thing, but come on now. I'm not an idiot. Coating my lungs with resin can't be a good thing. In the least, it probably limits the flow of oxygen.

That's about it.

Of course, most responsible, intelligent adults already know these things. The problem is that young kids (and some adults), are impressionable, and susceptible to suggestion. I fear that some kids might get the wrong idea when all they see from pro marijuana supporters is someone praising it, constantly, at all times, but not warning them to be careful under certain circumstances.

As for the benefits of marijuana, and legalization, well.....I hardly have time to list all of the pluses. Of course, you already know what they are, don't you OneDirtyRat? I feel like I'm being tested before being allowed into the secret society. LOL! ;)

I'll just name a few:

1. Safety. Natural medicine is FAR better for you than a concoction of man-made chemicals and who-knows-what found in pharma BS.

2. Recreational alternative to alcohol for people like me. I can't drink. I'm the worlds BIGGEST lightweight. Get 2 shots in me and I'm all like "I LOOOOOOOOVE you, maaaaaaaaaan!" Stumbling around like a stooge. Not to mention alcohol is poison. Makes me puke, crap, sweat and gives me migraines. Can't stand it. Weed doesn't affect me like that, and, as I think I should still have a recreational outlet, it's weed for me.

I could go on and oooooooooooooooooooon, but neither you or I have time for that, and, as I said, you already know anyway. Don't play coy with me Ratster. LOL!

Finally, let me say this:

CAN'T STAND THE GOVERNMENT INTERVENING IN MY LIFE WHEN IT'S ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THEIR F'N BUSINESS.

In fact. let me copy and paste the biography I have at my Newsvine column site:

Age: 44.
Sex: Male.
Location: Iowa, USA.
Political Views: Indepublicrat.
Religious Views: I believe in chemistry, physics, and the possibility that garden gnomes come to life at night.
Favorite Drink: Coffee.
Favorite Food: Edible stuff.
Favorite Music Genre: Anything that makes me wanna move, think, or space off.
Favorite Books: On The Road by Jack Kerouac, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe.
Favorite Movies: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, After Hours, Delicatessen, Up (Yes, the animated movie Up.....sue me.).
Favorite Artists: Rackstraw Downes, Salvador Dali.
Favorite Sports: Rock climbing, hiking, walking, mountain biking, kayaking, ANYTHING that involves the outdoors.

Basically, all you need to know about me is the following: I am a dog person, my favorite comedian is George Carlin, my biggest pet peeve is organized religion ( I have NO use for fairy tales and pixie dust, unless it's for entertainment purposes, of course.), and I can't stand a government that feels the need to protect us from ourselves by creating endless regulation, passing hypocritical laws, and by monitoring (spying on) its own citizens with 1984-like efficiency. There. That should give you a fairly decent idea of who I am.

I think, therefore I am dangerous.

There. Anything else, OneDirtyRat?

Garden gnomes... Hmmm...

I dunno about that, but I'll bet the real gnomes can't possibly fathom why there are so many statues of them.

WOW!

Got way more than I asked for but that's OK. Nice to meet you TwoParts! (I hope that's OK:TwoParts?)

Basically, I don't believe anyone should be under the influence of ANYTHING to such a degree that it has a negative effect on ones life, or anyone else's.

Yeah, that makes sense. But, to each his own I say. You can try and help some people but there are those who will never accept it. As long as others are not getting hurt, if you want to waste your life away, that would be one's prerogative. But, I wouldn't personally want someone like that hanging around me, either.

Operating heavy equipment like bulldozers, forklifts, or 10 story cranes when high is not cool...

Yes, I totally agree. Pot should be used responsibly or with just good ole plain common sense. No one should be under the influence of anything while operating heavy machinery (DUH!!!!). As with alcohol and other drugs, there is a time and a place.

I agree with you on the driving part and no one should be under the influence of anything while behind the wheel. But, with that said, I must admit I drove while stoned for over 20 years at various jobs and what-not. I know, I know. Big no-no. But, never had an accident and actually avoided many accidents from other drivers who were probably straight as a board at the time. And the few times I was pulled over for minor infractions the cops never suspected me of being high and I walked away each and every time.

Without going into a big debate over driving while high, I'll just agree with you that no one should drive under the influence. Plain and simple. Keeps the Prohibitionists at bay on that subject. I can't drive while high now because I haven't owned a car for over two years now. Unless you want to count a mountain bike that I drive about 6 mph to dialysis 3 days a week.

Shirking ones responsibilities because a person is constantly high, just for the sake of being high, and for no other reason, is selfish.

Agreed. I, for one, can't relax and enjoy my buzz if I know there is stuff to be done. But, that doesn't mean I can catch a buzz and do some work, too. (best way to clean house)

Now, I'm NOT a doctor, and I have NO EVIDENCE WHAT-S0-EVER that resin is a bad thing, but come on now. I'm not an idiot. Coating my lungs with resin can't be a good thing. In the least, it probably limits the flow of oxygen.

Interesting point. I know I have pulled much more than a "ball" when I used to clean my pipe (don't own one anymore). I always wondered if my lungs used to look like that back in the day when I was a heavy heavy smoker. I also used to smoke reg cigs so I know my lungs are thanking me for quitting that nasty habit and cutting WAY back on the weed in recent years. I have had several lung xrays over the years and, being fortunate, all clean. I don't know if smoking weed in tandem helped keep me from getting lung cancer. Who knows. I did cough up a lot of phlegm, though, which was probably a good thing in that it kept the resin from building up to lethal levels. But, I don't think the resin would have the same consistency as it would in a bowl otherwise you wouldn't be able to breathe period. My guess is the resin was broken down and expelled by the lungs. Again, my guess. We need to do more research into that area.

As for the benefits of marijuana, and legalization, well.....I hardly have time to list all of the pluses. Of course, you already know what they are, don't you OneDirtyRat? I feel like I'm being tested before being allowed into the secret society. LOL! ;)

Indeed, I do. You and I are on the same page, pretty much, when it comes to weed. LOL No, no secret societies. I apologize if you think I was testing you. Really, I was just curious as to what you would tell people about weed and what you would warn them about.

I would say the same things you would. But, I would also tell a person who is using for the first time to keep reminding themselves they are high and not get paranoid or freak out. I got my first fiancee high for the first time in her life and I thought she was going to end up the psych ward. Talk about paranoid! She thought I was out to get her. That's the last time I get a goodie-goodie high; she was OK after she came down but, man, what a nightmare!

We have some things in common and I bet if we had met in person we would become good friends. I would very much like it to burn one with ya someday, if we ever meet, that is...

I be sending you a FR. Please accept.

BTW- "After Hours" was one of the most frustrating movies I have ever watched. I liked it, though, don't get me wrong. Me: space, aliens, star trek, etc.etc. are my favorite movie flavors. LOL

Peace.

@ OneDirtyRat:

Of course I'll accept your FR. I tend to be a non-conformist free thinker. I decided long ago to follow the advice of my grandfather, which is the exact opposite of what most people do.

That is: Instead of dismissing people (including strangers), until they prove that they are, indeed, a friend, I accept everyone as being a friend, until they prove that they aren't.

I find that to be the much more peaceful, human thing to do. Maybe I'm gullible, and perhaps that line of reasoning could come back to bite me in the azz, but hey, I'm a peaceful human.....sue me. LOL!

Now all I have to do is figure out how to accept, as well as a myriad of other things. I think I have been successful, but I'm still a newb on this site. I just joined a few of days ago, and am still learning how to navigate around the site. Haven't written a column yet either.

Anywho.....later, tater! And:

PEACE!

Superskunk:

I sent you a FR, too.

We smokers need to stay together, stay united.

Please accept.

Because, you know, Romney is a NORML member and all... Both candidates suck on this topic.

LOL - Mutt is a NORML member - you guys are killing me here. But wait - he is a sucker for cheesy grits. Hmmmmm..........

Do you really think Obama made the call himself to go after marijuan dispensaries? He can't even take credit for going after Bin Laden!

Jack you and Mark need to get together and have some fun. You both sound really uptight.

1. When the Thai POLICE started ENFORCING their illegal drug Laws, the national HIV infection rates fell 50%. The majority of the new HIV infections are now in the IDU community. Drug gangs are almost unheard-of, except for the southern tourist areas, where the Westerners must have their drugs. In Bangkok, a city of 13+Million, I and my family can walk almost anywhere, night or day, SAFELY.

2. The EU loosened restrictions on marijuana and gave FREE needles and supplied a safe place to use their drugs. The HIV rates in the IDU community is now 80% in some EU Countries...

3. In Holland where gun deaths were unheard-of, until they removed the restrictions on marijuana. Then the drug gangs started killing the growers, to establish their territories, and control of the supply. The bourder areas are complaining about the increasing crime rates & traffic, due to the drug tourist. New restrictions have been put into placed to, restrict access by non-Dutch users...

4. Mexico legalized small quantities of many formally illegal drugs and restricted GUNS to the average person. Mexico is now the murder capital of the World, due to the drug gangs...

5. Even Canada's murder rates are greatly INCREASING due to the drug gangs. But marijuana is legal in Canada...

6. The highest rates of gun VIOLENCE and DEATHS in US Cities are usually in the drug gang areas. There is also a direct connection to family VIOLENCE rates and the use of drugs...

Not ONE country has had a POSITIVE result due to making marijuana LEGAL...

Please cite your information sources....otherwise your six points are merely some sensationalized "facts" you picked up on the internet......

"Not ONE country has had a POSITIVE result due to making marijuana LEGAL..."

Your stats are cherry picked out of context and miss quoted BS.

So you claim HIV is due to Pot use? PLEEAASSSEEE

PS please show me ONE country that has had a positive results from its legal drug use of Alcohol and cigarettes? I also believe those two drugs are gateway drugs so you better outlaw them FAST! Matter of fact I'm pretty sure they are the root cause of HIV!! LOL

BTW your HIV stats seem to have come from this study

PROGRAMMING GUIDE FOR HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND CARE AMONG INJECTING DRUG USERS

Which has NOTHING to do with legalizing marijuana.

I really don't know where you are getting your stats (fox news?). In every state in the US that has started a med pot program the DUI rates have fallen by 9% or better. And if you ask the people of portugal who saw wide spread crime and new drug use decline they would tell a different story. Drug violence only occurs where there is prohibition and people fighting for the illegal markets. Make it legal and the profit drops to a point where it is no longer as alluring. The other side of that is how many people stand around on street corners and sell booze to kids? Very few cause it is legal. You probably believe the crap about pot being the gateway drug also huh? Cigarettes and booze are and always have been the gateway drugs. And yea us Americans gotta have our drugs cause foreign drug companies spend billions advertising on American TV telling us we all need this drug or that. And they even tell us what to tell the DR to get them, but hey no pressure,only idiots fall for marketing right? Thats why it's a billion dollar business in it's own right. I like your made up stats maybe you could make some up for Obama while you are at it like he created 50 million jobs are something. Been overseas many many times have never heard or seen what you are talking about. Go lie somewhere else.

Color me stupid...I have never heard of or read of a situation involving pot that used a needle...people shoot up pot, things that make you go hmmm...the education I get by reading these comments.

Obviously the crime rate goes down when certain laws are repealed!

AC, you should run for office. You have the single most important qualification, you are an idiot.

Here are a few of the references

3. a - Nov 2011, Dutch government announcing last week that it will start banning tourists from pot-selling "coffee shops" by the end of the year... http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2011/05/hollands-pot-tourism-set-to-go-up-in-smoke/172331/1

b - Dec 2008, 25 gangland-style killings in suburban southern Holland over the past three years. As usual, there was a cannabis connection... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3997943/Pressure-to-reform-Dutch-drug-laws-as-gang-violence-grows.html

4. a - Mexico enacted a controversial law Aug 2009 decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other drugs... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/world/americas/21mexico.html?_r=1

b - Carry permits exist for outside of your home, but generally not for mere mortals... http://panda.com/mexicoguns/

c - Juarez, Mexico - Murder Capital of the World... http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-6767879.html

You Sir are a FOOL!

@ Frank

The pot calling the kettle black.

Well while I am a supporter I have to say they don't help their cause by dressing in tie die dresses. It makes people think "old hippie potheads" (as seen above) and triggers a negative responses from some.

Well, if you were trying to get public opinion on your side to keep it illegal would you have put the DR looking guys onTV?

Who cares what they are wearing? They aren't hurting anyone. Would you rather see people wear holsters with guns? Legalize it! The US has much bigger problems than peaceful people smoking pot and minding their own business in the comfort of their own home.

I've seen the guy with pigtails on documentaries but the other guy - uh, is that a dress? I don't get it although I do like his taste in tie-dye.

Obviously Weddingdress has lost touch with reality, or maybe he never was in touch. He'll make the worst dressed millionaire list top ten, by himself.

Thats because the gangs have moved into DC. They make more money off of Illegal pot. Face it any org. that makes 110 million per year(per city) in several cities, has tremendous lobbying power.

What makes the folks in DC smarter than the people at the state level. I don't get that, they keep telling us what we want and we keep telling them no it isn't, but......they just keep on against the wishes of the majority. Vote them all out. Eventually they'll get it.

Let us not forget that medical marijuana has been approved in our capitol of Washington, D.C. How many know that? Seems rather an ambiguous issue there.

It's not just the alcohol industry. The pharmaceutical industry wants to create different strains of marijuana, patent those strains and have those as the only legal option, if legalized. The cotton industry is concerned because hemp is a threat to their business. Hemp grows so densely there is no need for herbicides and it has no natural pest so no need for pesticides. Cotton needs constant attention. I recently read an article about a company that has made hemp fiber so fine it can be used for everyday clothing. The timber industry doesn't want hemp legalized since it can be used to make paper at a much lower cost than virgin timber.

Most of us look at the legalization of cannabis as only meaning marijuana but hemp is bundled into the law and many industries fear hemp because of its versatility. Check out Hemp for Victory, a 1940's film pushing for farmers to start producing more hemp. Just search on YouTube.

The cotton growers and tobacco growers should be all over legal marijuana. It would make an excellent crop for those folks, $$$$ serious dollars could be make if you had 600 acres of marijuana growing.

Also nobody would want to grow corn anymore so we could get rid of that God awful ethanol we are forced to put in our tanks.

amen to that!

Like Romney is going to want to legalize it?

No but he might respect the states enough to let them handle it.

Sure he will, Tina. Oh, wait, he's already quoted as telling a guy with MS that marijuana can't help him. When the economy fails to improve under his watch, he will turn medical smokers into scapegoats. Watch him order the Justice Department to seize the records of medical states and use them to track down and jail anyone on a "medical patient" list.

If you aren't going to vote for Obama, vote for Gary Johnson. He's the only candidate on record as supporting the full legalization of marijuana. He's also a true fiscal conservative, not a faux wannabe RINO like Mittens.

Whoa, easy there poltical nutjobs. These organizations were established b4 Obama And Romney ever thought about becoming president . It's not like Obama was driving by the pot dispensary, saw something suspicious, then called the feds to check things out. You guys are cracking me up!

No Earthhuman, not nearly that incredulous. Obama said he wouldn't use DOJ resources to pursue mmj dispensaries operating w/in state guidelines. He may have had that intention, but big pharma and every other prohibition loving organization, probably including the DEA, whispered in his ear, dropped a little cash in his pocket, and now he seems to have had a change of heart. Part of the reason I (and others) voted for Mr. Obama was because of this stance he had on mmj. Since he's done a turn-around on his word, I consider that lying, which is exactly what it is. Unfortunately I don't see Mr. Romney improving the situation any, so I'm voting for Ron Paul as a write-in. At least I'll be able to go to sleep w/ a clean conscience that I did the right thing THIS time.....

Well, if you were trying to get public opinion on your side to keep it illegal would you have put the DR looking guys onTV?

I would trust those guys 100% more than i would some suit from DC. Not paying taxes is illegal also but 75% of congressmen get away with it, nothing to see here. Have you ever watched the documentary RUN FROM THE CURE? Cancer has been cured by making MJ into oil and injesting it. If I ever get cancer that is what I'm gonna do. I am not going to take the medical industries chemicals for treatment. If I get raided for growing my own cure, then that would be a death sentence for me. Might as well shoot it out right there and see you on the other side. I watched my dad go through chemo and radiation and all it did is make the last 6 months of his life a living hell. It is my GOD givin right to chose for myself. Not some suit or cop to tell me what i can or can't do to my body.

Our so-called reps in DC are as corrupt as they have ever been. DC needs a big effin enima.

Worn out ! I agree with you 100% I too lost both parents to cancer , and watched as the "good medicine" tortured and killed them faster than the cancer !

Johnm - Chemo is a bitch - no question.

Wow! Not many people know it is the 100% cure for cancer. Run from the cure shows you how to make it. It's funny how that video gets NO PRESS even though it shows you how to cure your own cancer! Doesn't matter though, the truth will prevail! More people are finding out about this everyday no matter how much they try to suppress it!

Scrooge

Regrettably Obama promised everything to everybody to get to the White House and that was one of the things he intimated at during his campaign. What I do see as a flaw in that logic is that it is only good for the life of the Presidency and my concern is what would happen when the next President is worn in.

We need a two pronged approach at the federal and state levels for full legalization since the feds are tasked with cultivation and distribution across state lines and the states are concerned with enforcement of
all other aspects of marijuana.

Full and complete legalization is the only option available now considering the feds current actions and that is a very long and arduous process that is years in the making, if it is achievable at all.

We need to strengthen the penalties for possession of grass significantly.

Mark Taft - Come up with a reasonable argument for you statement. Why do we need to increase penalties and under what logic should we do so? Debate why it is prohibited with a reasonable argument supporting continued criminalization.

Mark Taft must be involved in privatized prisons. It's easyer to house a pot smoker than it is a murderer less trouble more profit and an endless suppy. Get a life Taft!

Hey mark taft, How about strengthening the penalties for treason. Our gobment is a treasonous mob. Hang a few traitors and the rest will suddenly see the light.

Legalizing Cannibus and hemp would go along way towards saving the US. Our so-called leaders don't want a strong country so they can bring in the NWO to control US all. Bring US down to third world status.

I don't know about you, but I am free to make my own choices. MARK TAFT you are an IDIOT

woe to the man that called evil good , for that man shall stand before the almighty God and give and account of what he has allowed , any unatural things that a man consumes to make himself feel better is a sin against all that is holy and good . God made the earth and called it good, but man has devised many evils that defile his soul, all men shall stand before God and give and account of his sins , and such men as you shall not excape the judgment of almighty God, call good good and evil evil , and you shall stand before God with a innocent conscience.

Homer.. get down off your pulpit...geez. That bible thumping has to be tiring.

Homer, WTF are you babbling about?

Tex, I like the way you think....straight and to the point, and you make great sense.

Homer, dude....smoke some weed and chill out for the love of God!!

Good idea Homer man made synthetic drugs bad, plant from God's green earth good.

Homer , allow me.....God also said "he put all seed bearing plants on earth for mans use" Jesus also spoke of drinking spirits along with alot of other @!$%#, grow up and think for yourself and stop putting faith in a 2000 year old story.

Homer is telling you all that marijuana is good in his own way. You see cannabis and poppy are natural plants given by God for use by mankind whereas the synthetic concoctions are the work of the Devil in his perspective. After all Jesus Christ himself was an accomplished herbalist and their holy anointing oil was nothing more than cannabis extract doctored up with some frankincense and myhrr to make it smell nice.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/jan/06/science.religion

Homer, you poor pitiful thing. Stop thumping that bible and open it up and read Genesis 1:28,29. Problem with bible thumpers--they never read the thing. Jesus, why can't we all just get a bong?

Well Tex, I have no trouble telling someone they should not smoke grass.
They should not smoke grass. If they do......prison time.
End of story.

We should build at least 3 new prisons in every state just for pot smokers right Taft. Get a life!

Mark we all know you for what you are a mindless drone who hasn’t gotten a clue what they are espousing but darn those catchy slogans sound good so they must be correct. Do us all a favor don’t ever vote we need a well-educated well considered electorate that has the biological ability to think through issues and make informed choices.

Homer, cannibus is a natural substance. Man didn't create it. It's a weed. On the other hand, blood pressure meds and all other pills made by pharnaceutical companies ARE man made and by your own description above, "unatural things". You're going to hell if you take any man made pills to make yourself "feel better". Want to back pedal on your statement now??

Hey US TaxPayers.. Are Money is being Used to Gow Marijuana By the US Government at the University of Mississippi By The US Government... That's My First Point , they Lost in Court and it Proves Marijuana has Medicinal Value. Second It's a Plant That God Placed on this Earth for All to Use, And Lieing to Make something ILLEGAL is a Sin. The American Medical Association Never Wanted it to become ILLEGAL. Marijuana is a Natural Plant that puts more Oxygen in the air then any other Plant. In the Open Neurolgy Journal it has been Proven to Have Medicinal Value and should be RESCHEDULED .. Stop the Lies and Time to Recognize that One day we Must face the True Judge whom is God.. WE all are Accountable for the Lies that we Place on this Earth.

I use to Have a Medical Card Until I had to Choose a Job over Cannabis a Natural Plant that Helps with Pain. No One has ever died from this Plant.. So Very Sad that alot of People support Cannabis but we dont' have a Say.. we'll I have a say and I am going to SAY Obama you lied to the American People in 2009.. You said you would NOT Allow this to Happen didnt' you.. You said you Would NOT go after the American People whom are Sick.. You Use OUR Tax Money to go after a Plant and People..