In a widespread enforcement action, the federal government has raided several medical marijuana dispensaries around Western Washington.
No word yet if any are close to Kitsap (which has no dispensaries) but I’ll keep you posted.
“The activities today and the ongoing investigations are targeted actions consistent with Department of Justice policy and guidelines,” Jenny Durkan, US Attorney for Western Washington, said in a news release. “Our job is to enforce federal criminal laws. In doing so, we always prioritize and focus our resources.”
She continued:
“As we have previously stated, we will not prosecute truly ill people or their doctors who determine that marijuana is an appropriate medical treatment. However, state laws of compassion were never intended to protect brash criminal conduct that masquerades as medical treatment,” she said.
“In determining how to focus our drug enforcement resources, we will look at the true nature and scope of an enterprise, and its impact on the community. We will continue to target and investigate entities that are large scale commercial drug enterprises, or that threaten public safety in other ways. Sales to people who are not ill, particularly our youth, sales or grows in school zones, and the use of guns in connection with an enterprise all present a danger to our community.”
They don’t get it! I think when congress is looking at budgets to cut, the FBI/DEA needs to have their budget slashed! They seem to have too much time and money on their hands. Call your representative!
It’s about darn time the Feds get off their butts and do their jobs! The posession, sale, and use of Marijuna is ILLEGAL under federal law, until that’s changed calling it “medical” is meaningless. Illegal is illegal. Don’t like it? Change the law, don’t attack the enforcement guys for doing their jobs.
We did change the law back in 1998. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=69.51A
The 10th Amendment to the Constitution reads “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” The feds do not have the right under the constitution to usurp a state law legalizing dispensaries.
Once again Robin your understanding of the Tenth amendment is backwards. The Federal Government has long regulated the Drug industry (legal and otherwise) under the commerce clause (no it DOSN’T matter if the drugs actually cross a state line or not)therefore in this case Federal Law trumps the State. The “dispensaries” may be legal, the product they “dispense” clearly is NOT.
Well, see it as you like. I interpret it another way. I called my rep Patty Murray and asked her to cut their funding. Obviously they have too many resources and all they can manage is to pluck the low hanging fruit I think our tax dollars would be spent better elsewhere.
I’m a real libertarian, not just someone who pays lip service to liberty.
Sadly your versdion threatens the very foundation of our nation. In your version the 10th Amendment negates the rest of the Constitution if “The State” disagrees with the Feds. I don’t want to live in a place where my rights can be stripped by a vote of the mob.
Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on your way out.
Liberty is more than just a word.
Besides, who’s stripping your rights? You are the one wanting to impose your morality on others. You are the one who is trampling on peoples right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Mind your own house and I’ll mind mine!
Um…..Where did I say that I oppose changing the drug laws? I simply point out that 1. Being upset at Law Enforcement for enforcing the law is misguided, the law is the problem not the enforcers. 2. That you are consistantly espousing a view of the 10th Amendment that is not only wrong, but dangerous. Now I am the one “who is trampling on peoples right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”? Excuse me, but aren’t you the one who wants to give individual States the power to Shred my Right to Keep and Bear Arms? Isn’t it your position that the 10th Amendment gives States to power to override Federal Law? You think we can simply strip away all of those pesky Enumerated powers and Rights by a simple vote of the local mob? It is your wrongheaded ignorance of the Constitution that’s the threat here, not my strict adhereance to it. The Constitution establishes a Republic, not a democracy, for the reason of protecting the Rights of the individual from the tyranny of the Mob, as well as that of the Government. The Bill of Rights is a statement of what the Government Can’t do, the 10th Amendment reminds the Government that those powers not assigned, or precluded, to the Federal level are consigned to the State Level or the People. Interstate commerce is clearly in the Federal Jurisdiction and thus out-of-bounds for the States. I paid attention in my high school civics class, apparantly you were sleeping in yours.
Read more: http://pugetsoundblogs.com/kitsap-crime/2011/11/16/feds-sweep-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-around-western-washington/#ixzz1e2fyTq5sthreatening
This is not about guns Mike. Besides, my interpretation of the 10th amendment doesn’t strip any of your rights, nobody is trying to take your gun away. (stop the distractions) The FBI is at fault for selective enforcement. Why aren’t they busting drug companies for hooking our population on pain killers? Why aren’t they arresting the bankers on Wall St.? Why are they selectively enforcing the law?
I don’t blame the cop on the street, he’s my friend and neighbor. I blame the organization and their masters. If folks can get marijuana then they won’t have to get hooked on Corporate America’s prescribed drug (Opiates). Therefore our corporate masters send out their paid mercenaries to oppress free spirited Americans. Don’t tell me that Marijuana is a dangerous drug that destroys life, that is a lie.
The people are standing up and saying, ‘stop marijuana prohibition’. This is not some vote of the mob, medical marijuana laws were passed in Washington state 13 years ago. Stop supporting the fascists. Our country stands at a crossroads, stop buying the message of hate spewed on hate TV.
I realize that I won’t sway your way of thinking. You seem happy to accept the yoke of your corporate masters. You’ll carry your gun around in a false sense of security (Glock ®). While you leave a world stripped of it’s riches and natural resources and a big pile of debt that your kids and grandchildren will be left to pay. All in the name of making the rich richer while stripping money and power from the middle class.
Look to the OWS movement these are the true American patriots. They are not slaves to the system. I might not get you to face reality Mike, but maybe someone else lurking in these blogs will see the truth in what I have to say.
The FIRST amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America!
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to ASSEMBLE, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
This conversation has run it’s course, feel free to have the last word, I’m out…
“Corprate Masters”? Really? that’s the best you can do? You think that a bunch of lawless thugs disrupting traffic and destroying public and private property are “true American heroes”? You quote the first Amendment like it is Holy writ, but would give the States Power to override it? The “hate” I’m hearing on TV is chanted by the OWS “protesters” (with no message) who are crappping all over our cities. It comes from the Leftist media who tried for months to depict the peaceful, lawful Tea party protests as what the reality is for the OWS crowd. This conversation has never been about guns, Robin it is about the Constitution, something you clearly don’t want to understand. I will always stand to Defend the Constitution from those who would defame, or desacrate it, and those like you who would spin it entirely out of context and meaning. Don’t forget, that in RobinsWorld the First Amendment can be ignored if the State chooses “it’s own rules” under The 10th Amendment.
One more thing Robin, the 1st amendment says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
You and OWS apparantly missed the “peaceably” in “peaceably assemble”. Your “heroes” at OWS are many things but peaceable isn’t on that list.
What a joke and a huge waste of resources.