After another string of Drug Enforcement Administration raids on medi-pot dispensaries made headlines over the last two weeks, White House spokesman Nick Shapiro told the Washington Times last week that President Barack Obama does not want such activities to continue.
It’s about time.
On the campaign trail Obama said numerous times that he felt it was improper for federal narcos to use taxpayer resources to raid medi-pot patients in states where use of the drug is legal. Still, two days after Obama was sworn in the DEA, under Bush holdover leader Michele Leonhart, was back at it, busting a dispensary in South Lake Tahoe, and has continued with at least six more raids since then.
The continued raids have ticked off medi-pot advocates who were beginning to feel a tad betrayed by the Hope-and-Change president. Still, finally, on Feb. 5, Obama spokesman Nick Shapiro told the WT that the president still “believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the…government, he expects them to review their policies with that in mind.” Middle-of-the-road, but good enough. At least for now.
Meanwhile, a new Zogby poll, commissioned by NORML, reveals that 72% of Americans think Obama should end the raids.
This article appears in February 6 • 2009.