Fed yields Marijuana jurisdiction to states

In case you didn’t know this about me, I have been an ardent Medical Marijuana supporter since I became a registered voter, some years ago. Having known many individuals who were able to benefit from the plant’s medicinal properties for the management of a wide range of symptoms and conditions – glaucoma and chronic pain, cancer, etc – I have heard many first-hand accounts of how pot can make life bearable for someone who would otherwise be suffering immensely.

I also feel strongly that there are way too many Americans incarcerated or on community supervision for possession or distribution of Marijuana. I once read that the number of people in prison for marijuana related charges right now is greater than the TOTAL NUMBER OF PRISONERS in the early 80′s. Does anyone have any updated statistics on this? To my untrained eye, this sure looks like a great way to fuel the prison-industrial complex. Shouldn’t we be using these resources to get criminals who want to rob, cheat, and kill us off of the streets?

In general, I liken the U.S. Marijuana policy to the U.S. stem cell research policy – asinine. Using nebulous moral reasoning to justify preventing access to scientific research and treatment that can greatly improve the quality of life (not to mention eradicate diseases which have plagued humanity since time immemorial) is just wrong on so many different levels.

A story in the San Fransisco Chronicle reported on Friday, February 27, that President Obama’s administration is poised to return the jurisdiction in matters having to do with Marijuana back to the states. This is huge! While it remains to be seen exactly how this will play out on the street, it signals that Obama recognizes that the role of the Federal Government is not to trump state laws, but rather, to intermediate between them in times of dispute.

Tags: advocacy, Barack Obama, marijuana, Policy, politics, U.S.