Beginning of the End: US Attorney General Says Ending DEA Raids 'Now American Policy' (VIDEOS)

"What the President said during the campaign...is consistent with what we will be doing here in law enforcement" - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Speaking at a press conference on Feb. 25 with DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters that ending federal medical marijuana raids "is now American policy."

Don Duncan, California Director of Americans for Safe Access, says the Attorney General’s comments are the latest sign of a sea change in federal policy prompted by a groundswell of grassroots pressure by Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and our allies.

"They came as a response to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids carried out by Bush Administration holdovers in California in January and February," Duncan said.

President Obama indicated he would end the DEA raids during his presidential campaign, a position reiterated by the White House following DEA raids in raids which took placeon February 4.

In response to a question last night about DEA raids at medical marijuana facilities in California, Holder said, "What the President said during the campaign...is consistent with what we will be doing here in law enforcement. He was my boss in the campaign....He is my boss now. What he said in the campaign is now American policy."

Medical marijuana patients and advocates, who have mounted a massive grassroots campaign to influence the new Administration’s policy, cheered the Attorney General’s comments.

72 million Americans live in states where medical cannabis is legal, but federal law prohibits its use under any circumstances.

More than 100 Americans are currently facing prosecution, sentencing, or serving time in prison for medical cannabis offense right now.

ASA is working closely with a number of groups to ensure that the emerging change in federal policy signals an end to prosecutions and brings those already serving time for medical cannabis offenses home to their families.

ASA has provided recommendations for a new national medical cannabis policy to President Obama and the 111th Congress earlier this year. We are working overtime now to be sure those recommendations are heard in this new era of compassionate federal policy.

Salem-News.com Top Stories

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

rewilding LA: Matilija Dam History and Ecosystems

One Killed and Two Injured in Shooting Near South Salem High School

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Dorsett Bennett March 1, 2009 3:05 pm (Pacific time)

To Anonymous: I would suggest to you that you should rent and watch the excellent 1963 film--To Kill a Mockingbird. The autobiographical novel by Harper Lee won the Nobel Prize for literature. Gregory Peck's portrayal of lawyer Atticus Finch was his signature performance. At one point he's talking to his young daughter about the conflict she is having with a very poor classmate, and he gives her a wise piece of advice that I would pass on you: You never really know a man, until you walk a mile in his shoes. I suffer from advanced multiple sclerosis with all of its wonderful side effects of significant neuropathic pain and muscle spasms. I also have a herniated disc in my lumbar spine, along with bone spurs in my thoracic spine. But because I have no use of my legs, so I am unable to shift positions to provide relief to my back pain once I am in my wheelchair. I am tired of taking large amounts of legal narcotics that have a bunch of negative side effects. I have settled into a regime of vaporizing a small amount of cannabis leaf six times a day. Up to this point I have not utilized any of the flower/Bud that has the THC substance that is a psychoactive ingredient, but I have considered adding a small amount. It needs to be emphasized this point that I am certainly not explaining any of this in order to obtain any sympathy from you, first because I don't need any, and if I did, your posts have demonstrated that is something you are definitely in short supply of. I am rather explaining this to you in order to cause you to think first, rather than just use your typical knee-jerk reaction, like you did to this story.

WWW.POT-YOU-MENTARY.COM February 27, 2009 12:32 pm (Pacific time)

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR DOING WHAT IT TOOK. GOVERNMENT FOR,BY,AND OF THE PEOPLE. NOT POLITICIANS. THE TRUTH...IS MORE IMPOTANT THAN THE DEBATE.

RichieRich February 27, 2009 10:44 am (Pacific time)

You are rite Leslie Paston, everybody should be outside celabrating this victory. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death and im sure with this new information we just got will make alot of sick people happy. Lets keep it going Obama!

Anonymous February 27, 2009 3:22 am (Pacific time)

great, now we have more druggies running the streets and they all use the excuse "medical marijuana". what a crack. Loooosers

Leslie Paston February 26, 2009 8:52 pm (Pacific time)

This is something everyone should be outdoors celebrating over! I think we should have a parade an dance in the streets, things are finally happening!

Matt McLaughlin February 26, 2009 8:15 pm (Pacific time)

Too good to be true.

Greg February 26, 2009 1:53 pm (Pacific time)

Two Thumbs Up... Excellent. OBama is the man, a REAL President.

stephen February 26, 2009 1:17 pm (Pacific time)

The 'grassroots' pressure he speaks of has another side. Over the last couple of months, the 'grassroots' have been interviewing ex-DEA agents, border patrol agents, and farmers on the border, and it has been basically confirmed that the CIA was making money from drugs coming across the border. Same as the Iran-Contra scandal. With this new information surfacing rapidly, and the major chaos and killings on the border and reaching in hundreds of miles to the U.S. (phoenix is the 2nd kidnap capitol of the world), operations had to obviously stop. So, why not throw a bone to the dogs at the same time. At the same time, I am happy to see the DEA out of this, for whatever cause. Ex DEA agent Cele Castillo has interviews at 2:30, 6:30, 10:30 (every four hours) go to www.infowars.com and click "listen now"

Peter Kennedy February 26, 2009 11:12 am (Pacific time)

Very Cool. With the DEA out of the way, we can fix the Medical Marijuana part of Health Care. The world is a better place today. GObama.

[Return to Top]