Barbara's Sharebook 

From the "Alternative Newspaper" The Stranger, October 29, 2009.

Monday, October 19.

......The U.S. Justice Department released an impressive new policy memo discouraging federal prosecution of pot smokers in those states that have legalized medical marijuana. Details come from the Associated Press, which reports that today's three-page memo instructs federal prosecutors that they "should not focus federal resources... on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana." However, as Attorney General Eric Holder said, "we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law to mask activities that are clearly illegal," with the memo encouraging full prosecution of pot transactions involving violence, illegal firearms, sale to minors, and/or money laundering.

Thanks to the Obama administration for this lovely bit of common-sense law enforcement, and congratulations to medical marijuana users in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, who can now take their state-sanctioned medicine with diminished risk of federal prosecution.