Huge News: Obama Administration Ends Medical Marijuana Raids

[Armin]

Reporting from Washington - Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. said today the Obama administration is officially reversing the federal stance on medical marijuana and ordering authorities not to arrest or charge any users and suppliers who conform to state laws.

In guidelines issued today, Justice Department officials are telling prosecutors and federal drug agents that they have more important things to do than to arrest people who obey state laws that allow some use or sale of medical marijuana.

More here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-medical-marijuana20-2009oct20,0,7401028.story?track=rss

I'm very pleased with this step in the right direction.

[Towelie]

they have more important things to do than to arrest people who obey state laws that allow some use or sale of medical marijuana.

I 100% agree with this statement.

[d&q]

I thought this was old news? Or was it just not official before?

[Armin]

The guidelines clarify what some critics had said was an ambiguous position by the Obama administration, especially in California, where authorities raided numerous clinics and made arrests over the years. Some of those raids followed Obama's inauguration in January, after, as a presidential candidate, he had pledged to stop them.

It may have died down a bit since then, but it was in no way official or even hinted about.