U.S. Deputy Lawyer General James Cole issued a new memo that has health-related marijuana dispensary owners worried. President Obama’s Justice Division has issued a new memo that is bound to effect the 16 healthcare marijuana states.
Previously, The Obama administration signaled that it would not use the Justice Division resources to prosecute health-related marijuana patients and caregivers. U.S. Deputy Attorney Dan Ogden issued a memo that that the Obama administration did not want to use important sources to target marijuana dispensaries and individuals if they had been obeying state law.
The U.S. Department of Justice has now reversed its position and indicated that it will prosecute medical marijuana patients and dispensaries. This amazing reversal has the health-related marijuana patients and dispensaries in an up roar. The minimum punishment below the federal method is a mandatory 5 years in prison.
Below the prior Dan Ogden memo, marijuana dispensaries flourished. In the state of Colorado, dispensaries opened at an astonishing rate. Prior to the Ogden memo there had been only 12 marijuana dispensaries in the state of Colorado. Following the Ogden memo, the number of dispensaries increase to over 800 through out the state of Colorado.
Health-related marijuana individuals and dispensary owner are feeling betrayed with president Obama’s new stance toward health-related marijuana. On the campaign trail in 2008, Obama personally stated that he would not use the Justice Division to target healthcare marijuana sufferers and their caregivers as long as they were complying with state laws. The marijuana neighborhood is now below attack and in a state of panic.
Marijuana dispensary owners are now on code red alert. At any time, the federal government came come and shut them down. They are organizing with their patients to protest and raids that could take place from any federal agencies. These plans contain getting individuals show up for the duration of any raids with picket sign to assistance bring interest to this new policy. Patients are encouraged to contact their nearby media, television station, radio station and to video tape any law enforcement encounter.
Will this do any fantastic? Only toronto dispensary will inform but its far better than just staying beneath the radar and hoping points will change. The health-related marijuana movement has had to fight each step of the way and they are not about to cease now. They only way to try to acquire traction is to bring this new position to the public.
The dispensary owners are trying to force the government out of the medicine cabinets of their patients. They face serious consequences to continue to serve their patients. Undoubtedly, there will be some dispensary owners that will shut down and close shop. But there will be those that step up to the challenge and open and expand their current operation.